Menu Fast Food

My Shocking Discoveries of Fast Food French Fries

2010-01-27T08:24:00.000-08:00

By Doug Purcell

I use to believe that the reason why Americans ate poorly is because they are simply living in a fast aced society, and are misinformed. Know I don’t believe that. With many great products out there such as “super size me” Americans should get the point that fast foods are terrible for you. I remember in my Psychology class we were talking about eating disorders and the girl that sat next to me mentioned to our teacher about “super size me.”

She told our teacher of the negative effects that fast foods had on American people. And what she said last disturbed me, she said that right after she saw the movie, she went to get some McDonalds! Some people know the information but they just don’t care. I will have more understanding for someone that has no idea, but if you’re an adult you should take more responsibility for your eating habits.

One for your health and well being, and two if you have kids you want to ring them up eating the good stuff. Okay know let’s talk about fast foods. Most people know that fast foods are not good for you, but most of them don’t know what exactly makes it unhealthy. Well let me tell you something about fast food restaurants; in the early years they were not that bad for your health. That’s right when McDonalds first started it was a decent place to eat.

Everything was made from scratch, the way food should be. The potatoes were cut and peeled and fry that day. They didn’t add any chemicals or who no what else to the foods, everything was natural. Well with industrialization comes their benefit, but however it did have their negatives. In the 1960s McDonalds started to cut it labor costs so it got ride of the people that chopped and peeled the vegetables. They soon discovered the idea of pre making everything. That translates to processed foods. Many people didn’t realize the change in taste.

When I was writing this article I decided to call my local McDonalds and ask the manager some questions. I asked how the fries are made and what equipment they use to fry them. The manager was very clueless, she just said that the french fries arrive from the truck everyday and that they deep fry it in the fryer. That’s alls he knew about the fries. What surprised me is not only how clueless the customers are about the food they are receiving from fast food restaurants, but also how clueless the people are that is actually working there. It’s like me receiving food from a truck and me just prepare it and eat it. Do you really trust that? Well many people are doing that when they are picking up pre frozen foods and not reading the ingredient information.

The McDonalds restaurants became an assemble line. There were large factories that mass produced the food products and they hired people to do individual tasks whether it is to fry potatoes, put the condiments on burgers, or serve drinks. They needed an easier way to make mass productions of there food. In the early years McDonald made there fries from cottonseed oil and beef lard or tallow. That what gave McDonalds fries there secret taste. Well, ever since then there were complaints and etc going on about the overdose of saturated fats in which McDonald’s food had. So in 1990 to replace the saturated fat content they started using vegetable oils, in particular hydrogenated vegetable oils. The effects of hydrogenated oils are far more dangerous than saturated fats. Are they worth your health?

Doug Purcell

Certified Personal Trainer

Alternative Medicine Expert

Owner of www.cardiacgym.com [http://www.cardiacgym.com]

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Road restaurant counterfeit

2009-12-21T04:06:00.000-08:00

Niagara County sheriff’s deputies on Saturday the 20th traced a counterfeit $20 bill passed at a South Transit Road restaurant to the Buffalo area.

The manager at a BK told deputies the money was exchanged at the restaurant’s drive-through window about 1:30am. An employee actually managed to obtain the vehicle’s license plate number, and the car was traced to a Buffalo man who said he received it from someone else.

More can be found HERE

Safe Fast Food?

2009-12-12T23:43:00.000-08:00

You may want to send your child with a sack lunch these days, that is if you want them to have food that is safe. A USA Today investigation revealed last week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture allows millions of pounds of meat into to the nation's schools that would not pass inspections by fast food chains like McDonald's or Burger King!

Read more here Fast Food is Far Safer Than School Lunches

Fast food restaurant

2009-12-03T22:56:00.000-08:00

A Marshall deputy is suing a local Wendy's franchise after a restaurant employee admitted to placing his body hair on a sandwich. Deputy R. Sleeth and his wife, who are represented by Wheeling attorney David Jividen, brought 11 counts against three former Moundsville Wendy's employees.

Thomas Bender, one of the former employees, previously admitted he put the hair on the sandwich then served it to the deputy at the drive-through in March but the deputy noticed the hair before he ate the sandwich.

Bender was fired from the restaurant and took a plea bargain before heading to a criminal trial. The lawsuit says that Bender "breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff by conspiring and to adulterating food being prepared … thus causing the plaintiff injuries." Another employee, Joshua Monroe, was also fired and has not yet been to trial. Monroe is accused of encouraging the act.

