| Fast food has become a staple in the average | | | | normal standards but by far their healthiest |
| American diet, and that's not a good thing. | | | | breakfast sandwich)o Fruit & Yogurt Parfait |
| Obesity rates are at an all time high, and the fast | | | | (with granola): 160 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated |
| food industry deserves a lot of the blame. | | | | fat, 21g sugaro Apple Dippers: 35 calories, 0g fato |
| Consider this: Americans are now spending over | | | | Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone: 150 calories, |
| $140 billion on fast food each year! There are | | | | 3.5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 18g sugar |
| now over 25,000 fast food chains in the U.S. (an | | | | McDonalds also has 1% low fat milk and chocolate |
| increase of more than 1,000% since 1970). Fast | | | | milk, apple and orange juices, and nonfat latte and |
| food restaurants spent $294 million on marketing | | | | cappuccino options. All in all, they have taken |
| messages aimed at children in 2007. A | | | | steps to get healthier options on their menu, but |
| cheeseburger happy meal with fries and a Sprite | | | | still have some work to do. |
| at McDonalds has 640 calories and 24 grams of | | | | Burger King: |
| fat. This is over half of the total calories many | | | | Amazingly, as many fast food places are cutting |
| children should be eating in a day! | | | | out trans fats from their menus, Burger King still |
| Fast food restaurants are like any other company | | | | uses artery clogging trans fats in many of its' |
| in that their goal is to increase profits in order to | | | | foods. They also offer a "Triple Whopper" |
| please shareholders. The best way to do this is to | | | | sandwich that has over 1230 calories and 82 |
| get people to buy more of their products and | | | | grams of fat, and have the audacity to market it |
| they're doing a good job of accomplishing this goal. | | | | as a "man's meal." BK does have a few halfway |
| The average serving size for burgers, fries, and | | | | decent options on the menu that won't go directly |
| sodas has more than tripled since the 1970's! The | | | | to your waistline and I've listed them below.o |
| always-popular Whopper at Burger King has 670 | | | | Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich (no mayo): 400 |
| calories and 39 grams of fat. Add a large order of | | | | calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1090mg |
| fries with your order and another 500 calories, 28 | | | | sodiumo BK Veggie Burger (no mayo, no cheese): |
| grams of fat, and 6 grams of the artery-clogging | | | | 340 calories, 8g fat, 1g saturated fat, 1030mg |
| trans fat. Throw in a large Coke and you add 290 | | | | sodiumo Side Garden Salad w/ Fat Free Ranch |
| more calories and 79 grams of sugar. The grand | | | | Dressing: 75 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, |
| total for this "Value Meal?" 1460 calories and 67 | | | | 740mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing |
| grams of fat! | | | | adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)o |
| A study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and | | | | Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad w/ Fat Free |
| Blood Institute found that those who ate at fast | | | | Ranch Dressing: 240 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g |
| food restaurants more than twice per week | | | | saturated fat, 1460mg sodiumo Ham Omelet |
| compared to those who at there less than once a | | | | Sandwich: 290 calories, 13g fat, 4.5g saturated fat, |
| week had gained an extra ten pounds and had a | | | | 870mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards |
| two-fold greater increase in insulin resistance, a | | | | but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich) |
| risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Considering the | | | | Burger King doesn't have many healthy choices to |
| average American eats fast food an average of | | | | choose from. They have been one of the last |
| two times per week, it's not wonder 1 out of | | | | fast food chains to embrace healthy changes |
| every 3 Americans now falls into the "obesity" | | | | such as eliminating trans fats and offering healthy |
| category. | | | | menu options. Look for another option whenever |
| Despite all the shortcomings of fast food | | | | possible. |
| restaurants, there have been more and more | | | | Taco Bell: |
| additions of healthy menu options because of | | | | With the addition of the Al Fresco menu options |
| pressure from consumers, doctors, nutritionists, | | | | (where you get a nice pico de gallo topping |
| and public interest groups. Certain states have | | | | instead of cheese and fattening sauces), Taco Bell |
| now required restaurants to post nutritional | | | | has made significant progress in offering more |
| information, and this is a crucial step in educating | | | | healthy menu options.o Crunchy Taco: 150 |
| people about what they're eating. To write to the | | | | calories, 8g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 370mg |
| legislators in your state about supporting menu | | | | sodiumo Spicy Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 6g |
| labeling, click on the following link to the Center for | | | | fat, 2g saturated fat, 580mg sodiumo Gordito |
