Fast Food
Fast food is any food that is quick, convenient, and usually inexpensive. You can buy fast food just about anywhere that sells food and snacks. Vending machines, drive-thru restaurants, and 24 hour convenience stores are probably the most common places to find fast food. However, fast food is inexpensive because it is usually made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat, refined grains, and added sugar and fats, instead of nutritious foods such as lean meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Fast Food Affect Weight and Health
A fifteen year study in America came to the conclusion that people who reported eating fast food regularly over
their lifetime are more likely to become obese. It also develops type 2 diabetes,
which is more common in obese people. The study looked at the diets of more than 3,000
adults who were aged between 18 and 30 at the start of the survey, and monitored them over
the following 15 years. They found that people who ate fast food meals more than twice a
week ended up weighing 4.5kg more, on average, than those who rarely ate fast food at all.
They also had twice as much chance of developing increased insulin resistance, which put them
at a greater risk of developing diabetes.
The Advantages of Fast Food
• It saves time. In today's fast-paced life, there is nothing better
than getting a ready meal. It makes eating fast food score more preferably over
cooking a meal for a busy individual.
• Fast food does raise health concerns. Salads are a smart choice. Go
for bread products that are made from wheat bread. Go for steamed rice instead of fried,
plenty of vegetables, pizza with less fatty meat and cheese etc.
• The cost can also be one of the advantages. If you live alone, it’s often cheaper to
buy a meal for one at the supermarket, where they are often on special offer.
The Disadvantages of Fast Food
• It is very unhealthy, full of saturated fat. It can
clog your arteries, and you'll become fat. It has a high sodium content,
which lots of salt aren’t good for you. It causes high blood pressure.
• Fast food is an important contributor to obesity in the American population.
Obesity in children is on the rise and a direct link is being cited between fast food
and obesity in children.
• Going out to a fast food eating joint
with family once in a while won't matter much. However,
frequent visits to such restaurants with one's family can become quite an
expensive affair, besides being unhealthy.