Who doesnt eat fast food? Who hasnt?

In this kind of generation, no one would deny that everyone, regardless of age, race, or occupation, enjoys its accessibility, its affordability, its convenience. As someone who is exposed to this kind of foods everyday, I thought I wanted to learn more about them. Moreover, let us try to consider the saying you are what you eat, How would we know who we are then if were not aware of what were eating? There might be other equally good topics regarding food, but still, I believe that fast food is one topic worth discussing because more people consume it, of course, more people could relate to it. This time, I would like to talk about The Big Five contents of fast foods, their effects on our health, and their presence on our favorite fast food meals. Among all ingredients, there are five that are most prevalent in fast food items sold in fast food chains worldwide. Some are just used to improve the quality of food, while the others are occurring naturally, and are able of benefiting the body. The first one Ill be discussing is calories. A calorie is simply a unit of food energy, usually measured in kilocalories or kilojoules. Nutrients also contain calories; fat has 9 kcal/g, proteins and carbohydrates both with 4kcal/g, organic acids with 3, and fibers with 2kcal/g. Recommended calorie intake depends on factors like gender, age, and activity level. In this table, sedentary lifestyle means something that is characterized by sitting or being inactive for most of the time. Next is fat, one of the bodys primary source of energy which is important in carrying and storing essential fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. There are different kinds of fat like saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and cholesterol; but since trans fat is known to be the deadliest type of fat, I will discuss more about it. Again, trans fats are also called killer fat and artery-clogging fat because they increase the level of bad cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein) in the blood leading to the accumulation of fat in arteries. They are often used in fast food chains since they are inexpensive and can prolong the shelf life of foods as well. The recommended daily trans fat intake is 0 g, while for the total fat, it is 30% of the recommended calorie intake. The third one is sugar, a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates characterized by a sweet flavor. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended daily intake of sugar is 9tsp for men, 5tsp for women, and 3tsp for children. Next is salt.. The recommended daily intake for salt is about 6g of adults, while 3-5g for children aged 4-10.

Lastly, preservatives which are chemicals added to food to maintain its appearance, and to prolong its shelf life by suppressing microbial growth in foods. Some examples of preservatives used in food are sodium nitrite, borax, BHA, BHT, vitamin c, formalin, sodium benzoate (usually used in softdrinks and fastfood burgers), and sodium chloride. Having discussed the Big 5 ingredients of fast food meals, now we will discuss their negative effects on the body. Eating more calories than your body needs result in weight gain and obesity, especially with people living a sedentary lifestyle. Too much fat in the body increases the risk of heart diseases, stroke, arterial inflammation, and other diseases related to blood pressure. Too much intake of sugar contributes to the suppression of the immune system, kidney damage, periodontal diseases, and diabetes. Frequent consumption of salt or sodium can be a cause for hypertension, hypernatremia, edema, congestive heart failure, cardiac enlargement, stomach cancer. Finally, preservatives, which are edible chemicals, can cause serious problems like breathing difficulties, hyperactivity, heart damage, vulnerability to diseases, and even premature death. Large amounts of these stuff are evidently included in the foods we eat from our favorite fast food chains. For instance, in McDonalds, a Big Mac has 540 calories, 29 grams of fat, 9 of sugar, and 1040 mg of sodium. A Double Quarter Pounder has a whooping 740 kcal, 42g of fat (imagine 42g of fat), 9 grams of sugar, and 1380 mg of sodium. McDos Worlds Famous Fries, the large one, has 500 kcal, 25 grams of fat, no sugar, and 350 mg of sodium. Lastly, a Chocolate Fudge Sundae, has 330calories, 10g of fat, and brace yourselves, 48 grams of sugar. To prove to you guys that I have nothing against McDonalds, here are some from others like KFC and Dunkin Donuts. To sum up all, let us recall that fast foods suggest a diet rich in calories, fats, preservatives, sugars, and salts; which we are now aware, can be detrimental to ones health especially in the long run. Probably the first step in preventing these things from happening is to be conscious of what and how much youre eating on fast foods and how these could affect you. Yes, they might be delicious, relatively cheap, readily available, or in simple words, convenient. But there are always two sides of a coin, right? Even though fast food is meant for people who live along the fast lane, we should still take the time to analyze what we eat, so we would also be aware of its effects on our health. Ignorance is never an excuse, so let us not blame right away these fast food chains for giving us these extra pounds; instead, keep this in mind: Moderation is always the key. Anyway, there are lots of yummy and healthy alternatives to choose from. Once again, you are what you eat, right? So if you want to be healthy, eat healthy!