One Big Health Nut

Busy lifestyles make it difficult to eat right.  With high paced work environments, endless work hours, never ending personal errands and household chores; it becomes almost impossible to find the time to eat.  So instead of making time to prepare a healthy meal, many people turn to fast food restaurants.  They are convenient, fast, and cheap.  You can eat your meal in your car as your driving to your next destination.  So how bad can fast food really be?   

Fast food products are extremely high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates.  Burger King’s Biscuit with sausage egg and cheese has 620 calories and 43 grams of fat.  A bacon double cheese burger contains 620 calories and 38 grams of fat.  A regular cheeseburger has 360 calories and 19 grams of fat.  And all of these are just for the sandwiches.  No sides are included.         

Dunkin Donuts muffins and bagels average 340 calories and 2.5 grams of fat.  But the carbohydrates for each of these products average around 70 grams each.  The donuts can have as many as 350 calories and 17 grams of fat each.  The drinks aren’t much better.  A chocolate coolatta has 370 calories and 77 grams of carbs.        

Alternative fast food options like Taco Bell aren’t much better.  A breakfast Quesadilla with bacon has 450 calories and 27 grams of fat.  A big beef burrito supreme contains 510 calories and 23 grams of fat.  And the taco salad with salsa has 850 calories and 52 grams of fat.  Wendy’s 16.5 oz chicken BLT salad has 690 calories and 47.5 grams of fat.  Who said salads are a safe healthy choice?       

 All of these are for just one food item.  The average person is supposed to have a maximum of 1800 calories per day and only 65 grams of fat.  If you eat one meal at a fast food restaurant, you will have devoured at least half of the total grams of fat you are supposed to ingest daily.  Is it any wonder that so many of our children and adults are struggling with weight issues?  Although it may seem like an added burden to an already overburdened schedule, cooking or preparing healthy meals at home is still the best way to ensure that you and your family are eating healthy.