Fast food options often contain saturated fat, trans fat, and high amounts of calories, sodium and cholesterol. Eating fast food regularly can lead to unhealthy weight gain, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. To reduce the risks of fast food, there are approaches you can take to make it healthier.
Select Healthy Sauces
Selecting your fast food sauces wisely can help you decrease your overall calorie and fat intake. Many of the sauces, such as ranch dressing and mayonnaise, are packed with a considerable amount of calories that offer very little nutrient value. Ask for these unhealthy sauces or spreads to be left off your fast food. Choose healthier alternatives such as ketchup or mustard.
Wrap it in Lettuce
The refined grains and added sugars used in the buns and wraps of fast food items are unhealthy and contain limited nutritional benefits. These refined grain products cause your blood sugar to quickly spike and dip. These drastic changes in blood sugar will leave you feeling tired and hungry again shortly after you eat.
Choosing to have your sandwich wrapped in lettuce instead of the bun or wrap will help you avoid the unwanted changes in blood sugar and reduce your calorie intake.
Switch the Side
Fries are not the only side item available at most fast food places; many offer healthier side items such as apple slices or a side salad. Request to have a healthier side item instead of fries. Fries are loaded with salt, oils and some even contain trans fats, which can significantly increase your risk of heart disease. Choosing a fruit or salad will increase your fiber intake, which is necessary for a healthy diet.
Leave Off the Bacon
Bacon may contain protein, but it is not considered a health food. The unhealthy amount of calories, fat and sodium contained in bacon make it a food that should be avoided. Many fast food options come with bacon added to them; therefore, it is important to ask for the bacon to be removed before you get your meal. If you leave the bacon on to remove yourself you may be more tempted to eat it.
Check the Website
Visit the websites of fast food places that you frequent. According to Teens Health.org, you can find the nutritional facts for most fast food places on their website and you should look for options high in fiber, vitamins, calcium and iron. You may find that some of the nutritional information surprises you such as the McDonald's chicken sandwich contains more calories than the regular hamburger.
Don't Add Salt
Fast food items generally contain a significant amount of sodium and too much sodium can increase your blood pressure. According to a study conducted by the New York City Health Department and reported by Help Guide, 46 percent of the fast food meals they tested contained 1,500 mg or more of sodium. Therefore, it is important to avoid adding any extra salt to your food. You should try to keep your sodium intake under 2,000 mg per day unless you have been told to eat less by your doctor.
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