News About Fast Foods
Many people think of fast food as just a quick and easy meal. But most fast food is high in calories, sugar, fat, and sodium (salt). Often, these foods are also low in vitamins and minerals. The fat in many items is either saturated fat or trans fat. Both of these types of fat clog your arteries. Eating a steady diet of fast food can lead to long-term health problems, such as heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
Some of the foods served in fast-food restaurants sound healthy, but they aren’t. For example, a chicken sandwich (deep-fried) served with mayonnaise has 500 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 12 grams of saturated fat. That’s one-third of the calories and fat most kids need in a whole day! Then you add the fries and drink and get even more calories and fat. But a 3-ounce portion of skinless chicken only has 140 calories, 3 grams of fat, and less than 1 gram of saturated fat. Likewise, “extra-value” meals mean extra-large portions. At one fast-food chain, a specialty burger, fries, and drink contain 1,300 to 1,800 calories. Once you supersize it, one meal meets your calorie needs for the day!
Healthy Changes
Just when you thought there wasn’t anything healthy to eat anymore, the menus began to change. Consumers started demanding healthier food, and fast-food chains have responded.
The trick is getting healthy food that still tastes good. One restaurant’s spokesperson says, “People want lower sodium, lower fat, and less cholesterol, but it has to taste good, or they won’t buy it.”
So how do you find a quick meal that you like to eat and is still good for you? Here are some ideas.
One burger chain is now offering a meatless burger. Their fire-grilled veggie burger is a blend of fresh vegetables, whole grains, and spices. It’s loaded onto a sesame seed bun with even more vegetables and reduced-fat mayonnaise. At only 330 calories and less than 2 grams of saturated fat, this burger fills you up without weighing you down.
Salads are always a popular health food. However, the usual iceberg lettuce salad loaded with cheese, croutons, and salad dressing isn’t the best choice. Now you can get salads with mixed greens and other vegetables, lean meats, fruit, nuts, and low-fat dressings. Together, they make a low-calorie, nutritious meal.
Most people think of sub sandwiches as being healthy. Depending on what you put on them, subs can have more fiber and less fat and calories than many other fast-food sandwiches. One chain is now coming out with a healthier “Kid’s Pack.” The cookie and soda are gone. They’ve been replaced by a fruit snack and 100% fruit juice.
Sometimes a meal tastes more like dessert. Tempt your taste buds with a parfait made with fruit and yogurt from one fast-food chain. Layered between strawberries and blueberries is creamy low-fat yogurt. Top it off with crunchy granola, and you have a nutritious treat. At only 380 calories, this treat could make a healthy breakfast.
Finally, some chains are testing new ideas altogether. Some restaurants are offering customers salsa in place of cheese. Others are including bottled water and a nutrition booklet with the meal.
Balancing Act
“These new food choices are great,” says nutritionist Julie Miller Jones, author of Food Safety. But it’s important to eat fast food in moderation. Every food contains different vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy. You can’t go wrong when you balance out a fast-food meal with one that has plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. That way, you’ll get the nutrients that your body needs.
Eating a balanced diet is only part of what you need to stay healthy. You also need to stay active. Physical activity gives you energy, and it helps you sleep better and feel better. When you balance your life with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, you can even allow yourself that not-so-healthy burger and fries once in a while.
Making Choices
What if you don’t want a salad, grilled chicken, or veggie burger? Sometimes a burger and fries just sounds better. Eating healthy at a fast-food restaurant is all about making choices. Joanne Lichten, author of the book Dining Lean, has some ideas to help you choose wisely when eating out.
Order the smallest servings on the menu. A quarter-pound burger has 245 calories, but a half-pound burger has 490 calories. At one restaurant, a small serving of french fries has 210 calories, but a large serving has 540 calories.
Order your burger cooked well done. The more you cook the burger, the less fat there is to eat.
Just say no to extra cheese. Every slice of cheese adds about 100 calories.
Limit your toppings. Toppings add flavor, but unless they are vegetables, they probably also add fat, so consume fewer toppings when you can.
Use mustard, barbecue sauce, or salsa instead of mayonnaise or salad dressing. Mustard, barbecue sauce, and salsa are all fat-free, and they are low in calories.
Steer clear of fried chicken or fish. Chicken and fish are usually lower in fat and calories than beef, but not if they are fried. Unless the menu says the food is grilled or broiled, it’s probably fried. Still want fried chicken or fish? Remove the skin and coating, then enjoy.
Eat your pita or wrap with little or no dressing. Ask for a cup of low-fat dressing on the side, and dip your sandwich into it. You get less fat, but still plenty of flavor.
Directions: Using the five paragraph essay method that we have been using this semester, write a clear, concise, well-organized, and fully-supported essay in response to ONE of the prompts below.
Your essay should have a thesis statement containing three points as the last sentence of your introduction. You should include supporting details, minor supporting details/examples to clarify your point, transitions, and a concluding/summary sentence. Remember to proofread carefully before submitting your writing.
Writing Prompts
- Fast-food chains have already taken some steps to offer people healthier food. Write an essay with three additional steps fast-food restaurants could take to help their customers eat healthier.
- The passage discusses the importance of eating healthy as well as exercising regularly. What are the most important things people should do to take care of themselves, and why?
- The passage offers several tips for making wise choices when eating out. Are these guidelines reasonable and easy to follow? Explain why or why not.