Fast food is not healthy but there are times when it is a convenient option. Here’s how you can choose healthier options when on the go.
Fast food is, and will no doubt continue to be, one of the most secure industries in the world. The simple truth of the matter is that sometimes, we look for the quickest option when we are on the move.
So it does not appear that fast food will disappear from the high street any time soon.
From a healthy eating point of view, the question has to be whether we turn a blind eye to it or find healthy fast food.
Can Fast Food Really Be Healthy?
I guess you already know that most fast foods are bad for your health.
Packed with artery-clogging, heart-attack-causing amounts of calories, fat and sodium, many fast food items are essentially death traps in little cardboard boxes.
Eating even one fast food meal can pack enough calories, sodium, and fat for an entire day or more. That’s why eating fast food on a regular basis can lead to a host of different health problems.
But still, the quick-cheap-and-tasty temptation can often be hard to resist. While many of us need to eat on the move, there are certainly enough people around who don’t want to compromise on their healthy eating plan.
So, does healthy fast food even exist, though?
There are options for healthy fast food, even if we tend not to define it as such. As an informed customer, you can definitely make healthier choices and still enjoy the price and convenience of fast food restaurants.
When Ordering at Fast Food Restaurants
Here are useful tips & general good practices to follow, when ordering food at a fast food joint:
- Drink water with your meal instead of Soda; try adding a little lemon to your water or ordering unsweetened iced tea; you may also opt for diet soft drinks
- Choose grilled instead of fried chicken; avoid mayonnaise, and fat-packed salad dressings, spreads, cheese, sour cream, etc. Basically, go for low-fat dressings and sauces (or none at all)
- Take extra veggie toppings on your sandwich; in general order items with more vegetables and choose leaner meats.
- Replace fries with a healthier side dish & choose the smallest size of burger
- If you don’t mind, don’t eat everything that’s served to you.
- Have your food boiled or steamed, instead of fried or cooked in oil or butter.
- Ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served without the sauces, ask for olive oil and vinegar for your salads.
- Dishes labeled deep-fried, pan-fried, basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy, scalloped, Alfredo, au gratin, or in cream sauce are usually high in calories, unhealthy fats, or sodium.
Were they not obvious?
Are there better tips that you have been following? Let us know!
What to Eat & What to AVOID at Fast Food Restaurants
Go For Sandwiches
The best fast and healthy option for many of us is a sandwich.
Certainly, the number of sandwich chains around the country is testament to how much people enjoy a good sandwich, and the advantage is that sandwiches are readily customizable.
Admittedly, not all sandwiches are healthy, but it is up to you how you have them. A chicken salad sandwich on wholemeal with no mayo is certainly healthier than a burger and fries.
Checkout this video on how to make a Healthy Fast Food Meal:
Avoid Buffets & Supersized Portions
In most restaurants a single serving provides enough for two meals. So divide the portion with a dining partner. If you’re not comfortable doing that, take home some portion of the meal.
An average fast food meal can easily run up to 1000 calories or even more, so always choose a smaller portion size. Make a habit of ordering a side salad, instead of fries.
In the case of buffet meals, almost everybody overeats to get their money’s worth. So make sure you opt for fresh fruits, salads with olive oil & vinegar or low-fat dressings, broiled entrees, and steamed vegetables.
If possible, resist the temptation to go for seconds; the other option is to eat slowly and wait for at 15-20 minutes after eating, before going back for more.
In general, its a good idea to eat slowly because it takes some time for the body to realize that the stomach is getting full.
Healthy Fast Foods: Ethnic Choices
Fond of trying out various ethnic cuisines? Keep the following in mind:
When Eating kebabs: Go for chunks of whole, lean meat; avoid meatballs as they often conceal a lot of fat.
When Eating Chinese: Go for steamed foods, plain rice, vegetable dishes, soups, and avoid deep-fried dishes like prawn balls, pancake rolls.
When Eating Indian: Healthier options include tandoori dishes, vegetable raita & dishes, and lentil dal. Chapatis are good, but other breads & paratha’s tend to be high in fat. Avoid deep-fried starters such as samosas and pakoras, avoid highly sweetened chutneys. Even the creamy korma curries and biryani curries are high on fat.
