Is fast food really so bad for you?

ndj1979

Look up the nutritional facts about Subway. It might surprise you to learn that what they market as "healthy", really isn't. HOWEVER, you are right that it's healthier than other places.

I have my students doing a fast food restaurant research project where they are comparing all these things. It's been eye opening for MANY of them, and they're in 6th grade.

I think that teaching young people the importance of balanced nutrition is a good thing, however I would argue that the best way to do this is to teach them about calorie balance, nutrient sufficiency, and moderation.

My problem with classification of foods as 'good' and 'bad' is that I don't really think it works. Even clean foods can be consumed to excess. Look at something like Atkin's, if you go out and eat 10 burgers, hold the buns, that's still a problem.

At the risk of this getting into an argument about something that's wholly unrelated, I see a lot of similarities between the vilification of certain foods and abstinence-based sex education.

Wut...??

Ummmm there is correlation between vilification of foods and abstinence based sex ed? Please specify ..not sure I want to really know but what the hell...educate me..!

ndj1979

Sorry, but I can't see a "Sarcastic" button on this post. If it's there, then I'd like to know why you feel this way. If you're being honest, then thanks for the compliment. I've been accused of "thinking and teaching outside the box for a Catholic school" on numerous occasions, which is why the parents are constantly complimenting me for the way I teach their kids.

haha

You should see how I handle the reproductive system. Now that's a real barn burner of a lesson!

:laugh:

PS: LOVE the profile pic.

you know how I handle the reproductive system...F It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bahahahahahahaha

jondyalec1

This is fast food meat! Think of all the stuff they put into it to make it last longer and to make it cheap.
http://blogs.citypages.com/food/slurry.jpg

AlohaKeAkua

Yeah it probally is but why do we tend to think it is the worst thing in the world if it was so bad then why don't we shut it down ever ask that question, but we still should not eat too much of it but alittle should be good because at least we are getting in our daily protein and calories. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

what?!

lmao... my thoughts exactly.... think I need another cup of coffee to decipher this information...

I had coffee and am still confused.

I'm an English teacher... My eyes hurt when punctuation isn't used...Coffee won't help, ladies and gents!

CrazyTrackLady

Sorry, but I can't see a "Sarcastic" button on this post. If it's there, then I'd like to know why you feel this way. If you're being honest, then thanks for the compliment. I've been accused of "thinking and teaching outside the box for a Catholic school" on numerous occasions, which is why the parents are constantly complimenting me for the way I teach their kids.

haha

You should see how I handle the reproductive system. Now that's a real barn burner of a lesson!

:laugh:

PS: LOVE the profile pic.

you know how I handle the reproductive system...F It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bahahahahahahaha

I kinda like you.

farmers_daughter

The great thing about fast food is that virtually all the nutrition facts are online. That makes it quite easy to plan a meal that fits your goals for the day.

The nutrition facts about everything are available online??

"oh I know, I'll have a mcdonalds instead of a home cooked meal because the nutritional breakdown is more easily accessible online"

That makes no sense.

It does make sense. It's easier to count your macros by looking at a package with the calories in it, or what's posted up on the McDonalds menu board.
Fruits and Vegetables do not have such written on them last I looked.

You forget it takes the INTERNET to get to a website with nutritional data on it. So yes makes PERFECT sense for some to do that.
Is it right, that's a matter of opinion.
It frustrates me that most people still thinks the INTERNET is free and available to EVERYONE. Hello! Welcome to the real world.
I'm fortunate that I have a smartphone, but still.

TheRealParisLove

Is tobacco bad for you? Everyone knows it is, yet it is still legal to buy and use tobacco products. It is not up to the world to make sure you make good and healthy decisions.

Yes, fast food is bad for you. Yes, even Subway should be only eaten on occasion, not every day like they hope you will.

All things in moderation.

ndj1979

The great thing about fast food is that virtually all the nutrition facts are online. That makes it quite easy to plan a meal that fits your goals for the day.

The nutrition facts about everything are available online??

"oh I know, I'll have a mcdonalds instead of a home cooked meal because the nutritional breakdown is more easily accessible online"

That makes no sense.

It does make sense. It's easier to count your macros by looking at a package with the calories in it, or what's posted up on the McDonalds menu board.
Fruits and Vegetables do not have such written on them last I looked.

You forget it takes the INTERNET to get to a website with nutritional data on it. So yes makes PERFECT sense for some to do that.
Is it right, that's a matter of opinion.
It frustrates me that most people still thinks the INTERNET is free and available to EVERYONE. Hello! Welcome to the real world.
I'm fortunate that I have a smartphone, but still.

why are you screaming about the internet?

Timshel_

Is tobacco bad for you? Everyone knows it is, yet it is still legal to buy and use tobacco products. It is not up to the world to make sure you make good and healthy decisions.

Yes, fast food is bad for you. Yes, even Subway should be only eaten on occasion, not every day like they hope you will.

All things in moderation.

I think this is where people get hung up. Fast food is not bad for you if you moderate how often and how much you eat of it. The vilification comes from seeing or hearing about pink slime or that movie where they guy eats nothing but McD's every day forever and gets fat. Both have some small ring of truth, but overall there is too much disparitiy of opinions of an optimally healthy diet to summarily dismiss fast food as unhealthy.

