Probably everyone has heard that food from fast food restaurants is very unhealthy. Everyone unconditionally affirms - fast food is evil. For some reason, few people listen to these words, and restaurants such as McDonald's, CFS, Burger King do not lose their popularity.
Well, it would seem that what is harmful in a cutlet of meat, herbs, cheese and wheat buns? Probably nothing harmful. Then the next question arises - does this mean the problem is in the quality of cooking? Most likely not either, because data fast food restaurants are very popular all over the world and their huge number, means the quality is at the highest level. Then the conclusion is Maybe fast food isn't bad after all. and his bad reputation is just a stereotype that has developed in society?
So many questions and so few answers. Therefore the team website I decided to explore this topic and find out, Is food from fast food restaurants unhealthy?, And What happens if you eat fast food every day, go…
Experiment #1
Let's start with an experiment that was conducted by one of the clinics in Moscow, together with the Internet portal BigPicture. It was attended by a 24-year-old resident of the capital Georgy Malets, whose task was very simple - eat a variety of fast food and sweets for two weeks.
The participant's diet included food from restaurants McDonald's, CFS, Burger King, as well as various sweets from supermarkets - gelatins, chocolate bars, chips.
Judging by the reports of the guy, some discomfort from eating fast food for two weeks he did not feel, which cannot be said about the results of the physical examination at the end of the experiment:
- increased glucose levels
- the level of “good” cholesterol, which cleanses the walls of blood vessels, has decreased
- increased hemoglobin level
- increased blood pressure
There were no external changes with George, because this is due to the characteristics of the body, fast metabolism and young age.
Experiment #2
The following experiment was carried out in the USA by a famous food magazine editor Andy Crisom. His diet included not various fast food, but pizza, in its various versions.
Andy's first discomfort felt on the third day experiment. And he expressed himself in the fact that when he woke up in the morning, he felt completely overwhelmed. Felt weak and tired. And everything was complicated by the sudden onset of heartburn.
The experiment lasted 5 days and here are the results:
- drowsiness, lethargy, constant feeling of tiredness
- dry mouth
- heartburn and stomach pain
- weight gain by 2 kg
Experiment #3
The following experiment was carried out on Phoebe Jackson from UK. She lasted seven days on fast food. Her diet included food from a McDonald's restaurant, Burger King, Subway, KFS, as well as chips, muffins, Coca-Cola.
According to Phoebe, the first days of the experiment she was very pleased and felt great. On the fourth day, she hated herself and the whole idea. On the seventh day, Phoebe was completely broken. I couldn't concentrate on anything.
The result of this experiment was:
- body fat percentage increased from 23% to 25%
- constant feeling of tiredness, general lethargy
- nervousness, irritability
- scalp and face become more oily
Experiment #4
And finally, the most famous experiment, which was carried out and shown in documentary "Double Shot", the author of which was Morgan Spurlock. In the tape from the first person, the man played the main role. He ate food from a McDonald's restaurant for a month.
Morgan's health was monitored by doctors and as a result of the experiment the man gained 11 kg. Mood swings, minor liver damage, and sexual dysfunction have also been observed.
In order to return to its original state and appearance, Morgan spent 14 months. After this film, the restaurant McDonald's decided to remove super-large portions from its menu.
Reverse result
But the following experiment is an exception. It was conducted by a US biology teacher named John Cisna. He, like all of the above participants in the experiments, ate dishes from fast food restaurants for six months.
But he followed one rule - the daily calorie content of fast food did not exceed 2000 calories and every evening John took a 45-minute walk.
The results were amazing:
- weight loss by 26 kg
- decreased total cholesterol
John was pleased with the results, but refused to continue his diet.
As they say, everything is good, if in moderation. However, excess weight and metabolic disorders are the smallest harm that fast food brings.
Not so long ago, scientists from the US National Institute of Addictions conducted research and stated that fast food can cause an addiction comparable to a drug.
Now you have the information and can draw your own conclusions about benefits and harms of fast food, all health ...
