Fast food bad for you? WHY exactly?

[Rocket Surgeon]

Because a lot of it isn't real meat, it's some artificial crap. There was a specific Taco Bell burrito that had to have "beef" removed from its name because only 20% of the "beef" was actually meat. Have you noticed that Digiorno(It may be some other frozen pizza company, Digiorno's just the only one I can think of) changed its "Pizza and wings" to "Pizza and wyngz" a while back? That was because there isn't enough meat in the "wings" for them to be considered wings. Now, I don't know what the hell they're replacing all this meat with, but I would prefer actually meat over artificial stuff with less nutritional value.

[IIamaKing]

Because a lot of it isn't real meat, it's some artificial crap. There was a specific Taco Bell burrito that had to have "beef" removed from its name because only 20% of the "beef" was actually meat. Have you noticed that Digiorno(It may be some other frozen pizza company, Digiorno's just the only one I can think of) changed its "Pizza and wings" to "Pizza and wyngz" a while back? That was because there isn't enough meat in the "wings" for them to be considered wings. Now, I don't know what the hell they're replacing all this meat with, but I would prefer actually meat over artificial stuff with less nutritional value.

I had the Diginors Pizza and Wyngz just the other night, the wings were 100% chicken breast. They call them WYNGZ because it isn't a wing, its breast meat.

[Dispersedshadow]

Because a lot of it isn't real meat, it's some artificial crap. There was a specific Taco Bell burrito that had to have "beef" removed from its name because only 20% of the "beef" was actually meat. Have you noticed that Digiorno(It may be some other frozen pizza company, Digiorno's just the only one I can think of) changed its "Pizza and wings" to "Pizza and wyngz" a while back? That was because there isn't enough meat in the "wings" for them to be considered wings. Now, I don't know what the hell they're replacing all this meat with, but I would prefer actually meat over artificial stuff with less nutritional value.

Wasn't the Wyngz issue that it was meat, just not from the wing of the chicken?

In general, you are correct - fast food is filled with so many additives and preservatives that it's just not worth the guess work to try to figure out how much of it (if any) is something recognizable.

[thelordymir]

Or "Supersize Me". That works too.

Guy made up most of his facts for that documentary, There's another one where he shows himself losing weight on a fast food diet.

[Deleted]

Eating anything could be bad for you, look at the German food poisioning outbreak. It was from veg.

Anyway, I lived in Scotland for a couple of years and basicly everytime you walk into a "chippy" your arteries clog up. But who can resist a pizza, covered in batter and deeo fat fried?

[wilbertG]

Fast food is calories, fats, vitamins, etc. just like any other food. It is typically cheaper materials with less nutrients, which may be where it gets it's bad rap. However, don't listen to people who say "Oh, you can never eat fast food unless you want to DIE 20 years earlier!" because they really don't know what they are talking about. Just watch your portions and order some of the healthier options that every fast food restaurant has every now and again and you'll be golden.

I agree with you. You're life span will depend on how you live your life.

[Jarion]

So, not that you are a fitness/diet guru or anything, but would you mind giving me an example or two of a "typical" dinner meal you would make?

Haha! A diet guru I am not. I can try to help though! Don't be afraid to try new things OR try ingredients prepared new ways that you haven't liked in the past.

One of our favorites is baked salmon with roasted asparagus and wild rice

Another is seared scallops, garlic roasted cauliflower and redskin potatoes

This is one of our favorite side salads, though we do cut back on the sugar and use sesame oil instead.

There's so much out there!! you really just need to be willing to try new things and be open to new foods. Good luck!

[DStrukt]

coz its mostly all carbs and bad fats, and most the food is deep fried. thats why.

[Badpaladin]

Fast food has a ridiculous mount of calories and carbs for the amount you actually eat, that's why. It's not like it's going to murder you if you eat it here and there, but if you make it a regular food item that you eat a lot of, you're probably going to blow up like a balloon and perhaps get heart problems later on. Same goes for pizza, pasta, or anything with a very high calorie count for the amount of food that's actually present.

If anything, just drop the soda. The amount of calories in any sweetened drink is absurd, but soda has the added tooth-destroyer carbonation in it too.

