Those trips to the neighborhood drive-through may seem like a convenient fast-fix to cure your hunger cravings, but there's a dark side to fast food consumption that may be affecting your emotions in ways that you haven't thought of. In addition to additives and preservatives that have been found to have links to cancer and heart disease, those burgers, fries and sodas can affect your ability to stay calm and focused.
Headaches
If you come back to the office after a fast food meal and shortly thereafter feel nauseous from the onset of a headache, there's a possibility that monosodium glutamate is the culprit. This additive is most commonly used as a flavor enhancer for sauces, processed meats and Asian dishes. According to Eric Schlosser, author of "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal," MSG's side effects may include migraines, tightness in the chest, restlessness, anxiety and irritability. Its effects are also more pronounced when taken on an empty stomach. Ongoing clinical studies -- including research by the Mayo Clinic and the FDA -- seek to validate whether reported reactions to MSG occur only with individuals who have high sensitivities, or whether other contributing factors such as food allergies are triggering adverse symptoms.
Poor Concentration
Fast food typically contains a lot of sodium and fat, a combination that contributes to hypertension and high blood pressure. Charles Wilson, author of "Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food," says poor cognitive functioning is one of the results of excessive dietary fat. When your body isn't getting enough oxygen, you're probably going to have trouble keeping your focus and feeling alert. If you're performing analytical tasks or tasks involving the use of machinery, a succession of mistakes will likely lead to you feeling frustrated, clumsy, overly sensitive and defensive about your job performance.
Grumpiness
Fast foods often contain high amounts of refined sugar, which subsequently causes your pancreas to secrete more insulin into your system to prevent threatening spikes in your blood sugar level. Since this usually is not counteracted by the presence of the right kind of carbohydrates and high protein, the sudden dropping of your blood sugar level right after you eat fast food can make you feel grumpy, edgy and inexplicably exhausted. This radical mood swing from the initial burst of energy you felt can inhibit your ability to communicate effectively with others, accept criticism or handle additional stress such as interviews, performance evaluations, intense meetings or commuter traffic.
Guilt
Given the pervasive reputation that fast food tends to have as something that is bad for you, feelings of guilt are not uncommon. According to Participant Media, authors of "Food Inc.: A Participant Guide: How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer and What You Can Do About It," there has been no shortage of media attention regarding genetically altered foods, slaughterhouse conditions and the revolving-door employment of minimum-wage fast food workers. Combined with the pricing of fast foods, the prevalence of trans-fats, sodium and sugar, and the number of calories consumed, you could feel depressed or guilty after that short-cut meal rather than packing your own nutritious lunch at home.
References
- "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal"; Eric Schlosser; 2005
- "Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food"; Charles Wilson, et al.; 2007
- "Food Inc.: A Participant Guide: How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer and What You Can Do About It"; Participant Media, et al.; 2009
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