Fast Food Menus

2009-11-28T05:28:00.000-08:00

What if fat does not make you fat? That is the question scientific journalist Gary Taubes asked in a 2002 New York Times article that challenged 60 years of conventional wisdom.

Taubes has now carried the concept further. In the year 2007, he published an expose on the junk science and failed public policy of the nation's low-fat, low-cholesterol diets. This siege has undoubtedly cost the beef industry millions, perhaps billions, of dollars.

Taubes' 500-page best-selling 'Good Calories, Bad Calories' examines thousands of science projects and then states that animal fats are not the problem of our obese and chronically ill society, but carbohydrates are.

Good Calories, Bad Calories examines the diet and health conundrum as Taubes follows research clear back to the late 1800s. In those early years, even with limited scientific testing available, Taubes documents that science was already linking refined carbohydrates and starchy foods with weight problems. Also with "chronic diseases of civilisation" such as diabetes.

Fast food in France

2009-11-21T03:29:00.000-08:00

The enthusiasm for la restauration rapide comes closer as consumers in France continue to feel a financial pinch. In the meantime, the nation's historically frosty attitude toward American burgers and fries appears to be thawing.

Long ago, McDonald's franchises in France were met with heavy protests. Now, at the end of last year, McDonald's France says that more than 1,100 Golden Arches throughout France rang up sales of €3.3 billion—an 11% increase over 2007.

Long live la restauration rapide:)

Avoid processed foods, fast food and days without physical exercise

2009-11-10T04:26:00.000-08:00

We can't hope that individuals can muster the self-discipline of their own to avoid processed foods, fast food and days without physical exercise. Instead the idea is that governments must actively work to change environments and reduce the menu of harmful options available in everyday life.

Now we have hundreds of towns in Europe and elsewhere that have adopted a version of this strategy, aimed particularly at preventing children from becoming overweight and obese. They have hired dietitians to counsel children and their families in schools, organized walk-to-school days, hired sports educators and even built new sporting facilities. The U.S. government is increasing its funding for cities and towns to pursue so called community-based obesity prevention, in an effort to gather data about which kinds of tactics work best.

"Finally, people are acknowledging that the obesity problem is so pervasive that it isn't just because people are making bad choices", says Laura Kettel Khan, an obesity expert at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which makes grants to states for community obesity-prevention programs.

Fast food restaurants

2009-11-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

Last month, New York University and Yale medical professors published another ground-breaking study. It shows that New York City's law requiring fast food chains to post calories on their menus does not reduce their customers' intake of high calorie food.

This tells lawmakers everywhere what laws will work and which doesn't. Efforts to require fast food restaurants to post nutritional information on their menus have really been gaining ground all over the country. Sixteen municipalities including California, Seattle, and Portland have passed laws similar to the ones of New York City's.

The Menu Education and Labeling Act, which would impose labeling regulations nationwide, is now pending in Congress. This bill will in fact extend the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, which requires food manufacturers to include nutritional information on their packaging to restaurants. We all know how effective that law was, don't we :) It's actually a fact that since 1990, obesity has more than doubled.

Kidnapping fast-food managers

2009-10-30T07:14:00.000-07:00

Incredible stories these days:
"Two sought in kidnappings, robberies of fast-food managers
TheNewsTribune.com
Pierce County law enforcement agencies are searching for two men who are posing as police officers, kidnapping fast-food managers and forcing the victims to ... "

Fast Food News

2009-10-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

McDonald's to Shut Business in Iceland
ABC News
The world's largest fast-food company said on Monday that all three of its restaurants in Iceland, operated by franchisee Jon Ogmundsson, ...
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Fast Food at a Slow Simmer
TheStreet.com (subscription)
... the merger with Arby's, has been misunderstood, because it's a curious combination of businesses -- one of higher- and lower-priced fast-food brands. ...
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Don't forget: free KFC grilled chicken today!
Baltimore Sun
So who is going to brave the fast-food marketplace to take advantage of KFC's free grilled chicken offer today? As we told you last week, the Colonel is ...
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A Parisian Food Fight

2009-10-26T01:18:00.001-07:00

A Parisian Food Fight
CBS News
Health professionals like Jean Paul Blanc say fast food is just one of the reasons. He says children today are less active, and blames accomplices in their ...
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Fast Food and Health Care

2009-10-25T12:07:00.001-07:00

The lady behind the Pie
San Francisco Chronicle
The externalized costs have to do with fast food, and health care. We have access issues all over the place, but I think sometimes they're not always quite ...
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A List Of High Fat Foods That Are Bad For You

2009-10-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

By Frederik Deglande

There are some foods that you must avoid to eat because they make you fat. In this article I give you a list of high fat foods. Perhaps you don’t know it but fat and fat is not the same.

