Fast Food Nutrition
It has become commonplace for many people to rely upon fast food nutrition on a daily basis.
Fast food is often bought on the run as a snack or meal to keep you going during a busy day. Fast food is also an easy meal when you are tired in the evening. It is tasty comfort food. And fast food is on the menu in many homes.
What is Fast Food?
Fast food nutrition is convenience nutrition, available just about everywhere.
Snacks and drinks vendor machines are found in bus/rail stations, airports, schools, supermarkets, on streets and restaurants.
Fast food 'restaurants' are on street corners and along busy roads. They advertise constantly: even toddlers recognise their catchy jingles.
You never visit fast food outlets? Your school child will be begging you to! Everyone has meals in these places!
Rest assured, relying on fast food for a convenient meal doesn't mean you have to completely sacrifice healthy nutrition.
Many fast food restaurants are now providing food value information about the meals they serve. This information is generally given in calories and allows you to make relatively wise choices.
Children must be encouraged to eat healthily, especially when faced with fast food choices! Green salad on a burger does not eliminate the fat in meats, or the trans fat used to cook meats.
However much you attempt to make the right choices when buying fast food, it is not easy. Fast food is quick and convenient and inexpensive for a reason. The meats are cheap cuts, cooking is fast and generally uses fat. Salt, sugar and fat make food tasty, not healthy, nutrition.
Fast food:Trans Fats
Fat is an essential food, but not all fat is healthy, nor is too much fat healthy.
The most dangerous fats are trans fats, made from liquid vegetable oils that are hydrogenated to create a solid.
Trans fats are widely used in fast food peparation, and processed supermarket foods; used because they add texture, hardness and shelf-life.
Transfats are also naturally found, in meats and dairy products, and is why it is advisable to limit these foods.
Trans fats add bad cholesterol, and diminish good cholesterol in your blood. Untreated high cholesterol can lead to heart disease.
Many children grow up on Fast Food Nutrition and trans fats, increasing unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Trans fats have no nutritional value.
Diet Related Diseases
As well as high cholesterol, there are other diseases caused by eating trans fat. Diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure combined are called metabolic syndrome, together increasing the risk factor of heart attack or stroke, and death from heart attack or stroke.
Fast Food: Summary
- It is possible but difficult to eat healthy fast foods.
- Many children grow up on fast food.
- Fast food tastes good.
- Trans fats are mostly used to process fast foods and supermarket foods. It increases shelf life and improves appearance of food.
- Metabolic syndrome is a result of eating fast food cooked in trans fats.
- Daily dietary choices are your own. It is up to you to learn to make healthy choices, which can be found in the healthy eating page.
This article was about fast food nutrition.