[Gamdwelf]

so much missinformation in this thread, like it is ridiculous.

[Squidfayce]

Same goes for hamburgs, hot dogs, tater tots, grilled cheese, etc? There's various places that make those things, are people saying that making those same things at home are just as bad?

Um yess. all these are not good for you.

outside of all the squabbling ofver preservatives etc being found in groceries and all that crap etc -

Processed foods in general have have less nutrition to them that their original whole counterparts.

A hot dog for example -

Sausage made with processed and recgularly manufactured "meat" served in a bun made from white bleached flour covered in a number of sauces high in sugar. This in itself can be half your daily recomended calorie intake. And depending on size, could be your whole calorie intake. You wont eat one. Youll eat 2....for lunch...after a breakfast of frosted flakes a pop tart and a chocolate milk. And for dinner youll have a hamburger the size of your head. or a macdonalds burger the size of a small apple (but 800 calories) with a large fries and a coke. Added up, youve just eated about 3 days worth of calories in one day. This is why fast food is bad.

Fast food in iteself is not teh culprit. People who dont know how to eat healthy is the culprit and gives fast food a bad name.

Fast food may not be "healthy", but you certainly wont get obses by eating it every now and then (once a week). Howevr you could eat health every day and get fat...again from not understanding how to eat healthy.

Let me explain healthy eating.

Healthy eating does not mean eating rabbit food. It means knowing what youre eating, how much is too much and knowing when to eat what. Bowls of pasta are full of empty carbs (unless youre an athlete) any time of day. Curry on rice is stupid too. That ruice is bassically pure sugar (in its most simple carbohydrate form), people who chow down a loaf of bread every dat are doing it wrong too, even if it is wholegrain.

as to preservatives in food. Preservatives can be as simple as a saly, dried foods or vacum packed foods. You only need to restrict one of the conditions bacteria requires to trive in to preserve food. Remove Air, moisture, heator a nother 2 things i cant recall and food should be preserved. Its why you can buy a side of beef that is vacum paccked 2 months ago and it wont be off.

Some preservatives have been known to cause adverse reactions in people, as have other food additives - its why we have food labeling laws. Its so you the consumer can make an educated decision on what you put in your body as much as it is to keep those at risk safe.
If you get fat or unhealthy from eating terrible food, thats on you, the individual, not anyone else.

All of that said, I love fast food, however I dont have the metabolism or energy output to eat that shit regularly, so I tend to stay away from it. I will endulge every now and then, but I try to compensate by cutting down on other things throughout the day so that I dont excessively exceed my daily intake from that meal.

In australia the average recomended caloric intake for men is approx 2000-2200 and women 1600-1800.


Heres a meal from maccas -
1 big mac, = 540 calories 1 large fry= 500 calories 1 large coke 32 oz 310 calories
grand total

1350 calories
54 G fat
14 g saturated fat
1410 mgrams sodium
194 g carbohydrates
10 g fiber
30 g protein

I can make a meal plan that has that many calories last for a whole day and not feel hungry using Low Gi foods. After eating the above meal, id be hungry again in 2 hrs.

TLDR -

Fast food doesnt kill people, stupid people with no idea about food kill themselves.

[Gamdwelf]

Um yess. all these are not good for you.

outside of all the squabbling ofver preservatives etc being found in groceries and all that crap etc -

Processed foods in general have have less nutrition to them that their original whole counterparts.

A hot dog for example -

Sausage made with processed and recgularly manufactured "meat" served in a bun made from white bleached flour covered in a number of sauces high in sugar. This in itself can be half your daily recomended calorie intake. And depending on size, could be your whole calorie intake. You wont eat one. Youll eat 2....for lunch...after a breakfast of frosted flakes a pop tart and a chocolate milk. And for dinner youll have a hamburger the size of your head. or a macdonalds burger the size of a small apple (but 800 calories) with a large fries and a coke. Added up, youve just eated about 3 days worth of calories in one day. This is why fast food is bad.

Fast food in iteself is not teh culprit. People who dont know how to eat healthy is the culprit and gives fast food a bad name.

