Fast Food, Really?

Fast food is one of the main causes for United States high obesity rate.

Have you ever thought about what you are eating when you are scarfing down that hamburger from Wendy’s or that sausage egg and cheese from Dunkin? You are really eating preservatives, added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats that contain very little nutrition for your body. By consuming meals so high in sodium and trans fat, obesity can also lead to long term health conditions such as high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, diabetes, and sometimes even early death. This kind of diet does not only have harmful health effects, but also harmful mental effects. It makes you sluggish, tired and unproductive. How can your body function properly and be active when it has no nutrients and only harmful chemicals and toxins? If a change isn’t made, when you get older a lot of time and money will be spent at the doctors and multiple medications. You are 50% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases like stroke and heart disease by simply eating fast food twice a week.

Categories of Fast Food

1. high in calories
2. high in fat
3. high in saturated and trans fat
4. high in sugar
5. high in simple carbohydrates
6. high in sodium (salt)

I also used to struggle with the temptation of the chick-fila drive through on my way to class, so trust me I know it is way easier said than done. Fortunately, I have found the solution to rid my cravings. It’s as simple as downloading a free calorie counter app on your phone. It sounds silly, but by putting your calories in the app and seeing how much fast food takes up of your daily calorie intake, it makes you want to eat it less. Your diet is supposed to be based off 2000 calories a day. An 8-piece McDonalds nugget, medium fry and dipping sauce take up almost half of that. Being more aware and knowledgeable about what your putting in your body actually makes a huge difference.

Many of you are thinking to yourselves, “I do not have time to eat healthy or that you can not afford it”. We’re all college students with hectic school schedules. After researching ways to eat healthy without wasting a lot of time on cooking, I discovered meal prepping. This involves going to Publix once or twice a week and buying ingredients like chicken, vegetables and rice that is around 15 to 20 dollars. You spend around 20 minutes cooking it, then put it in the refrigerator to have for yourself as ready-to-go meals that all you have to do is quickly heat up in the microwave. This saves a lot of time and money, and not to mention it is way healthier for you.