Eating Healthy In A Fast Food World

By: D. David Dugan

Rushing to Eat

People's lives have become so busy and rushing around, that we
no longer eat the way we should. In some places, there is a
McDonald's on every major corner, if not some other fast food
restaurant. Watching TV, you see a commercial for some kind of
food place almost every time commercials are on, urging you to
eat there because it's good and you can get it fast and cheap.
With so many distractions and obligations, families have these
days, how do you eat healthy in a fast food world? It's not an
easy thing to do but is possible with planning and knowing what
to look for. This isn't to say fast food can't be consumed
occasionally, but it should be less often than people are doing
it now. Not to mention that our food is so processed that it
takes five minutes to cook and has high carbohydrates among
other things that are not digested quickly. This is leading to
obesity in the population.

The Truth About Whole Grain

Because food is so processed these days to make it faster to
cook, as well as more convenient for the way our lives have
become, it is actually not as good for you as it once was.
Recently the food administration even changed the food pyramid
to coincide with how we eat these days and food is made. They
are suggesting more whole grains than ever before, as well as
vegetables. This may sound like what has been told to children
for years, but even whole grains are deceiving on packaging
these days. With all the new diets out there for low carb, no
carb, low fat, no fat, etc., foods are coming out that say whole
grain but are just as processed as its white counterpart. They
are made with enriched wheat. This process takes out all the
nutrients and other things that take time to digest for a
healthy life. Reading the ingredient is a good way to find the
real whole grain product. They are now more expensive than the
over processed product because manufacturers could make the
enriched version cheaper and faster. To eat healthy you have to
read the labels of everything you consume.

Healthy Choices at Fast Food Eateries

The truth is that you really can't eat healthy at any fast food
restaurant. They aren't designed for those trying or needing to
watch what they put in their mouth. But you can make better
decisions. Don't' eat the bread if you can stand not too. It's
along the lines of the South Beach Diet but that's where lots of
your weight gaining properties are. Don't get anything fried,
this includes French fries, onion rings, or even fried chicken.
Get a diet pop, tea, or water. Avoid the desert and the salad,
both have sugar in them and I don't just mean in the toppings.
Watch "Super Size Me" for a real eye opener. The show is on
McDonald's but you can bet that all fast food restaurants are
basically the same. Limit how often you eat fast food to once
per week, if that fast. Get a wrap at Subway instead of a
toasted sub. Less bread and just as filling with all the fixings
you want. When you get pizza, get vegetables on it so you aren't
just eating bread, sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Remember just
how bad fast food is for you, your waistline, and your
cholesterol. Even if you are fifteen, you should be thinking
about how it will affect you later in life. Starting early will
make it easier on your body as you age.

Eating at Home

The best thing to do is find a way to cook meals most nights of
the week. This can take planning and team work. Have at least
one non-meat dish every week. It doesn't have to be fish or
seafood either. Don't use fast cooking rich to go with your
meals. Those are again loaded with carbohydrates, which take
your body longer to break down and will make you hungry sooner
than you should be. Plan weekly meals so that you can cook
casseroles and other easy to reheat dishes early in the week for
days you will not have time to cook. Utilize your crock-pot and
get a recipe book for it. You can make just about anything in a
crock pot these days and have a good meal when you get home.
Have salad a few times a week with dinner, but watch how much
dressing you put on it. Have desert, but make it Jell-O. Indulge
once in a while to though and it won't feel like you are
depriving yourself of anything.

About the author:
D. David Dugan is a supporter of http://health.divinfo.com,
a site devoted to promoting good health, and http://retirement.divinfo.co
m, a site designed to provide people of all ages helpful
retirement information.