Fast food may not be "healthy", but you certainly wont get obses by eating it every now and then (once a week). Howevr you could eat health every day and get fat...again from not understanding how to eat healthy.

Let me explain healthy eating.

Healthy eating does not mean eating rabbit food. It means knowing what youre eating, how much is too much and knowing when to eat what. Bowls of pasta are full of empty carbs (unless youre an athlete) any time of day. Curry on rice is stupid too. That ruice is bassically pure sugar (in its most simple carbohydrate form), people who chow down a loaf of bread every dat are doing it wrong too, even if it is wholegrain.

as to preservatives in food. Preservatives can be as simple as a saly, dried foods or vacum packed foods. You only need to restrict one of the conditions bacteria requires to trive in to preserve food. Remove Air, moisture, heator a nother 2 things i cant recall and food should be preserved. Its why you can buy a side of beef that is vacum paccked 2 months ago and it wont be off.

Some preservatives have been known to cause adverse reactions in people, as have other food additives - its why we have food labeling laws. Its so you the consumer can make an educated decision on what you put in your body as much as it is to keep those at risk safe.
If you get fat or unhealthy from eating terrible food, thats on you, the individual, not anyone else.

All of that said, I love fast food, however I dont have the metabolism or energy output to eat that shit regularly, so I tend to stay away from it. I will endulge every now and then, but I try to compensate by cutting down on other things throughout the day so that I dont excessively exceed my daily intake from that meal.

In australia the average recomended caloric intake for men is approx 2000-2200 and women 1600-1800.


Heres a meal from maccas -
1 big mac, = 540 calories 1 large fry= 500 calories 1 large coke 32 oz 310 calories
grand total

1350 calories
54 G fat
14 g saturated fat
1410 mgrams sodium
194 g carbohydrates
10 g fiber
30 g protein

I can make a meal plan that has that many calories last for a whole day and not feel hungry using Low Gi foods. After eating the above meal, id be hungry again in 2 hrs.

TLDR -

Fast food doesnt kill people, stupid people with no idea about food kill themselves.

Doubt it, plan that meal for me right now. Go.

[Badpaladin]

Doubt it, plan that meal for me right now. Go.

It's actually extremely feasible when you consider the beverages throughout the day don't need calories. Not going to plan it all out, but:

1 zucchini, 6oz of chicken breast, 1 carrot, 12-15 pieces of broccoli "marinated" in some olive oil and with spices/seasoning added can be insanely filling and easily be around the 500 calorie mark (perhaps less, I'm not gonna get analytical about the calorie counting). It's not hard to imagine 1400 or so calories a day at all.

[Squidfayce]

/sigh - heres one i found on the internet for you in under 10 sec.

Breakfast:
2 waffle plain (square - 4” square or round - 4”dia) – 2 x 33 grams – 206 kcal 1 tbsp of maple syrup – 20 grams - 52.2 kcal 1 tbsp of butter - 14grams – 100 kcal 8 oz. of water or decaffeinated coffee without sugar – 0 kcal
Total: 358.2 kcal
Lunch:
1 cup of skim milk – 247 grams - 86.5 kcal Salad made of raw vegetables : 1 cup of shredded romaine or cos lettuce - 47grams - 8.0 kcal ¼ cup of chopped carrots – 32 grams – 13 kcal ¼ cup of chopped green peppers – 37.3 grams – 7.5 kcal ¼ cup of shredded cabbage – 17.5 grams – 4.2 kcal ¼ cup of chopped celery – 25 grams – 4 kcal Total calories in the salad: 36.7 kcal 1 tbsp fat free salad dressing – 14 grams - 6.6 kcal 1 whole grain roll (1 oz) or 28 grams – 74 kcal
Total: 203.8 kcal
Afternoon Snack:
½ cup of sliced strawberries – 88 grams – 26.6 kcal 6 oz. fat free, fruit yogurt - 170 grams – 161 kcal
Total: 187.6 kcal
Dinner:
3 oz. sirloin steak, lean only, grilled – no fat added – 85 grams – 225 kcal 1 cup of cooked wild rice -164 grams – 166 kcal 1 pat of butter (1" sq, 1/3" high) - 5g - 35.8 kcal ½ cup of sliced cooked carrots – 78 grams - 27.3 kcal 1 mixed salad from above – 36.7 kcal 2 tbsp fat free dressing – 28 grams – 13.2 kcal
Total: 504 kcal
Evening Snack:
1 small orange (2-3/8" dia) – 104 grams – 49 kcal
Total 49 kcal
Total calorie intake per day: 1300 kcal