When Eating Italian: Bruschetta and focaccia are oily. Meaty antipasto platters can be very high in fat.
Say no to deep-dish and stuffed crust, especially in Pizzas. Layered dishes like lasagne and aubergine parmigiana are often high in fat, as is pesto. Avoid deep-fried calamari or whitebait, and fatty sausages and pepperoni.
When Eating Mexican: Avoid high-fat chimichangas, taco salad served in deep-fried bowl, or cheese-stuffed, battered deep fried chillis (chiles rellenos). Dips are often fat-based. Try salsa instead, and dip with fresh vegetable crudites or baked crackers.
How About Desserts?
There’s hardly anything that is healthy, when it comes to deserts.
- When it comes to frozen desserts, water ices and sorbets are the better choices.
- Mousses and souffles contain a lot of air and egg white, and are healthier choices compared to cheesecakes or gateaux.
- Cheap ice creams are highly processed and full of sugar and additives (if you have to eat ice cream – one small, plain scoop is better not a sundae).
- All muffins are high in fat, cream dishes like creme brulee and pannacotta are high in sugar and fat — Avoid these.
Donald Trump’s eating habits are very unhealthy, loves fast food
Everything we know about US President Donald Trump’s unhealthy diet.
He is the president of United States, and while many don’t agree with his stand on various political issues, many will find even his eating habits a bit off-putting.
Going by what Donald Trump has shared about his diet, it comes across as very unhealthy. Some of his favourites include fast food, red meat, and candy.
He told Dr. OZ he takes LIPITOR for high cholesterol and that he doesn’t exercise very often
Here’s more about Donald Trump’s unhealthy eating habits:
- He’s a junk food aficionado
- He eats fast food several times a day
- Donald Trump loves to gorge on Mc Donalds (Even former US President Bill Clinton was a big fan of Mc Donalds in the 1990s. He eventually went ‘Vegan’ in 2010)
- He even posted a picture of him gorging on a Mc Donalds’ burger meal on instagram
- Trump’s favorite is the Fish Filet burger (but by mistake he called it the ‘Fish Delight’ when asked about his favorite at the Mc Donalds)
- Trump also likes Big Macs and Quarter Pounders
- He even did a commercial for Mc Donalds in 2012
Watch: Donald Trump in McDonalds Commercial
- Trump also likes KFC (with Gravy)
- And Trump doesn’t just sell Steak (Trump Steaks is a brand of steaks owned by Donald Trump), he also loves to eat it
- Other favorites include Meat Loaf, Ceaser Salad, Spaghetti, Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream
So what does he say no to? The only thing he says no to is Coffee, Tea and Alcohol
STAY HEALTHY, Mr. Trump.
Source: businessinsider.com
World’s Biggest Mcdonalds
Find some of the biggest Mcdonalds around the World.
There was a lot of criticism when the news that McDonald’s will open its biggest restaurant yet at the 2012 London Olympics was made. There were many who wondered if an event known for its fitness & athleticism should be the home for something that is seen as unhealthy. The fast food restaurant will be the half the size of a football field and aims to serve 50,000 Big Macs.
The World’s Largest McDonald’s, Orlando FL
One of the world’s largest entertainment location is Orlando which is also house to the World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s, known as the Most Unique McDonald’s.
Biggest McDonalds in Russia at Pushkin’s Square, Moscow
The first McDonalds in Russia was opened a year before USSR collapsed. It’s near the Square named after one of the most famous and greatest Russian writers and poets, Alexander Pushkin. When it was opened, it was the biggest McDonalds in the World, and is still the biggest in Europe and Russia.
To Conclude
Fast food is cheap, convenient, filling, and for many, its tasty as well. The only problem is that it can quickly add unwanted pounds to your body (its okay if you can burn more than you consume). The best way to deal with this is to get knowledgeable about healthy fast foods, so the next time you eat at a junk food outlet you’ll be able to order better & healthier choices.
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