Goods fats vs. bad fats.

You need to eat fats they are required for your health.
Dr Udo Erasmus has said it already there are fats that heal and fats that kill.
The problem is that most people are not aware of this and they choose for 100% fat free foods.
A word of caution here the food can be 100% free but at the same time it can contain a lot of sugar.

Bad fats are:

- Trans fats.

- Saturated fats.

Good fats are:

- Monounsaturated fats.

- Polyunsaturated fats.

In this article we concentrate us on a list of foods that contain bad fats.

High fat foods that are bad for you.
Saturated fats.
Studies have shown that diets high in saturated fats increase the risk of hart disease.
They also increase the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood.
Products that are high in saturated fats are.

- Butter

- Ice cream (contains milkfat)

- Cheese

- Chicken fat

- Meat fat

- Palm oil

- Coconut oil - Beef

- Lamb

- Pork

- Veal

A lot of animal products contain saturated fats and in some cases foods from plants.

Trans fats.
Just like saturated fats there is a relationship between trans fats and bad cholesterol level.
Products that contain trans fats are.

- Some margarines

- Cookies

- Crackers

- Snack foods

- Shortening

- Doughnuts

- Cake

- Frozen foods

- Potato chips

- Candy

I hope you understand now that according to this high fat food list that some products are bad for you.
You should read the food labels; manufacturers must include the fat percentage on it.

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Fast-food Joints

2009-10-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

Fast Food: Formaggio Kitchen, season's eatings, and more...
Boston Herald
By Kerry J. Byrne / Fast Food Ihsan Gurdal, the owner of Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge and South End Formaggio in Boston, bubbles enthusiastically when ...
See all stories on this topic Food retailers turn to social networks to build business.
Fresno Bee
Consider this: Fresno had 750 registered restaurants, fast-food joints, refreshment stands and cafés as of June 30, down from 828 since the beginning of the ...
See all stories on this topic

Fancy Fast Food

2009-10-20T11:25:00.001-07:00

McDonald's Portugal Rips Off Fancy Fast Food
Eat Me Daily (blog)
McDonald's in Portugal is such a big fan of Fancy Fast Food — the blog that takes basic items from fast food restaurants and styles them to look like haute ...
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Battle of the Big Burgers

2009-10-19T08:06:00.001-07:00

Fast Food Titans Launch Battle of the Big Burgers
AdAge.com (subscription)
As Americans eat at home more often, and the restaurant industry continues to suffer, an interesting race is shaping up all the way from the fast-food ...
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Healthy Fast Food Options

2009-10-18T04:35:00.000-07:00

By Kim Roach

You don't have to sabotage your diet just because you're on the run.

In fact, most fast food chains have added healthier options to their menus in just the past few years. Fast food menu's now provide salads, wraps, a number of other "healthy" options.

Whenever you are eating on the go, look for grilled chicken sandwiches or salads with low-fat dressings. To save some additional calories, go for water instead of the soft drink. You'd be surprised how many calories you will save simply by following these two guidelines.

Listed below are some healthy options you can make at your favorite fast food restaurants:

McDonald's:

English Muffin: 140 calories, 4 grams of protein, and only 2 grams of fat

McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait with Granola: 160 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 31 grams of carbohydrates

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad: 100 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 17 grams of protein. Choose one of the fat free or reduced fat dressings.

Subway:

Subway is one of the best fast food options when you are looking for something quick and healthy. They offer a variety of healthier options. If you want to reduce the calories and the fat, hold the mayo.

6-inch Turkey Breast: 254 calories, 16 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fat

6-inch Veggie Delight: 200 calories, 7 grams of protein, and 11 grams of fat

6-inch Roast Beef: 264 calories, 18 grams of protein, and 15 grams of fat

6-inch Roasted Chicken Breast: 311 calories, 25 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fat

6-inch Subway Club: 294 calories, 22 grams of protein, and 15 grams of fat

Wendy's:

Best Choice: Caesar Side Salad

Without dressing or croutons, this salad contains 70 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein. You can use the Fat Free French dressing, which will only add 80 calories to your meal.

Your next best bet is the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, which has 300 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 24 grams of protein.

Arby's:

Martha's Vineyard Salad: This salad is packed with greens, grilled chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, diced apples, dried cranberries, toasted almonds, tomatoes, and raspberry vinaigrette. It is certainly one of Arby's healthiest options with 276 calories, 26 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbs, and only 8 grams of fat.

Kim Roach is the health reporter at HealthyEveryday.com, where you can discover the benefits of flaxseed and CoQ10.