| Science in the Public Interest's website...it only | | | | Nacho Cheese - Chicken: 280 calories, 11g fat, 2g |
| takes a minute and could make a world of | | | | saturated fat, 790mg sodiumo Gordito Nacho |
| difference. | | | | Cheese - Beef: 270 calories, 12g fat, 2g saturated |
| Before we take a look at some of the healthier | | | | fat, 680mg sodiumo Grilled Steak Soft Taco: 160 |
| fast food menu options, here are some tips for | | | | calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 550mg |
| being more health-conscious at fast food | | | | sodiumo Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco: 170 |
| restaurants: | | | | calories, 4g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 730mg |
| 1. Skip the soda - they're full of sugar and empty | | | | sodiumo Bean Burrito: 350 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g |
| calories. A large soda can run over 300 calories | | | | saturated fat, 190mg sodiumo Cinnamon Twists: |
| and 80 grams of sugar - 2-3 days worth for | | | | 170 calories, 7g fat, 0g saturated fat, 12g sugar |
| someone trying to lose weight | | | | Taco Bell is an easy place to get yourself in |
| 2. Skip the fries - they're deep fried in unhealthy | | | | trouble if you overindulge because many of their |
| oils and often contain trans fats. See above - a | | | | menu items are loaded with fat and sodium but if |
| large order of fries may contribute over 500 | | | | you stick to 2 or so items and order them Al |
| unnecessary calories to a meal. Order just the | | | | Fresco, or minus the ranch sauces and cheese |
| sandwich and get a side salad instead...your | | | | then this is actually a fairly healthy option (for fast |
| waistline will thank you later | | | | food). |
| 3. Choose your salads wisely - check the nutrition | | | | Subway: |
| label for the amount of fat, sugar, and sodium. | | | | Subway has made great strides in recent years |
| Most fast food chicken is very high in sodium too. | | | | to introduce healthier menu options. They offer |
| Check out the restaurants nutritional information | | | | several sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less |
| beforehand | | | | and you can load as many veggies as you want |
| 4. Stay away from burgers and "crispy" chicken | | | | on top of them. Always choose wheat bread, no |
| options. Choose grilled chicken options instead | | | | cheese, lots of veggies, and either honey |
| 5. Watch out for $1 menus. Some of the worst | | | | mustard, red wine vinaigrette, sweet onion, |
| foods culprits are here. Look for fruits, veggies, | | | | vinegar, or light mayo if you prefer a sauce on |
| baked potato, or chili if they're available | | | | your sub. Here are some of their healthiest |
| 6. Order your sandwich without the sauce. Mayo | | | | choices (note: subs include wheat bread, no |
| and other fat-filled sauces contribute a lot of | | | | cheese or sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green |
| extra calories and saturated fat | | | | peppers, pickles, and olives).o Oven Roasted |
| 7. Choose whole grain bread options if possible | | | | Chicken Breast: 310 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated |
| Here are some of the best fast food options at | | | | fat, 830mg sodiumo Veggie Delight: 230 calories, |
| several different restaurants: | | | | 3g fat, 1g saturated fat, 500mg sodiumo Turkey |
| McDonalds: | | | | Breast: 280 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, |
| McDonalds has made some progress in recent | | | | 1000mg sodiumo Turkey Breast & Ham: 290 |
| years, eliminating trans fats from their foods and | | | | calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1210mg |
| increasing the amount of healthy options. Here are | | | | sodiumo Ham: 290 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated |
| a few of their healthiest food options:o Premium | | | | fat, 1260mg sodiumo Roast Beef: 290 calories, 5g |
| Grilled Chicken Sandwich: 420 calories, 10g fat, 2g | | | | fat, 2g saturated fat, 900mg sodiumo Subway |
| saturated fat, 1190mg sodiumo Honey Mustard | | | | Club: 320 calories, 6g fat, 2g saturated fat, |
| Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g | | | | 1290mg sodiumo Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki: |
| saturated fat, 800mg sodiumo Chipotle BBQ | | | | 370 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1200mg |
| Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g | | | | sodium |
| saturated fat, 830mg sodiumo Premium Asian | | | | Subway has the most healthy menu options out |
| Salad with Grilled Chicken: 300 calories, 10g fat, 1g | | | | of any fast food restaurant. They also have |
| saturated fat, 890mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame | | | | salads available with fat free Italian dressing, all of |
| Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and | | | | which are good options. The one thing that they |
| 790mg sodium)o Snack Size Fruit and Walnut | | | | could stand to improve upon is the high sodium |
| Salad: 210 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, | | | | content in a lot of their food. However, overall, I |
| 60mg sodiumo Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12g fat, | | | | would rate Subway at the top of the list of |
| 5g saturated fat, 820mg sodium (not healthy by | | | | healthiest fast food options. |