It turns out that even in fast food restaurants you can eat with health benefits! The main thing is to know what to choose from the menu.
At our request Anna Malovichko, specialist in clinical nutrition and author of the EdaiFizСultura blog inspected the menus of popular fast food chains and chose the healthiest and healthiest dishes. (Although at first, upon hearing our request, she threw carrots at us!) So, the floor to Anna!
In all networks, I chose dishes that do not contain harmful food additives. Well, they fit at least a little into the concept of a healthy lifestyle. That is why sandwiches with pork (bacon) did not get into my menu: it contains saturated fats, and this is overweight, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol and heart disease.
I also tried to exclude rolls - this is a simple carbohydrate. It provides calories but no nutrients. It breaks down quickly, causing a sharp jump in blood sugar, then a sharp decline. After a sharp drop in blood sugar, there is a feeling of fatigue, loss of strength and hunger. The abuse of simple carbohydrates wears out the pancreas and can lead to diabetes.
From drinks I recommend mineral water, tea, coffee without milk and sugar. All sugary sodas are high in sugar and high in calories. The consumption of sugar requires a large expenditure of energy from the body. For its processing, he spends reserves of B vitamins and an indispensable trace element - zinc. In return, the body receives only a large dose of glucose without nutrients. By depriving the body of vitamins and minerals, sugar weakens the immune system. Sugar-containing foods are the main reason for the development of diabetes and overweight problems.
McDonald's
Breakfast
Oatmeal with honey, jam or cranberries and raisins. Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate containing fiber. This will not cause a sharp jump in blood sugar and the subsequent sharp drop. Result: stable well-being without a sharp surge of strength, replaced by its sharp decline; satiety and energy for a long time.
Omelette. It is better to eat it without a roll, which provides calories but does not contain any nutrients. For scrambled eggs, it is better to take carrot sticks or apple slices as a side dish. They contain the fiber we need for good digestive health, daily detox, and overall good health.
Any protein food is best accompanied by foods containing fiber. It helps move food through the intestines, improves the functioning of the excretory system. Protein food, on the contrary, inhibits these processes. The better the excretory system works, the less toxins and toxins accumulate in the body.
Main menu
Burgers at McDonald's are made with beef, chicken, and fish patties. The best choice is a hamburger. I recommend eating it without a roll, which, as we remember, is a simple carbohydrate.
Here's what I suggest:
Meat patty from a hamburger with tomato, onion, ketchup and mustard + vegetable salad. Salad dressing - oil or wine vinegar.
Dessert
Chocolate or strawberry smoothie. A small portion is better - fewer calories and sugar.
For those who are on a diet - apple slices and carrot sticks. I think everything is clear with them: fruits and vegetables, few calories, vitamins and fiber.
Burger King
Main menu
I would prefer a hamburger: beef steak, no mayonnaise, additional sauce, the composition of which is unknown. As a rule, sauces contain a lot of fat or sugar, as well as preservatives, thickeners, flavors and flavor enhancers.
Good option - grill chicken bbq. Its main component is chicken fillet (it is better to put the sauce and bun aside). Chicken is lower in calories and saturated fat, and is a lighter protein. Other deep fried breaded chicken burgers have more fat.
It is best to supplement the meat with a vegetable salad (called a salad mix). You can also eat king wings without breading and skin (peel off) + salad mix.
Dessert
Ice cream "horn". Small serving (less sugar, fat and calories), virtually no dough, no additional sugar in the form of syrups.
"Baby Potato"
Main menu
The fewer ingredients in the form of bacon, cream, butter, sausages, cheese, the better: all of these products contain saturated fats. Therefore, the best choice would be potatoes with vegetable oil and potatoes with vegetable oil and dill.
Salads and appetizers
Right choice - croutons "8 cereals". It is a complex carbohydrate + fiber.
Soups
I recommend borscht, it has only meat and vegetables, and beef is the leanest version of red meat, it has less saturated fat than pork and lamb. Chicken Noodles: Chicken is a lower-fat, lower-calorie meat option.
