Fast food -- burgers and fries, pizza, fried chicken, egg rolls and more -- is readily available, cheap and satisfying. When you're feeling hungry and pressed for time, fast food is a tempting and easy option. But before you grab your next bacon cheeseburger, greasy fries and a cold soda, consider the adverse effects on your waistline and health.
High In Calories
Most fast food is packed with calories. A single fast-food meal can contain more calories than you need in an entire day. Eating a Wendy's Double Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, large fries and a large coke will give you 1,230 calories, 450 of which come from the whopping 50 g of fat the meal contains. Just one slice of Pizza Hut's Meat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza has 480 calories and 26 g of fat. Any fast food that's fried, breaded, crispy, creamy, covered in cheese or batter-dipped is sure to be loaded with calories.
Low in Nutrition
Fast food is considered "empty-calorie" food, meaning it is not only high in calories, but also low in nutritional value. Most fast food calories come from fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates. Red meat, white bread, potatoes, rice and sugary drinks -- components of many fast food meals -- are foods to eat rarely, according to Harvard's Healthy Eating Pyramid.
Health Effects
Most fast food is high in calories, saturated fat, sodium, refined carbohydrates and sugar -- dietary culprits linked to excess weight and chronic diseases. Sugary drinks and refined carbohydrates, the kind in hamburger buns and white rice that act just like sugar in your body, increase your risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer, according to Harvard School of Public Health. The saturated fat in burgers, cheese pizza, fried chicken and other fast foods increases your risk for heart disease.
Make Healthier Choices
You can make healthier choices at fast food restaurants. Most large-chain fast food restaurants will provide written nutrition information, such as calories, fat, sugar, carbohydrates and protein, if you ask for it. Instead of a double burger and fries, order a plain, single burger, along with a garden salad and water or diet soda, for a healthier meal. Order pizza with thin crust, skip the pepperoni and sausage, pile on the veggies and ask for only half the cheese. Choose grilled chicken instead of fried. Skip egg rolls and fried rice when eating Chinese food and have steamed, stir-fried or baked items instead.
Affordable Alternatives to Fast Food
You don't have to choose fast food if you need to spend less. Nutritious, affordable food is available, and it can improve your health and lower your weight, too. Preparing food at home is much more economical than eating out. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables -- which are just as nutritious as fresh -- cost less, and are usually easier to prepare. Other affordable, nutrient-rich foods include eggs; low-fat yogurt; powdered milk; carrots; bananas; apples; peanut butter; family-size packages of lean ground beef, chicken and turkey; beans and brown rice, according to an article by Jane E. Brody in the March 2, 2009 issue of The New York Times. Make large batches and freeze the leftovers to save time on cooking.
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