Say ‘no’ to your scrunchy burger if you want to be healthy

A burger is a great comfort food. It is tasty and filling. But if taken in excess, it can cause health problems.

Do you drool at the thought of burgers? Burgers are juicy, and they are tasty. One can easily gobble down one while on the move. It can be had for lunch, dinner and also as a snack in between meals. But, as with all good things in life, burgers too may have adverse effects on your health. These are great for the occasional treat but take care not to make it part of your regular diet. The home-made variety is still okay. But stay away from the ones available in the market.

They are often blamed for weight gain. Burgers are rich in calories, unhealthy fats and carbs. They also have a high sodium content. These are all things that can cause serious health risks if taken in excess.

BURGERS ARE BAD, SAY EXPERTS

Saturated fats, like the ones present in burgers, are the culprits in weight gain, obesity and type 2 diabetes. According to scientists at the German Diabetes Center (Deutsches Diabetes-Zentrum, DDZ) and the Helmholtz Center in Munich (HMGU), even the one-off consumption of a greater amount of saturated fat reduces the body's sensitivity to insulin. They used palm oil for the purpose. It increased fat deposits and caused changes in the energy metabolism of the liver. Researchers said that over time, it can lead to fatty liver disease in non-alcoholic overweight people and in those with type 2 diabetes. This report was published in Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Healthy adults who eat two or more servings of meat a day, the equivalent of two burger patties, increase their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 25 per cent compared with those who eat meat twice a week, according to a research published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors like elevated waist circumference, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol and high fasting glucose levels. The presence of three or more of the factors increases a person's risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

In yet another study, researchers found that if a child eats three or more burgers a week, it may increase their risk of asthma and wheezing. This was published in Thorax. The research team based their findings on data collected between 1995 and 2005 on 50,000 children between the ages of 8 and 12 from 20 rich and poor countries around the world.

WHAT MAKES A BURGER RISKY

A normal burger is said to contain 500 calories, 25 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbs, 10 grams of sugar, and 1,000 milligrams of sodium. This is a frightening combination.

Let us see which ingredients in a burger can put you at risk of certain health conditions.

It contains a lot of calories

Calories as such is not bad for health. In fact, you need calories for energy. But too much of this can certainly harm you. A burger contains a lot of calories. In fact, more than you can burn off easily. A double burger with mayonnaise can easily contains as much as 942 calories. It leads to weight gains and increases the risk of insulin resistance. It promotes inflammation, a key factor in atherosclerosis, and increases the risk of coronary artery disease.

What you can do: You can switch to a single-patty burger without mayo and bring down your calorie intake to 232 calories per burger. Alternatively, you can skip the bun.

It is rich in unhealthy fats

Burgers can be high in dietary cholesterol and saturated fat. These can increase the cholesterol levels in your blood and increase your risk of heart diseases and stroke. A double hamburger with mayo contains 22 grams of saturated fat or 108 per cent of the daily value. It also has 172 milligrams of cholesterol or 57 per cent of the daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

What you can do: Reduce your consumption by choosing a single-patty burger without mayo, which has 4 grams of saturated fat and 26 milligrams of cholesterol. Cholesterol is only in animal-based foods, and a vegetarian burger is cholesterol-free.

It has a high sodium content

Too much sodium in your diet can increase your risk of hypertension, stroke and heart diseases. It is also associated with osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease and kidney stones. Burgers are usually high in sodium. Even a small one-patty burger without mayo has 258 milligrams of sodium. A high-sodium diet can cause high blood pressure. It can also increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases and kidney problems.

What you can do: Limit your salt intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day. Avoid salty condiments and sauces.

It is loaded with carbs

We get our energy from carbohydrates. But if you consume too many simple carbs, it can negatively impact your health. This is because it causes blood sugar to spike quickly. It can cause inflammation and raise blood sugar levels. It can also damage the artery walls and increase the risk of heart diseases. A typical burger contains around 28 grams of carbohydrates.

What you can do: Exclude the buns from your burger. I am sure this will break your heart, but if you eat burgers frequently, this can save you from serious health risks.

GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT FROM YOUR DIET

Limit saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium in the diet. Also, cut down on sugars. Plan a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and whole-grain foods. Be sure to select fat-free and low-fat dairy and have fish at least twice a week.

Apart from this, you must exercise regularly and stay away from addictive substances.