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Challenge the Fast-Food

2009-10-17T00:51:00.000-07:00

Burgers for ever? Why not fast food with a conscience, asks Itsu chief
Times Online
Julian Metcalfe, the co-founder of Pret A Manger, is drawing up plans to challenge the fast-food behemoths by turning Itsu, his sushi bar chain, ...
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Fattening the Nanny State
Black and White
In 2008, the city of New York passed a law mandating calorie data on fast-food menus and menu boards, on the assumption that better knowledge would make for ...
See all stories on this topic

Healthy chicken fingers with fast-food appeal

2009-10-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

Keeping kids happy ... and well-fed; Healthy chicken fingers with fast-food appeal
The Daily News of Newburyport
These Parmesan-crusted chicken fingers have all the flavor and appeal of the greasy fast-food classic, but are baked using an "oven-frying" technique that ...
See all stories on this topic

Fast Food News

2009-10-14T01:56:00.000-07:00

Step Aside mcdonald's, Why Subway Has the Most Fast Food Stores in the Country
AlterNet
What Subway's focus on being a healthy alternative to greasy junk foods says about the future of the lucrative fast-food industry. Restaurant upstart Subway ...
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After Pizza Hut: Top fast food joints we want iPhone apps for
PC World Magazine
Pizza Hut has announced its intentions for an iPhone app, but what other fast food giants should join them? Following Pizza Hut's announcement that it will ...
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7-Eleven adding pizza, chicken wings as it expands hot foods program
Dallas Morning News
By KAREN ROBINSON-JACOBS / The Dallas Morning News Stepping up its forays into fast-food turf, 7-Eleven Inc. said Monday it's expanding its hot foods ...
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More About Fast Food

2009-10-12T23:58:00.000-07:00

City Considers Expanding Fast-Food Ban to C-stores in South LA
CSNews Online
The new ban on c-store development would not be without precedent -- last year the City Council placed restrictions on new fast-food restaurant development ...
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Is It Really Stupid to Cook?
New York Times
The fact is that fast food isn't “bad” because it's fast — it's bad because of crummy ingredients. And it contains crummy ingredients because crummy ...
See all stories on this topic

Can your neighborhood make you sick?
Los Angeles Times
Perhaps it's the way residential neighborhoods have evolved to accommodate car rides to fast-food restaurants instead of walks to corner grocery stands. ...
See all stories on this topic

Fast-Food Menu

2009-10-10T23:40:00.000-07:00

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: Top 10 Secret Fast-Food Menu
By Bill Crider
Shhh! 10 secret fast-food menu items - TODAY Food and wine. You'll want to try the Meat Cube the next time you're at Wendy's. Link via Pop Culture Junk Mail. Posted by Bill Crider at 9:55 AM ...
Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine - http://billcrider.blogspot.com/

Food critic downplays McDonald's in Louvre

2009-10-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

Food critic downplays McDonald's in Louvre
Times of the Internet
A prominent French food critic says the plan to open a McDonald's fast-food restaurant in the Louvre museum in Paris is no big deal. ...
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Fast-food giant McDonald's

2009-10-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

PETA protests Jay Leno's show over advertising partnership with McDonald's
Los Angeles Times
Outraged over an advertising partnership between "The Jay Leno Show" and fast-food giant McDonald's, a group of PETA supporters took to the streets of ...
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Fast Food And Obesity - What's The Connection And How Can You Break It?

2009-10-07T00:13:00.000-07:00

By Melinda Grossman

There seems to be a definite connection between fast food and obesity. The fast food chains will deny it of course, or blame it on their customers, but the association is there. And it's a problem Americans need to address.

So, what's so special about fast food? As it turns out, fast food has some true advantages . . . in the short term. The food is hot and it tastes good. Quite simply, people enjoy eating it more than they do many other kinds of food. However, this is one of the links between fast food and obesity.

Another advantage of fast food is, well, it's fast. Not only that but it's convenient - easily found. What other kind of food can you go out and pick up ready to go at a moment's notice? You don't have to cook, shop, or even wash dishes. Just toss the bag in the trash. You're saving all kinds of time here.

You can eat fast food and obesity is the furthest thing from your mind as you chow down.

In fact, fast food is even a socially accepted custom. Children's birthday parties are held at fast food restaurants. People meet here after sporting events. We're encouraged by society in general and the custom is touted by tantalizing commercials. Fast food and obesity are never linked in these commercials, by the way.

Scientists have made it their business to study fast food and obesity issues. Some say fast food is as addictive to the human body as heroin. This is of interest since the average American eats away 4 helpings of fast food French fries and 3 fast food hamburgers every week!