Dessert
Strawberry fresh, if in fact it consists of strawberries. And I would like to know the presence of sugar.
KFC
Breakfast
Against the background of breakers, brusters, twisters, biggers, boxmasters, which contain bacon, egg, cheese, breaded cutlet (all together - a cholesterol bomb), sauces, syrniki and scrambled eggs look the most harmless. Fried eggs - yes, fried, yes, contain fat and cholesterol, but just an egg is better than with cheese, bacon, mayonnaise or sauce and a white flour bun. The scrambled eggs come with bytes (peel off the breading).
Main menu
Chicken pieces, skinless wings (less fat, fewer calories) and no breading. Strips without breading + Heinz ketchup. Strips are made from fillets, so they have less fat. Without breading, because breading absorbs deep-frying oil (excess fat and toxic substances). Classic Heinz ketchup has natural ingredients.
Dessert
Ice cream cone "Summer".
"Teremok"
The simpler the composition of the dishes, the easier it is for our digestive system to cope with them. We exclude fried, high-calorie, containing saturated fats: sauces, cream, butter, bacon, hard cheese.
Pancakes and cheesecakes
Cheesecakes with honey, pancake with honey, pancake with sour cream, pancake with cabbage and egg, pancake with banana.
It is better to combine pancakes with vegetables (simple carbohydrates + fiber), low-fat meat dishes - with vegetables (protein + fiber).
Main menu
Buckwheat, buckwheat with grilled chicken breast, buckwheat with salmon, buckwheat with boiled pork, buckwheat with cabbage and egg.
Soups
Borsch (meat and lean), pickle, chicken noodles with meatballs, lean pea soup.
Salads
Vinaigrette with salmon, lean vinaigrette.
Dessert
Banana dessert with nuts.
chicken in sweet and sour sauce with vegetables (protein + fiber); Turin style meat with vegetables (protein + fiber); spaghetti with ragout sauce.
Pizza
The combination of dough and cheese or dough, cheese and meat / fish is not the best combination (lack of fiber, simple carbohydrates and cheese - strengthens; protein and dough - strengthens). It is better to give preference to pizza with vegetables and dilute all this bacchanalia with fiber to minimize unpleasant consequences. Or take pizza and vegetable salad.
The so-called "fast food" or fast food has firmly entered the life of modern man. Although on-the-go snacking has only become extremely popular in recent decades, fast-food counterparts have been around since ancient Roman times, selling special tortillas with gravy for those who couldn't afford to cook a full meal.
What is fast food?
What food can be classified as fast food? Many experts conditionally divide fast snacks into three categories:
- Dishes that are prepared in catering establishments - restaurants, cafes, kiosks. These include hamburgers, toast, hot dogs, shawarma, french fries and many other similar foods.
- No less popular type of fast food are semi-finished products. To prepare soups, cereals or mashed potatoes, you just need to dilute them with hot water, and heat up various cutlets, pancakes and meatballs in the microwave.
- Fast food also includes many types of snacks that you can eat on the go - nuts, chips, crackers and cookies.
All three of the above categories share two important features - the ability to use on the go and a minimum of cooking time. However, the secret of the popularity of fast food is not even in this. In order for people to visit fast food kiosks more often, special flavor enhancers are added to these dishes. The combination of fat, salt and sugar works hard on the taste buds, causing a strong addiction. Even ordinary vegetable salads in fast food establishments are richly flavored with mayonnaise, sauces and other high-calorie dressings.
The benefits and harms of fast food
Despite the ever-increasing number of opponents, eating this food has its advantages. The most obvious benefits of fast food are affordability, time savings, and rich taste. Agree, buying a hot dog at the nearest kiosk is much easier and faster than preparing a delicious, rich one. However, the low cost and abundance of harmful additives, including the “food drug” monosodium glutamate, will definitely affect health. Scientists have proven that people who eat fast food more than twice a week have serious health problems, are highly susceptible to developing diabetes and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Fast food is one of the main causes of obesity and overweight. Such food is contraindicated for those who monitor body weight, as it causes painful addiction and is a source of "harmful" fats. The combination of fast food with a sedentary lifestyle in a few years can lead to a real disaster, since such food does not provide energy for intellectual activity, but contains only empty calories.
