While it may be hard to fathom, even people who say they “hate” fast food still consume it at least occasionally – and, there are some who think fast food refers only to places like McDonald’s and Burger King, forgetting that Subway and Starbucks are really just as bad.
There are many reasons to steer clear of all fast food, but here is a look at four of them.
Lessens your ability to enjoy the moment
A study out of the University of Toronto published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science found that just being exposed to fast food and fast food icons may lessen your ability to enjoy the moment.
Everything about it is designed to make you impatient – there is a connection between this rushed feeling and an inability to slow down and enjoy life, researchers note.
Study author Sanford DeVoe, PhD, says that just being exposed to images of food in McDonald’s packaging reduced people’s ability to savor a beautiful nature photo or piece of music. He explains: “Being exposed to symbols of the culture of impatience can impair people’s ability to derive happiness from encounters with pleasurable things in life because they become too impatient to smell the roses.”
Industrial meat
A 2013 study published in the journal Annals of Diagnostic Pathology determined that some fast food hamburgers may contain as little as 2 percent actual meat. Researchers found that half the weight of a typical burger is from water, and some contained “unexpected tissue types such as bone, cartilage and plant material.” Sarcocystis parasites were discovered in two of the burgers.
Many “mystery” ingredients in fast food hamburgers are industrial chemicals, including high fructose corn syrup and dimethylpolysiloxane, an anti-foaming agent used in sealants and caulks.
Wheat
Sure, wheat sounds like one of the few healthy ingredients in fast food. After all, the food pyramid our government has created recommends eating 60 percent of our calories from wheat. However, modern wheat is an appetite stimulant. When we consume it, we tend to crave more and more. It also raises blood sugar and causes inflammation, which is the basis for a wide range of disease and illness.
Sugar
Fast food is packed with sugar, and many health experts believe that sugar is the main culprit for skyrocketing obesity, not fat. Of course, soda is one of the worst offenders and fast food eateries offer these beverages in massive sizes – as large as 64 ounces – translating to nearly 200 grams of sugar. Just a medium vanilla shake from Burger King is said to contain nearly 50 grams of added sugar.
But it’s not just obvious items that are filled with sugar; even burgers and fries contain sugar. In McDonald’s french fries, the third ingredient is dextrose – another term for sugar. It is used to make what is barely “real” food taste better, while also increasing cravings and addiction.
Isn’t it time that you said goodbye to fast food for good? Your health, and your waistline, will certainly thank you for it!
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