Fast Food is Unhealthy

Fast food has become a phenomenon in American culture. As people’s lives have become more hectic, not allowing times for sit down family meals prepared from fresh ingredients, people have resorted to the quick convenience of drive-thru windows in order to bring home meals for the family.

The majority of these restaurants offer foods which are prepared from pre-processed foods containing artificial ingredients which can cause people to become addicted, as well as high levels of sodium, cholesterol and unhealthy fats. The cheese that is used to prepare sandwiches oftentimes is artificial and made mostly of oil. Further the primary ingredient in the mayonnaise is also oil.

French fries, onion rings, deep fried chicken strips and the like are cooked all in the same oils. While many fast food restaurants now use oils that have no trans fats, they still cook everything in the same oil. Then there is the beef that goes into making hamburgers. Most of these beef patties arrive frozen and have been processed in some factory elsewhere. They already have added sodium and other ingredients to add flavor.

Fast food consumption on a regular basis can be linked to several health problems. Health related problems include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. Even more alarming is the number of children that have been raised on fast food over the past few decades and are now raising their children on the same unhealthy diets.

There are now more reported cases of children being obese, having high blood pressure and high cholesterol than ever before in history. Fast food restaurants use marketing specifically targeting children through advertisements that promote complete meals that include free toys.

Many of these restaurants serve portions that are in excess of recommended serving sizes. They even promote ordering larger sizes of side items. Over the past several years fast food restaurants have been attempting to promote healthy options but it can be difficult to give up hamburgers and French fries for a salad and fruit. Once you are in the door, displays feature pictures of big juicy burgers and fries in order to tempt you.