Eating fast food: basic rules
- Try to eat fast food only in extreme cases and no more than once a month. If you already have an addiction to such foods, try to gradually reduce snacking.
- Try replacing your on-the-go snacks with a visit to McDonald's, KFC, or another famous fast food chain. The requirements for sanitary conditions and the quality of products here are an order of magnitude higher than in the station kiosk;
- You can reduce the amount of fat in chips and french fries by blotting them with a clean paper towel;
- When ordering meals in a fast food chain, give preference to low-calorie foods - vegetable salad and green tea are much healthier than a hamburger with cola;
- Do not eat shawarma and hot dogs on an empty stomach. Hot soups or other homemade dishes will reduce the aggressive effect of fast food on the gastric mucosa. If after eating you feel an unpleasant heaviness - drink, which contributes to the active digestion of food.
- Limit the consumption of fast food by children. Frequent trips to McDonald's can cause disruption of the digestive tract, weakening of the immune system and other troubles for a growing organism.
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the dangers of fast food for health. Is it fair? How, then, to reduce the damage caused to the body by such nutrition?
The word "fast food" in English means "fast food". Therefore, it is correct to call so any dish that is prepared at lightning speed, served and eaten just as quickly. There are several varieties of fast food.
- Firstly, these are the dishes that are prepared in restaurants or mobile fast food kosks. This includes french fries, stuffed potatoes, burgers hot dogs, reheated pizza, shawarma and other similar foods.
- Secondly, fast food should include all instant products that can be simply diluted with water: noodles, mashed potatoes, soups and cereals.
- Thirdly, fast food is all kinds of small snacks sold in kiosks and shops: chips, crackers, nuts, cookies, popcorn. This list can be continued. But in general, fast food is something that you can eat on the go, almost on the go.
Fast food is synonymous with junk food
We have to admit that most of the current fast food causes serious damage to human health. First of all, this is due to the high calorie content that fast food products differ in. Historically, it so happened that there could not be a low calorie content. After all, a person goes to a fast food establishment to eat quickly. This means that he must satisfy his hunger with the least number of dishes. Therefore, it is necessary to increase their energy value. Hence the sandwiches, which are approximately equal in calories to lunch.
There is another reason that adds calories to fast food. In order for the client to come back to the institution or buy something in this or that fast food kiosk, it is necessary that he likes what he eats. And it’s not so difficult to enhance the taste sensations: you just need to add more fat and sugar to the dish. This approach is applied not only to sandwiches, hot dogs, ice cream, but also to healthy, at first glance, food - salads from cucumbers, tomatoes, beans. Many establishments add sugar to it. And they are not watered with lemon juice at all - mayonnaise or sauces based on it are used as a dressing.
The principle of increasing fat content is valid not only in fast food restaurants, but also in a snack bar, packaged fast food. Press the "chips" against a piece of plain paper - and you will see that an impressive greasy spot will remain on it. Nuts are also fatty and high-calorie. Of course, they contain a lot of useful substances, but two or three packs per day for a person who is prone to fullness is just a disaster.
Excess calories do not make food healthier. Fat, for example, nourishes only the muscles, it almost does not provide energy for intellectual activity in our time, when people spend most of their working time in the office and move little, such nutrition can lead to excess weight, if not to obesity, in almost a month.
Fatty and sweet foods have a very bad effect on the endocrine and cardiovascular systems. As practice shows, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease are much more likely to become a problem for people who eat fast food than those who prefer homemade food.
Passion for fast food - the cause of many diseases
Despite their calorie content, fast food is not very nutritious. For example, instant noodles, compared to regular noodles, are very, very poor in B vitamins and dietary fiber. And if so, then only carbohydrates and all kinds of chemistry remain in it. The body does not receive the necessary substances with the “fast food” approach to nutrition. And he continues to demand them - we are forced to go for a snack again. As a result, this vicious cycle leads to obesity and related diseases.
