Physical Health by Rylie Roddick

Fast Food

16848 — 2017-01-06 03:10:59 UTC

Definition:
Food that can be prepared quickly and easily; sold in restaurants and snack bars as a quick meal or to be taken out.

Often made with cheaper ingredients like high fat meat, refined grains, added sugars and fats, and more. Fast foods are meant to be "filling foods that taste good and are cheap", according to youngwomenshealth.org.
Usually high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Eating too much of these over a long period of time can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, etc.
Soda is an example of a common fast food beverage that provides "empty calories", which are calories that don't make you feel full or provide you with nutrients.

Healthier Eating Tips

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According to youngwomenshealth.org,

1. Go light on toppings.

They usually contain a lot of sodium and unhealthy fats.
Don't add more salt to any food you eat; most contain enough natural sodium to satisfy the body.

2. Know how your food is made.

Is it fried, grilled, or baked?
Anything with "cream" or "creamy" in its name is usually going to be high in calories, unhealthy fats, and sodium.

3. Practice portion control.

Meal portions today are almost two times the size they were thirty years ago, so we end up eating way more than we need.
Order smaller entree and side portions; don't fall for deals.
Watch portions, even when you're eating healthy.

4. Look for healthier side options.

Order a salad instead of fries, water instead of soda, and fruit instead of a cookie or other dessert. The "unhealthier" options are huge sources of calories and sugar.

Enjoy your food and pay attention to your meal so you're less likely to overeat.

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Limit fast food intake to one meal a week and choose healthier options.

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Advantages

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You save money by eating fast food since it's a pretty cheap option compared to other fancier restaurants.
You save time because there is very low or no waiting time for fast food, and it's always convenient.
There are various healthy fast food options available at most places.

Disadvantages

16848 — 2017-01-06 04:14:55 UTC

According to md-health.com,

Fast food can be very addictive due to the extra sugar and food dye it contains, which makes it more appealing.
You are eating extra calories without consuming additional nutrients.
Cooking oils and preservatives used to maintain fast food make it difficult for the body to reduce fat.
The high levels of sugar and fat fast food contains can possibly lead to liver damage.
The high levels of sodium and cholesterol in fast food clogs arteries in the body, which increases the risk for heart attack and stroke and makes physical activity harder on the heart.

EVERY POUND of hamburger we consume takes 2,500 gallons of water and 16 pounds of grain to produce.

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Fast Food Myths

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1. Taco Bell meat is only 35% real meat.

It's actually 88% genuine beef and 12% filler products, which is a decent ratio for fast food meat.

2. McDonald's burgers don't decay; they're all fake.

They just don't have a lot of moisture in them after being cooked, so they dry out. An independent study found that McDonald's burgers actually rot at the same rate as a homemade patty.

3. Dine-in places are "healthier" than drive-thru places.

Sit-in places actually often over-serve (in calories) due to large portion sizes and free/excessive amounts of appetizers.

4. Fast food salads are way healthier than other items on the menu.

They are still loaded with cheese, dressing, and meat and actually contain large amounts of fat, sugar, and sodium.

5. Black coffee has the most caffeine out of any other coffee.

Coffee beans start out green and become darker in the roasting process. Therefore, the lighter roast coffees carry more of the original caffeine content and provide a bigger caffeine surge.

For more myths, see oola.com's page titled, "13 Commonly Believed Myths About Fast Food That Are Totally False".

Statistics

16848 — 2017-01-06 04:44:54 UTC

According to npr.org,

About 34% of all children and adolescents (ages 2-19) consume fast food on a given day.
Every day, about 1 in 3 kids in the United States is eating fast food. *This rate hasn't changed in fifteen years.
Fast food places are trying to lower their items by up to sixty calories to make them "healthier".

According to factretriever.com,

In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food. In 2014, spending rose to nearly $200 billion. In 2020, numbers are expected to be over $223 billion.
Today, Coke and Pepsi products are sold in every country except North Korea.

Fast Food In The Body

16848 — 2017-01-06 04:51:21 UTC

The high amount of calories and low nutritional content can increase risk of obesity and other chronic diseases. The body begins to lack necessary nutrients in order to function properly, so you won't be satisfied for long after eating fast food, even though it's packed with calories.
According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, there is a chemical called PhlP in grilled chicken marketed by major fast food chains that can be linked to breast, prostate, and colon cancers when the meat is heated to a certain temperature.
Fats commonly in fast food are saturated fatty acids, which raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk for heart disease. Research suggests that high amounts of saturated fats can negatively impact brain function: memory speed, flexibility, and prospective memory (the ability to remember to do what you intended).
Dietary fiber plays a dominant role in the digestive system, helps waste get out, lowers cholesterol, and keeps blood-sugar levels normal, but is not very present in fast foods. There are high amounts in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, etc.
The simple sugars, white flour, and empty carbohydrates in fast foods are what create skin issues (acne). Surprisingly, the fried stuff is not what is essentially contributing to this problem.
Added sodium products for flavoring and preservation can lead to uncomfortable bloating. If the body consumes too much sodium, it retains water, which makes you feel bloated and puffy. You also have an increased risk for high blood pressure, kidney stones, kidney disease, weakened bones, and stomach cancer due to all of the built up fluid.
Soda contains acids that can eventually cause tooth decay and cavities if consumed regularly.
If your blood sugar reaches hypoglycemic levels due to an excessive amount of carbohydrates, it will make you more anxious, confused, and fatigued and can lead to diabetes.
If the chemicals that line fast food packaging that make it grease and waterproof reach the bloodstream (PAPs or polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters), there is a greater risk for liver disease and cancer.
One study showed that people who ate fast food were 51% more likely to develop depression.

The sodium daily adult limit should be under 1,500 mg/day. A single fast food meal could contain more than 2,300 mg.

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Bibliography (Sources)

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"About A Third Of U.S. Kids And Teens Ate Fast Food Today." NPR. NPR, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

"55 Amazing Facts about Fast Food." FactRetriever.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

"13 Commonly Believed Myths About Fast Food That Are Totally False." Oola.com. N.p., 16 May 2016. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

"Disadvantages of Fast Food." MD-Health.com. N.p., 30 May 2013. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

Posted under Health Guides. Updated 17 December 2015. Related Content. "Fast Food Facts." Center for Young Womens Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

Staff, Editorial. "Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Food." Fast Food Menu Prices. N.p., 12 July 2013. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

"20 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Fast Food." Yahoo! Yahoo!, 18 Nov. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

Bibliography (Photos)

16848 — 2017-01-06 05:50:50 UTC

"Caloric Intake From Fast Food Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2011–2012." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Sept. 2015. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

Http://www.northernvirginiamag.com/author/editorial/. "Hungry For Linkage: Coke and Pepsi Respond to Petition Fighting the Mafia Through Food New Superfood." Northern Virginia Magazine. N.p., 07 May 2014. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

"Fast Food." Med-Health.net. N.p., 20 Oct. 2013. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

HOP2140840. "Blog #5: Our Future According to Wall-E." Blog #5: Our Future According to Wall-E. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

"The Hover Chair." Sci-fi interfaces. N.p., 02 Jan. 2014. Web. 06 Jan. 2017. .

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