Fast food can be quite handy when time gets tight and you have to eat. I’ve been known to make a run to the drive-thru to feed my kids when I run out of time to cook something at home. The occasional fast food meal probably won’t hurt you, but make it a habit and you could be suffering a wide range of unpleasant consequences. If you’re a fast food addict, check out this information and I think you’ll be ready to make a switch in no time.
Snapshot Survey
Snapshot Survey
1. All Those Calories Can Lead to Lots of Weight Gain
When you eat more calories than you burn, you can easily start piling on the pounds. Because fast food is notorious for being high in calories, it is one of the main contributors to weight gain for many women. If you rely on fast food and are feeling heavier than you like, you might find that cutting back can help you lose that excess weight.
2. Too Much Salty Fast Food is Bad for Your Heart
Fast food restaurants use a lot of salt in their foods to give it tons of flavor. That’s great for your taste buds, but not for your health. Too much sodium on a daily basis raises blood pressure, which increases your risk of a heart attack. The American Heart Association recommends staying below 2,300 milligrams per day, but a single fast food meal can put you way over if you aren’t careful.
3. There Aren’t Enough Nutrients in Fast Food
Think about your average fast food meal. A burger with a single lettuce leaf and a tomato slice. Pair that with a huge pile of fries and a jumbo soda and there isn’t much in the way of vitamins or minerals in your meal. Eating like that too often can lead to nutrient deficiencies that can interfere with good overall health.
4. Trans Fat Lurk in All Kinds of Fast Food Menu Items
Trans fats are the bad kind that can lead to heart disease, which is why experts recommend avoiding them altogether. While some fast food restaurants are making the switch to healthier fats, many items on fast food menus still contain trans fat. Eat like that on a regular basis and you run the risk of high cholesterol, weight gain and other health complications.
5. Too Many Bad Carbs Can Lead to Blood Sugar Spikes
There are good carbs and bad carbs. The bad kind come from refined grains like those in fried chicken nuggets and white hamburger buns. They are also found in soda and many other fast food meal items. When you eat them, they cause your blood sugar to spike. This results in insulin production. The problem is that over time, this can lead to insulin resistance, which is a risk factor in developing diabetes.
6. Surprise! Too Much Fast Food Can Lead to Asthma
Studies show that eating too much fast food leads to obesity, which was mentioned above. Being overweight can interfere with lung function and may even lead to asthma. This is more common in kids, but if you already suffer from asthma, it may get worse if you start gaining too much weight.
7. Ever Noticed a Headache after Eating Fast Food?
There are many things in fast food that might be the culprit. For me, it’s the salt. However, MSG, processed meats and nitrates can also cause headaches. If you feel the pain after chowing down on a fast food meal, it’s time to cut back and make healthier choices.
Do you notice any of these issues when you eat too much fast food? How do you cut down and still make sure you family gets a meal?
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