One of the steps to gaining extra pounds is non-compliance with elementary nutrition culture. A person eats sandwiches, chips and hot dogs on the go, chewing poorly, dry food. And even if there is an opportunity to sit down, he still swallows his lunch in 10 minutes, sometimes without even washing his hands. This definitely leads to overeating.
A person is simply unable to understand in 10 minutes whether he is full or not: the brain receives a satiety signal about 20 minutes after the start of a meal. For a business lunch in a cafe or restaurant, where dishes are brought gradually and you have to wait a little, a person would probably eat less - both in terms of volume and calories.
No time for lunch?
Of course, being hungry all day for the body is sometimes even worse than eating fast food. But there is a way out of this situation, and not one. Hardest of all for those people who are not tied to one place and have to be on the road all day. It is best for them to satisfy their beginning hunger with cereal bread or homemade crackers. From drinks, mineral water or juice from a pack is best. If you want to lose weight, then the juice should be diluted by half with water: unfortunately, the same principle of flavor enhancement applies here, and manufacturers often put extra sugar in the juice. Perfect for a snack and sour-milk products.
How often can you eat fast food?
It depends on the state of health, any instant food is strictly prohibited for those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The abundance of flour, spicy and fatty foods, dry food and a healthy person can lead to gastritis. What to say about those who already have gastritis. In no case should people with atherosclerosis or hypertension go to fast food restaurants. Firstly, in such food the content of cholesterol is very high. And secondly, burgers and chips are often prepared with special, transgenic fats that our body is not able to process or remove. Molecules of such fat are deposited precisely on the walls of blood vessels, thereby further aggravating the situation. Of course, high-calorie, sugary fast food for people with diabetes is banned. If you are relatively healthy, you can, on occasion, dine at a fast food establishment. But not more than once a week.
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Fast food has rapidly gained popularity among different age groups. Some people eat fast food without even knowing what danger it is fraught with. Parents buy hamburgers and french fries for their young children, and then face a number of problems, the main of which is obesity. What is the danger of fast food? Is it really better to give up any fast food?
Fast food is junk food
In all countries of the world, fast food is the cheapest food. It is often prepared right in front of customers. They buy fast food not only because of its low cost, but also because of its taste. Habitual buns and sausages with the help of mysterious manipulations acquire a particularly delicate taste. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers and Big Macs make you want to eat more and more. Fast food is addictive and most people have experienced this first hand. However, fast food is unhealthy and its excessive consumption will definitely affect the weight and condition of the body.
The composition of fast food includes a large number of food additives, which are responsible for the taste of the product. Most of which negatively affects the state of the body. If a person eats fast food several times a month, no serious complications will occur after eating such food. But if you eat it every day, then perhaps after a while there may be a malfunction in the body.
When cooking fast food, oil is almost always used. After heat treatment, it releases a large amount of carcinogenic elements, and this already answers the question of why fast food is harmful. Fast food and its harm affects the condition of both children and adults. Oversaturated fat foods are high in calories and lead to a number of diseases.
Fast food: benefit or harm?
Fast food has no benefit to the body. In some cases, it is better to refrain from eating than to eat dangerous foods. The advantage of fast food is fast cooking. A person can save time on cooking healthy meals, but then it will take a lot of effort to restore the body after such food.
Many people think that fast food is delicious. In this case, it is worth understanding why fast food is so tasty and reconsidering the attitude towards it. Fast food contains a large number of food additives that are harmful to health. Due to chemicals, any dish can acquire an exquisite taste, but this does not make it healthy.
The harm of fast food on the human body
- Overweight and obesity;
- Stones in the gallbladder;
- kidney problems;
- Atherosclerosis;
- Increase in cholesterol;
- Increased blood sugar levels;
- Hypertension;
- Diseases of the liver and pancreas;
- Caries;
- Ulcers and gastritis.
