Lose 10 Pounds by Eliminating Fast Food
People living in towns with high concentrations of fast food restaurants ate more fast food and gained more weight, according to a study by the American Journal of Epidemiology. That is surprising news and makes one wonder how that could be. Really? No matter what the advertising says, the vast majority of fast food is unhealthy. It tastes good, it's convenient, it's even cheap. It's also allowing people to consume many times the maximum allowable healthy levels for trans fat every day.
"That's why it's called killer fat," says Steen Stender of the Gentofte University Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, and lead author of the analysis in The New England Journal of Medicine. Fast food is not designed to cause all these problems, it's just that the trans fat in the oil and in some food items makes them last longer and are therefore more cost–effective for restaurants. Some foods already high in calories and trans fat are being fried in oil that adds as much as 60 percent more trans fat after they're cooked.
Bad Trans Fat and Fast Food
Okay, so trans fat is a very bad thing. And trans fat is in most fast foods. Trans fat raises bad cholesterol and may lead to coronary heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. Links between trans fat and obesity, cancer, liver dysfunction and infertility have also been analyzed. Study the nutrition information at just about any fast food restaurant and what is there might be a bit scary, especially when considering the American Heart Association recommends a maximum of two grams of trans fat or less per day. Folks consuming more than 5 grams of trans fat raised the risk of heart attack by 25 percent.Of all the available foods at a typical fast food restaurant, most of them have over two grams of trans fat per serving. Some fast food items have more than five grams of trans fat in over half of the menu items listed. One item at one fast food restaurant actually weighed in with a hefty 30 grams of trans fat, not to mention the saturated fat, calories, and sodium. French fries and chicken nuggets, the most popular items at some restaurants, contain the highest levels of this unhealthy, artery–clogging trans fat.
Weight Loss and Fast Food
Eating a burger and fries that together combine to make a total of four to five times the maximum allowable daily intake of trans fat is not conducive to losing weight. The way in which fast foods are prepared add so much trans fat and saturated fat to the menu items so as to render them unhealthy for human consumption. As it is now, the average American consumes four to five times the amount of healthy trans fat every day.States and cities are considering total bans on trans fat in any type of food served is an indicator of just how bad trans fat is for the human body. Remember, trans fat is not the problem. People deciding to eat trans fat and put more money in the pockets of big corporations so they'll keep offering more unhealthy food is the real problem. If trying to lose weight, that should be an easy decision for anyone.
Fast Food and a Sensible Weight Loss Plan
The good news is there are are ways to lose weight and eat fast food. First, check the nutrition facts that now come with every menu item. This information can be found on a restaurant's website or in published materials at the restaurant. For saturated fat and cholesterol, any menu item containing over 20 percent of the daily value is considered high. Stay away from these items if trying to lose weight.Most fast food restaurants are changing their menus to use polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated fats, but keep an eye out for high levels of other unhealthy ingredients like saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Try fish instead of a burger next time. Fish is lower in saturated fat than beef. Some fish even contain omega-3 fatty acids which may offer protection against heart disease. If weight loss is a goal, choose healthier lean meats like skinless chicken or lean meats with the fat trimmed off.
Fast Food Won't Help to Lose 10 Pounds
It's simple. If the foods consumed are high in fat, calories, sodium, and trans fat, then losing weight is just not going to be possible. Make a decision today to start eating more healthier food and less prepared and fast food. Start making small changes like eating a sub sandwich once a week, or switching to fat free or one percent milk.Eat more raw foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. The studies are showing that the way some people eat is just downright unhealthy. Today is a day of decision for the future. It's not hard, it just takes a commitment and a desire to be healthier by changing eating habits.
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