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Many of us have a fondness for junk food. What we have no fondness for are the associated medical conditions and weight gain. Research in health and medicine has shown over time that fiber, antioxidants and other essential nutrients can mitigate the health risks associated with junk food by counteracting the physiological effects of saturated fat, calories and other potentially harmful components and effects of junk food. This does not mean that we can eat all of the high-fat foods we want every day. What it does mean is less restriction and greater dietary freedom for healthy individuals — including the freedom to make less costly, longer-lasting ultra-processed foods a dietary option. Such groundbreaking discoveries include the following:
Cholesterol and Weight Control
High-fat foods produce cholesterol-related acids that can clog arteries and raise cholesterol levels over time — opening the door to heart disease. Scientists have identified a special type of soluble fiber known as beta glucans that can counteract that effect. According to scientists, beta glucans can remarkably reduce the absorption of dietary fats and control cholesterol and weight by itself, even when added to a diet that includes high-fat foods. Scientists have reported that beta glucans nab cholesterol-related acids produced by dietary fats — ushering them out of our bodies before they can ravage our heart and arteries and thus lowering our risk of heart disease.
The excess calories in high-fat foods are absorbed by our bodies and stored as fat, and can cause us to gain weight over time — opening the door to obesity. Both fiber and antioxidants can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that fiber helps control weight by reducing the amount of calories our bodies absorb. It does that by nabbing calories — speeding them through our digestive system before they can be absorbed and stored as fat. Scientists have also reported that antioxidants help control weight by providing our bodies with the energy needed to burn fat more efficiently. These actions make it more difficult for us to gain weight and thus lower our risk of obesity.
Oxidized Lipids and Heart Disease
Deep-fried fatty foods can form oxidized lipids that can damage cells and the lining of the blood vessels over time — opening the door to heart disease. Antioxidants can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that a combination of antioxidant vitamins C and E fights heart disease by inhibiting the formation of oxidized lipids — thus inhibiting damage to cells and to the lining of the blood vessels and thus lowering our risk of heart disease.
Nitrosamines and Pancreatic Cancer
Hot dogs, bacon, sausages and other tasty processed meats contain nitrites. Over time, nitrites can open the door to pancreatic cancer by breaking down and combining with amines to form cancer-causing compounds known as nitrosamines. Vitamins C, E and selenium can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that vitamins C, E and selenium fight pancreatic cancer by neutralizing nitrites — thus inhibiting the formation of nitrosamines over time and helping to immobilize the cancer-causing process.
Sodium and High Blood Pressure
Many of our favorite junk foods are high in sodium. Excess sodium can open the door to high blood pressure by causing our bodies to retain water, which increases the volume of blood. Both potassium and calcium can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that potassium fights high blood pressure by flushing excess sodium out of our bodies. Scientists have also reported that calcium fights high blood pressure by acting as a natural diuretic to help kidneys release excess sodium and water. These actions help to maintain healthy sodium levels — thus reducing our risk of high blood pressure.
Homocysteine and Heart Disease
Some of our favorite animal protein foods such as steaks, hamburgers and ribs can open the door to heart disease and stroke by increasing our body’s production of a potentially dangerous amino acid known as homocysteine. Homocysteine is a by-product of protein metabolism. Excessive amounts of homocysteine in the bloodstream open the door to heart disease and stroke by injuring blood vessels, which leads to the buildup of plaque (scar tissue) and narrowing of the carotid arteries. The B vitamins folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 can counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 fight heart disease and stroke by breaking down excess homocysteine into harmless compounds — thus inhibiting injury to blood vessels and narrowing of the carotid arteries.
Estrogen and Hormone-Related Cancers
High-fat foods can open the door to breast and other hormone-related cancers by encouraging the growth of certain intestinal bacteria that have the ability to convert bile acids into estrogen-like hormones — which in large amounts can trigger the growth of tumors in the breasts and ovaries. The growth of certain intestinal bacteria encouraged by high-fat foods also causes our bodies to reabsorb circulating estrogen — rather than excrete it. As a result, blood levels of estrogen become elevated. Elevated levels of estrogen can trigger the growth of tumors in the breasts and ovaries. A class of compounds identified by scientists as isoflavones has the ability to counteract that effect. Scientists have reported that isoflavones fight breast and other hormone-related cancers by helping to promote proper levels of estrogen. Scientists say that isoflavones are structurally similar to natural estrogen. They help to promote proper levels of estrogen by pretending to be natural estrogen and nabbing our bodies’ estrogen receptors, leaving the real estrogen with nowhere else to go but out of our bodies — thus helping to immobilize the cancer-causing process.
A Resource for Additional Related Discoveries
These groundbreaking discoveries — and many, many more — are uncovered in the book Counteract the Junk: Research in Health and Medicine Shows That Fiber Can Counteract Saturated Fat, Calories and Other Components of Junk Food — Promoting Less Restrictive Cholesterol and Weight Control by DéShond G Barnes — ISBN: 9798272012678:
Counteract the Junk is a viable alternative to severely restrictive eating habits that stands alone as an informative, research-backed contribution to dietary science. The book explains how fiber and antioxidants can help stave off illness and obesity in a non-severely restrictive diet. Counteract the Junk is ideal for healthy adults with no history of debilitating illnesses who would like to maintain their health without sacrificing their favorite indulgences. Counteract the Junk uncovers discoveries made by scientists at more than a dozen world class institutions.
Counteract the Junk author bio:
DéShond G Barnes discovered the Counteract the Junk concept in the late 1990s by poring through medical journals and health, nutrition and diet publications for nearly a year, and has practiced the revolutionary Counteract the Junk methodology ever since — with incredible success. By examining nutrition facts labels, calculating the total amount of fiber, antioxidants and other essential nutrients provided by health foods, and consuming a daily diet containing an average of 100+% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for fiber, antioxidants and other essential nutrients — Barnes has maintained excellent blood cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and body weight over the decades without sacrificing unhealthy junk food favorites. This has inspired Barnes to share this information with the rest of the world by publishing Counteract the Junk more than two decades later. Barnes also conducts Counteract the Junk seminars at local Y.M.C.A.s in northern Illinois to spread the word about the Counteract the Junk methodology. Barnes lives and writes in northern Illinois.
Original Sources:
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- James Gordon. Vegetables, fruit and cancer prevention: a review. Journal of the American Medical Association,
- Jean Carper. Food, Your Miracle Medicine. HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 1993.
- Judy Jameson. Fat-Burning Foods and Other Weight-Loss Secrets. NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group, Inc., 1994.
- Katharine Colton. Smart Guide to Healing Foods. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999.
- Mark Bricklin. Prevention Magazine’s Nutrition Advisor. Rodale Press, Inc., 1993.
- Michael Murray. Long-term intake of dietary fiber and decreased risk of coronary heart disease. New England Journal of Medicine,
- Patricia Hausman and Judith Benn Hurley. The Healing Foods. Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1989.
- Patrick Holford. The Optimum Nutrition Bible. The Crossing Press, Inc., 1997.
- Robert Garrison Jr., M.A., R.Ph. and Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D. The Nutrition Desk Reference. Keats Publishing, Inc., 1995.
- Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention. Prevention’s New Foods For Healing. Rodale Press, Inc., 1999.
If you are a journalist, editor or other member of the media, a complimentary review copy of Counteract the Junk will be sent to you upon request. Send your request to: nathanael.eh.123@gmail.com.
