HEALTHY FAST FOOD???

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  • Liluth
    Liluth Posts: 84 Member
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    Actually, there is!

    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/healthtool-fast-food-choices

    Wendy's small chili is a great source of protein ( 17g, 6G fat, 21g carb) for 210 calories. There are other options, but really, unless you're far from home you're much better off making your own alternatives ;).
  • MD1978
    MD1978 Posts: 477 Member
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    I think everyone knows that fast food is not the healthiest opinion. However sometimes it is the only option.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    There are definitely some that are better than others, but I doubt there are any that would really qualify as healthy. In just about any of them you are going to get more trans fat, saturated fat, calories, sodium, sugar, nitrates and/or non-food fillers than could be considered healthy.
  • Felbsies
    Felbsies Posts: 40 Member
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    Chipotle is pretty healthy because you can choose what you want and their meats are actually meat and not weird processed stuff.

    Have you checked their calorie counts on their website? I almost ate there yesterday before I saw that the one meal would be more than 1/2 my daily calories
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Chipotle is pretty healthy because you can choose what you want and their meats are actually meat and not weird processed stuff.

    Have you checked their calorie counts on their website? I almost ate there yesterday before I saw that the one meal would be more than 1/2 my daily calories
    Their portion sizes are enormous, though. And so much freaking rice. You can customize what you get and probably do OK.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    subway. veggie sandwich. no cheese. no oil. bread and veggies. sodium?
    sodium in the bread.

    haha. oh.

    It's likely there are nitrates on the lettuce to keep it fresh longer too.
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
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    It can be healthy if it is "real food" and not processed and full of chemicals. Chipotle and Qdoba might be high in calories but everything there is real.
  • cabaray
    cabaray Posts: 971 Member
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    Like most everyone has said, there really is no "healthy" fast food. Anywhere you go, including sit down restaurants, you're going to consume a lot of sodium. Have you ever looked at the sodium content of the Applebee's under 500 meals? However, knowing your macros aren't going to be great, you can control calories and eat out. I usually choose Taco Bell and get a crunchy taco supreme. 200 calories, 320 mg sodium. A little high in fat at 12 g, but hey, you can't have it all.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,021 Member
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    Playing devils advocate here: What's unhealthy about fast food ?
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    When I'm on the road and fast food seems to be the only option, I go to Wendy's and order a side salad no dressing and a small chili, and then pour the chili on the salad. A couple of packets of the chili seasoning adds some zing!

    Not really a sandwich person, but in a pinch will also get a Subway "Fresh Fit" sized turkey sandwich with veggies, and then only eat about half of the bread. Still more sodium than I like to consume, but it's a option when other options are limited!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    subway. veggie sandwich. no cheese. no oil. bread and veggies. sodium?
    sodium in the bread.

    haha. oh.

    It's likely there are nitrates on the lettuce to keep it fresh longer too.

    You are aware that nitrates are actually naturally occurring in most vegetables, right? That's where the vast majority of nitrates consumed by humans come from.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Playing devils advocate here: What's unhealthy about fast food ?

    If there are trans-fats in it, that's really the only thing. If there aren't any trans-fats, then, honestly, nothing. They are high calorie, and usually high carb and high fat, but if you work it into your daily plan there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating anything.
  • jlfred
    jlfred Posts: 65 Member
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    BURGERVILLE!!!

    OK, maybe not "healthy" -- more certainly "more healthy" than most. And they include ALL nutrition information on the receipts, not just calories (or a calorie range). 2 different types of veggie burgers, seasoned ground turkey burgers, awesome salads, no trans fats, locally grown/raised products.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    subway. veggie sandwich. no cheese. no oil. bread and veggies. sodium?
    sodium in the bread.

    haha. oh.

    It's likely there are nitrates on the lettuce to keep it fresh longer too.

    You are aware that nitrates are actually naturally occurring in most vegetables, right? That's where the vast majority of nitrates consumed by humans come from.

    No, I did/do not know that. What I know is that according to my nutritionist friend the nitrates in deli meats and restaurant salads is one of the worst things you can put in your body because it does terrible things to your pancreas. Whether those are different from the nitrates to which you refer or if it's the concentration of them that is the problem, I have no clue.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Playing devils advocate here: What's unhealthy about fast food ?

    If there are trans-fats in it, that's really the only thing. If there aren't any trans-fats, then, honestly, nothing. They are high calorie, and usually high carb and high fat, but if you work it into your daily plan there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating anything.

    Trans fats are not the only unhealthy food.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    subway. veggie sandwich. no cheese. no oil. bread and veggies. sodium?
    sodium in the bread.

    haha. oh.

    It's likely there are nitrates on the lettuce to keep it fresh longer too.

    So pretty much like all the crap that is sprayed on supermarket veggies?
    I'm thinkin if anyone is THIS concerned about what is in fast food, they might as well just steer clear and eat from their own garden.

    My supermarket does not spray nitrates on the veggies, except maybe in the salad bar. But I agree with the second sentence, which is why I steer clear and grow my own. Well, that and I really enjoy gardening.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    You eat far more nitrates in vegetables than you do in cured meats. There are no actual studies showing any real links to between nitrates and health problems. There is such a thing as nitrate toxicity, but it's pretty rare, and usually occurs in infants that eat high amounts of vegetables. The human body has an enzymes that processes the nitrates, and takes care of them, harmlessly. Old research from 50 years ago blamed nitrates for just about everything, but current research specifically on nitrates haven't found any causal links to negative health risks.

    The truth is, vegetarians and vegans have more of a risk of problems from nitrates than anybody who eats cured meat, due to a combination of lower stomach acid, higher amounts of concentrated nitrates from eating more veggies, overloading the enzymes responsible for metabolizing nitrates.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Playing devils advocate here: What's unhealthy about fast food ?

    If there are trans-fats in it, that's really the only thing. If there aren't any trans-fats, then, honestly, nothing. They are high calorie, and usually high carb and high fat, but if you work it into your daily plan there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating anything.

    Trans fats are not the only unhealthy food.

    So which parts of fast food are the unhealthy parts? The lettuce, tomatoes, beef, chicken, bread, cheese, or potatoes? Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles or onions?

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