Or at least that is what I see in these disussions.

libbybond

JUST SAY NO

rayraex

Yes, fast food really is that bad for you. Not only are the foods higher in calories, fats, sugars, sodium, etc. but these foods are full of fillers and highly processed. Processed foods are stripped of their nutrients and are easier for your body to break down and store as fats. When you consume processed foods, your body breaks down the foods quickly and receives a high amount of glucose/sugar as a one-time spike. Afterwards, your body crashes and is hungry again. If you eat complex carbs and healthier foods, your body takes longer to break it down and therefore receives a steady amount of glucose/sugars over a longer period of time, and therefore you will not crash or get hungry as often. 100 calories from processed foods is not the same as 100 calories from healthier foods. If you stick to healthier foods such as fruits, veggies, lean meats and complex carbs/whole wheats, your body will get the nutrients it needs and you will not be putting junk into your system.

amandadawson24

While the book isn't on fast food really, I just read Salt, Sugar, Fat, and it was amazing! The author just presents a bunch of research about why we likes those things and why they are in processed foods to the degree they are. He doesn't necessarily argue that we should never eat these things or even say what our eating habits should be, but just presented what he learned after doing a bunch of research on how the food scientists decide what the formulas are for their products. What blew me away was the reasons why there is so much sodium in processed food. I always assumed it was just for preservation but apparently it covers up all sorts of nasty flavors. Yikes!

My take away was that it's fine to eat processed foods every now and then but to do it infrequently and to make things instead of buying them when I can. I think the same can be applied to fast food. Every now and then is no big deal, and there are times when you really have no other options, like at an airport where you are lucky to find a cup of fruit for sale and can't bring in your own meal.

And to address the points about needing salt, sugar, and fat. Yes, we do need those things, but not nearly in the amounts that most people consume. The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of ADDED sugar each day so that is not including natural sugars like fructose or lactose. The amount of sodium that we consume (on average) is astronomically high and directly linked to why 1 in 4 Americans have high blood pressure, which leads to heart problems. It's obvious that the average diet (diet meaning what people are eating) needs a makeover. I certainly don't blame fast food or processed foods because they are businesses and they are trying to make their product as tasty as possible while keeping costs low to keep people coming back for more. It makes sense. But, if we want to change anything we have to vote with our dollars and stick to the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, dairy, bakery, etc).

tenintwenty

I think it's okay as long as you get the kid's sized portions (i.e. what a single portion used to be in the 50s). Eating poor quality food once an awhile isn't going to kill you. Obvi no one should eat it as 100% of their diet.

GreenChile3

not this thread again...let me get some coffee and pull up a chair :bigsmile:

allycado

@VeganChica: The wheat bread at Subway has honey in it

melindasuefritz

YES 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!thats why millions of AMericans are obese

KatLifter

My take away was that it's fine to eat processed foods every now and then but to do it infrequently and to make things instead of buying them when I can. I think the same can be applied to fast food. Every now and then is no big deal, and there are times when you really have no other options, like at an airport where you are lucky to find a cup of fruit for sale and can't bring in your own meal.

No to sidetrack the thread, but you can actually bring bars, produce, and food through airport security. :bigsmile: Also, I bring an empty water bottle to fill up inside.

ndj1979

Sorry, but I can't see a "Sarcastic" button on this post. If it's there, then I'd like to know why you feel this way. If you're being honest, then thanks for the compliment. I've been accused of "thinking and teaching outside the box for a Catholic school" on numerous occasions, which is why the parents are constantly complimenting me for the way I teach their kids.

haha

You should see how I handle the reproductive system. Now that's a real barn burner of a lesson!

:laugh:

PS: LOVE the profile pic.

you know how I handle the reproductive system...F It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bahahahahahahaha

I kinda like you.

it won't last for long....

ncl1313

I can't stand it when people bring up Super Size Me as their main argument on why not to eat fast food. Morgan Spurlock ate an average of 5,000 calories per day. Considering most nutritional labels figure recommended daily allowances based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and it takes about 3,500 excess calories to gain one pound, you can easily see how it is not shocking that a person who ate 5,000 calories per day for 30 days gained 25 pounds, especially considering he made it a point to be inactive. How come no one ever talks about the documentary "Me and Mickey D's" where Soso Whaley ate at McDonald's for 30 days and lost weight sticking to a 2,000 calorie diet and moderate exercise.?

And you folks talking about Subway being healthier and then griping about portion control make me laugh. Line 3 "sandwich artists" up side by side, order the exact same thing, and I guarantee that no two sandwiches will be alike. Not even the pre-portioned stuff at Subway is exact.

Bottom line...too much food, in general, is bad. 5,000 calories per day is bad (for most people). Inactivity is bad. That's it. It doesn't need to be more complicated than that.

magerum

I cover it ALL, so don't worry your pretty little head over what I do and do not teach in my classroom. And I promise I won't tell you how to do your job, either.

I work in finance. LOTS of people try to tell me how to do my job.

I was trying to be polite.

It's a legit question. What is wrong with a 1,000 calorie meal?