Unmasking The Silent Threat: How Junk Food Is Endangering Our Children's Health

(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) It's a common sight these days-children skipping proper meals at the dining table, rushing instead to nearby markets to buy chips, pappad (crust), and candy. These snacks fill them up quickly, leaving them uninterested in the nutritious meals prepared at home. As a result, children are increasingly avoiding healthy food, and their immune systems are already vulnerable, becoming weaker by consuming such junk.

Children, with their naturally weaker immune systems, are more susceptible to illnesses, and these harmful snacks only aggravate the situation. As a result, children frequently suffer from digestive issues, mouth ulcers, throat infections, stomach problems, jaundice, and various other infections.

Parents are not entirely blameless in this situation. Many mothers, to avoid tantrums during trips, stock up on chips and snacks for their children, while fathers, returning home from work, bring the same unhealthy treats for their kids. The result? Children grow accustomed to this junk food, leaving their parents unaware of the long-term harm. Mothers can instead prepare healthier homemade alternatives, such as potato chips, which not only ensure better nutrition but also save money.

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But why do I call these pappads, chips, and snacks "poison"? The answer lies in how they are produced. These items are often manufactured in hidden, unsanitary factories, far from the eyes of authorities. These factories aren't registered, and they operate in conditions that would be shut down if exposed.

Another alarming fact is that these snacks don't come with production or expiry dates. Worse yet, many chips marketed as made from potatoes don't contain any real potatoes at all! Instead, they are filled with artificial flavors and harmful additives. The oils used to fry them are not only unhealthy but also suspected to be made from melted chicken fat-an extremely cheap and harmful alternative.

The manufacturers of these products are driven solely by profit, with no regard for the health and safety of consumers. They are playing with people's lives, and sadly, children are the most frequent victims.

What's even more shocking is that to enhance the taste, acids are added to these snacks, along with spices mixed with adulterated ingredients like husk, brick powder, and excessive amounts of salt and artificial flavors. This excessive salt intake contributes to irritability, obesity, and even high blood pressure in children.

As for the sweets like toffees, they are packed with artificial sweeteners that are harmful to a child's mental development. If you've ever noticed, after eating a toffee, the tongue has a bitter aftertaste and gets stained, all thanks to the heavy dose of chemicals and artificial colors used in these treats.

The shocking reality is that not just children, but adults, too, consume these harmful products with equal enthusiasm. We often gravitate towards food that pleases our eyes and taste buds, disregarding the harm it causes to our health.

Parents, it's time to wake up! Your children are innocent and unaware of the dangers they face. Manufacturers of these snacks are reaping illicit profits, exploiting this ignorance. Parents must monitor their children's diets closely and protect them from consuming these dangerous products.

Let's take a stand and protect our children's future by keeping them away from the silent poison that is junk food.

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