heres some more samples for you -

DAY 1
Breakfast
Large bowlful traditional porridge made with skimmed milk; 1tsp runny honey drizzled over; 1 orange.
Lunch
1 portion canned, drained butter beans mixed with flaked tuna canned in brine, sliced tomato, red onion and parsley, all tossed in a little olive oil vinaigrette; 1 slice pumpernickel bread.
Snack
1 pear and a handful of pumpkin seeds.
Evening meal
1 medium portion mixed seafood (from chilled or frozen counter) stir-fried in a little olive oil with 1 chopped red chilli, chopped parsley and 1 crushed clove of garlic, tossed into 1 portion of wholewheat pasta; large leaf side salad.

DAY 2
Breakfast
1 large portion of low-fat bio yogurt mixed with 1 chopped apple and several chopped ready-to-eat dried apricots, sprinkled with 1tbsp All Bran, and with 1tsp runny honey drizzled over.
Lunch
1 portion Stand-by Soup (see Low-GI recipe page); 1 slice of stoneground wholemeal bread; 2 plums.
Snack
Reduced-fat hummus on 1 dark rye crispbread.


Just because YOU dont follow a plan doesnt mean its not possible. If YOU cant survive on that type of food, chances are you demoligh a pizza for a snack. Which is why you would look at this and go "thats not enough food".

The first one is admiteddly not low GI, but you get the drift and you can still eat some unhealth food while maintaining low calories.

Common misconception with food - you dont have to keep eating till youre stuffed. Food is about sustanance, not about eating till you explode.

for somone who claims so much misiformation in this thread, id like see what you have to say on healthy eating.

and again /sigh

[Twoddle]

WoW, to me, that seems totally contradictory to everything people ever say about "fast-food" type meals. Going by that (and I'm not knocking you) is saying I can feel comfortable eating taco bell and pizza once a week. As long as I don't eat too MUCH of it on the day I eat it...

You're putting in your own words there alturic. I never said anything about "once a week" or "too much on the day I eat it..". All I said was that too much is bad, this is obvious since too much is by definition too much. We all have to eat and no food is bad for you unless you have too much of it, sorry that I had to repeat it.

[wonderspace]

Here it is: I would like to say right now that any fat or saturated fat in the food is NOT the issues (just trans fat). I eat a carb-less, high saturated fat, diet and I have no health issues and im actually healthier than i was before, so anyone knocking fat as bad, youre wrong, your body needs it. Back to the main point; the problem with fast food is it is JAM packed with chemicals, salts, and fillers. $hit that your body doesent need.

[Scootac]

I certainly agree that a good day's worth of meals and snacks can come in around the 1300 to 1400 calorie mark, but I definitely want to know what off the shelf hot dog is coming in at that many calories, most regular buns I see are less than 200 calories, that means you're talking about at least 500 calories for a hot dog and some ketchup/mustard. All I know for sure is when I do hot dogs, I go for the reduced fat Hebrew National (80 calories a hot dog), folded whole wheat bread (90 calories) and no sugar added ketchup (20 calories for what I put on), now that's a few hot dogs for a reasonable caloric price.

[Rizendragon]

Watch the documentary 'Forks over Knives'.

Or "Supersize Me". That works too.

Both of which take things to an extreme. Especially "Supersize Me". Everything is about caloric intake. Anything will hurt you in excess. People just need to stop being ignorant and eat with common sense.

[Harry Botter]

Watch the documentary 'Forks over Knives'.

Food Inc. is a good one too.

I think this one is really good as it shows exactly what goes into fast food and processed foods and how the industry has changed over the years to make it even worse.

[ThatCanadianGuy]

Those meats are not 100% meat.