We are familiar with the white man’s advice of avoiding junk food if trying to lose weight. Our people with no research culture copy and paste these western ideas when trying to enlighten others about healthy living. From a Nigerian perspective, what food is considered “junk” and why?

I am of the belief junk food does not exist since if the body can process it to make calories then it is nutritious. There is also the use of English which defines junk as rubbish, litter and other non useful things then food as something which provides nutrients for the body. How do garbage and nutrition come together?

Okay, health professionals, let’s hear your views.

Let me educate you on this. Junk foods very much exist. When junk food is mentioned, it simply means food with little or no nutrient. Take for example Doughnut laced with sugar, which basically consists of wheat flour (inflammatory in nature), trans fat(very harmful), refined sugar(deadly), yeast(good for proper vision) and maybe salt.
So you can see that, your body is fed with basically poisons. Why do you think snacks hardly quench hunger? The answer is basically that it is non- nutritious to the body

it simply means food with little or no nutrient.

...but nutrients nonetheless. If a meal or food item possessed zero nutrients the body will reject it completely.

yeast(good for proper vision)

“Junk food” yet this is mentioned. That is nutritious. Sugar is also good for storage as glucose.

So you can see that, your body is fed with basically poisons.

Drinking bleach is poison and the human body will react accordingly. Eating a burger and/or donut is nutritious hence the body will process it like it does other meals.

Why do you think snacks hardly quench hunger?

The small portions in which they are eaten. I can consume a lot of meat pies to fill me the same way a meal will.

The answer is basically that it is non- nutritious to the body

If they are non-nutritious nobody will bake and consume them.

My original question said “in a Nigerian context” yet the snacks mentioned were of foreign origin. Nigerians do not have “junk food” then? There is a reason snacks are snack and meals are meals. I can eat a meal but the little quantity I consume will make it a snack.