Children begin to suffer from a variety of diseases much more often than their parents. And this can be explained not only by an unfavorable environment, but also by nutrition, which harms the body. Young children and students prefer high-calorie fast food.
Many families have become accustomed to visiting McDonald's and spoiling their children with junk food. Adults themselves quite often do not see special value in fast food and prefer to refuse it. Many students snack on fast food to save cooking time and money. Such savings lead to stomach ulcers and liver problems.
Why is it bad to eat fast food - overweight and obesity
No matter how sad it may be, first of all, fast food is reflected in weight. Small snacks do not give a feeling of satiety, but in a short time they become the cause of extra pounds. If you eat fast food every day, you can gain at least five kilograms of excess weight in a month. Fast food is unhealthy and this is confirmed by thousands of Americans who are overweight.
Some people are frivolous about fast food, believing that it cannot cause excess weight. Even if so far there have been no problems with weight, this does not mean that they will not be in the future. With each new dish, the load on the digestive tract and liver increases - at any time, a metabolic failure can occur.
Why fast food is bad for the body - high calorie content
All fast food dishes are very high in calories and contain a large amount of fat and sugar. They do not contain vitamins and minerals, and they do not carry any benefit to the body. If we consider a standard lunch that includes a sandwich, potatoes and salad, then its total calorie content will exceed 1500 calories. Such a small snack is almost a daily calorie intake for people who do not lead an active lifestyle, and it says why fast food is bad. The most harmful fast food cinnabon has about 1000 calories per hundred grams of the product.
At the same time, a person could eat a vegetable salad, soup, lean meat, and he would definitely have a feeling of satiety for a long time. The total calorie content of these meals is much less than 1500 calories. An excellent substitute for fast food can be nuts and dried fruits, which, despite their high calorie content, speed up metabolism, nourish the body with vitamins and minerals, and also give a feeling of satiety.
Why you can not eat fast food - diseases of the heart and blood vessels
There are a lot of animal fats in fast food, which lead not only to excess weight, but also negatively affect the heart. Fast food raises cholesterol and can cause atherosclerosis. Animal fats put a huge strain on the liver. Fast food contains the cheapest and most dangerous fats - margarines. Their excess can cause cancer.
Eating fast food, a person causes great harm to the cardiovascular system. At first, this does not affect health in any way. An exception may be fatigue and dizziness. But if you eat fast food very often, this is a direct threat of atherosclerosis or blockage of blood vessels.
Why fast food is bad - lack of fiber
In fast food, there is practically no fiber, which is responsible for the feeling of satiety. But foods are rich in carbohydrates and fats. After a very short time, the person feels hungry again and wants to eat, which leads to overeating. Fast food does not contain proteins, which are the basis of body cells.
In order for the body to be able to process fast food, it takes a lot of effort. However, nothing but extra calories comes with fast food. A person cannot even fully satisfy the feeling of hunger, despite the rather large portions.
Is fast food harmful because of the high sugar content?
Sodas and smoothies are high in sugar. One can of soda contains about five tablespoons of sugar. Excess sugar is most often the cause of diabetes and obesity. Most carbonated drinks have a diuretic effect, which also negatively affects health. If a person feels thirsty, it is better to drink ordinary water than soda.
It should be understood that excess sugar will never benefit the body. Moreover, it can cause many diseases. Not drinking enough water also has a negative impact on health. You need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
Fast food as a cause of beriberi
There is no vitamin in fast food, and if a person eats it daily, vitamin deficiency may develop. Metabolism is disturbed and a considerable number of diseases of the endocrine system may appear. The longer a person eats fast food, the worse his general condition. He begins to get sick more often and feel a breakdown. Despite this, his weight will increase.
It is much better to replace fast food with fruits or vegetables that are rich in fiber and vitamins. One apple will serve as a great snack that will make up for the lack of vitamins C and E, which are the best antioxidants.
There is nothing better than homemade food. Eat more vegetables and fruits, trying to give up high-calorie and fatty foods. Do not exceed the daily calorie content of the diet, and only in this way you can maintain a figure and health.
