The fatty foods found at fast food restaurants may taste great, but they can cost you greatly when it comes to your health. These fried and processed foods are packed with unhealthy nutrients that can cause serious adverse health effects down the road.
Calories
The most notable danger of fast food is the high caloric value. Excess calorie intake can cause you to gain weight.
Processed Foods
Fried and processed meats can increase total cholesterol levels. Cholesterol can clog arteries, raise blood pressure and lead to heart disease. Highly processed foods, especially hamburger meat, are also prone to carry bacterial toxins such as E. coli.
Saturated Fat
Fast food meals, especially those containing items such as red meat or condiments like mayonnaise, are high in saturated fat. Saturated fat can raise your cholesterol, clog your arteries and lead to weight gain.
Trans Fat
Trans fats are the worst kind of fats, as they not only raise total cholesterol, but also deplete your body of the good kind of cholesterol (HDL). Trans fat are commonly found in fast foods.
Portion Size
The portion size of many items at fast food restaurant are so large, they could usually feed more than one. The large portions can cause over eating, which adds to the problem of increased caloric intake.
Soda
The soda and sweetened beverages commonly found in fast food chains are just as bad as the food. These drinks, known as "liquid candy," are packed with sugar and calories. A 32-ounce Coke, for example, has about 400 calories.
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