Broadly speaking, scrap metal is waste, which is of no use.
Chatarra is a term that comes from the Basque word txatarra , which refers to "the old." The first meaning mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to the slag left by iron ore .
Waste or garbage
The matter that releases hot iron when hammered is called slag. The concept is also linked to the substance coming from the part of the metals that is less pure, which remains floating in the furnaces during the smelting process.
There are, however, other more common uses of scrap metal. This is the name given to pieces of scrap metal and old or damaged devices that do not work correctly . Scrap metal, in this framework, is waste or garbage .
Beyond these definitions, it is important to mention that scrap from iron is used to produce steel . That is why scrap metal has value and generates a business: scrap metal dealers collect, store and acquire scrap metal, which they then sell wholesale so that it can be used.
Junk food
On the American continent, meanwhile, scrap is used in apposition to indicate that what the noun with which it is associated designates is of poor quality . An example of this use appears in the idea of junk food : foods with a high level of sugar, salt and/or fat and few nutritional components.
Junk food is usually prepared quickly (which is why it is part of the so-called fast food ) and stimulates both appetite and thirst, favoring the establishments that serve it. Excessive consumption can cause health problems such as diabetes and obesity .
Negative effects of junk food
Although this is a series of very attractive and appetizing recipes, the best thing we can do is resist temptation and eat a healthy dish. The first of the negative effects that we can mention is obesity , which occurs due to the high levels of saturated fats, carbohydrates, flours and sugars that they usually contain, which lead to abnormal weight gain.
We must also point out that junk food increases the chances of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, something that is related to trans and saturated fats, which have a direct impact on an increase in cholesterol and triglycerides . Regarding sugars, since their level in the blood also increases, the blood vessels receive a negative effect on their linings.
Junk food is as tempting as it is harmful
Hypertension is another potential consequence of junk food. In this case, salt is added to the aforementioned fats, which is usually present in abundance, and all of this damages the natural balance that our body has of sodium and potassium , with the result of increased pressure. Excesses of these substances also attack the kidneys, requiring them to work harder to try to filter and break down toxins , so kidney problems are added to the already worrying list.
There are other consequences of junk food that often go unnoticed because they are attributed to other aspects of life beyond diet. One of them is a bad mood , which comes after a spontaneous increase in well-being due to the pleasure that these dishes cause. Even more serious is the impact they have on learning and memory : this occurs due to inflammation of the hippocampus due to the chemical reactions that arise from high levels of fats and sugars. Lack of strength and fatigue are also signs of poor nutrition, simply due to a lack of nutrients .