Researchers have found people start to crave the sugar, fat, and salt of fast foods. Many different lab studies have demonstrated sugar addiction in rats, for example. One study determined that the rats experienced withdrawal symptoms when sugar was taken away. Because of soft drinks, shakes, and other treats offered, fast food and obesity are connected once again.

Fast food also signals the body to have changes in hormones. These changes make it nearly impossible to control eating. After people eat fast food for a period of time they gain weight. Then they become resistant to leptin, which affects appetite.

Addiction sets in when you crave a second fast food meal after having one already that day. The fast food will cause your blood sugar to go very high and then very low. You'll want more. You may deny yourself, but without your fast food, you may feel symptoms of weakness and shakiness. This is how fast food and obesity are linked.

The quantity of fast food Americans are eating is an issue of great concern. Fast food and obesity statistics bear this out.

Americans have gotten used to the Super Sized portions. And even though a single fast food meal has enough fat and calories for the entire day, statistically there's a good chance you'll eat a second fast food meal during the same day. Or if not you'll probably eat something else before the day is out.

With about 1/3 (one-third) of all American adults over 20 being obese, fast food and obesity need to be studied more closely. As you take yourself or your family to the nearest fast food haven for dinner, please think twice.

How about only going once or twice a month instead of several times a week? It's important to take this connection between fast food and obesity seriously. You'll live longer and enjoy life more because of your good health if you do.

Looking for the best weight loss programs plus other tips for breaking away from fast food? Perhaps you've tried it all and are considering laparoscopic weight loss surgery and you want information to help you decide. Check out our website http://www.WeightLossAnswersOnline.com for tips and guidelines for exercise, meal planning and just about anything you want regarding successful weight loss.

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Fast Food Nation

2009-10-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

Dying for your supper, what smaller government has done to food safety
Examiner.com
Back in 2001 when Eric Schlosser's book, Fast Food Nation came out many of us seriously contemplated becoming vegetarian. When he stated," You are what you ...
See all stories on this topic

Wendy's Fast Food

2009-10-04T00:58:00.000-07:00

G7 holds fast on government support for world economy (Roundup)
By Chris Cermak
June 10th, 2009 Survey names Wendy's the top fast-food chainCOLUMBUS, Ohio — The chain that claims it's "way better than fast food" did better than its competitors in a new survey. Wendy's has been named the top fast-food chain by ...
Breaking News - http://blog.taragana.com/n/

Fast Food Chain

2009-10-04T00:32:00.001-07:00

Disturbing Find In Hamburger From Fast Food Chain
Ozarks First
I am at the point where I don't know if i could ever eat fast food again," explains the woman. We tried contacting the Webster County Health department, ...
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Fast-Food Menu

2009-10-04T00:14:00.000-07:00

POLL: Which fast-food menu item do you want back the most?
OCRegister
Which food item do you want back the most? Take our POLL, and feel free to add any that I missed. What fast-food item do you miss the most?
See all stories on this topic

Hot 'N' Now to try new approach to fast-food
The Morning Sun
He's closed-mouthed about what those could be, but he says it won't be traditional fast food. "The word with this is going to be 'fresh,'" Mosher said. ...
See all stories on this topic

Fast food news

2009-10-01T23:53:00.001-07:00

Fast food isn't so at McD's drive-throughs
Crain's Chicago Business
s takes longer to get drive-through customers their food than its biggest rivals, according to an annual survey by an industry trade publication. ...
See all stories on this topic

McDonald's slips in drive-through rankings
Chicago Tribune
Every year, the quick-serve industry publication QSR Magazine ranks fast-food restaurants based on four key drive-through attributes: speed of service, ...
See all stories on this topic

Fast Food's Lurking Presence
New University Online
19, 2009 Students with schools near fast-food restaurants were also less likely to report eating vegetables or fruits and were more likely to drink soda. ...
See all stories on this topic

Burger King turns up heat on fast-food war
Akron Beacon Journal
By Mike Hughlett Burger King is expanding its $1 double cheeseburger offer, ratcheting up pressure in what's increasingly looking like a fast-food war, ...
See all stories on this topic

The Perils of Fast Food Diets

2009-09-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

By Walter Taguchi

There are some foods that we eat on a consistent basis even though we know that they are bad for us. A steady diet of fast food is an expressway route to the grave.

One of the biggest reasons why fast food kills is the fact that everyone, no matter what age or economic status, has access to fast food. There are few, if any, small towns in the United States that do not contain a fast food restaurant of some type, and everyone knows where to get fast food even if it's not right in their town. There is fast food in the malls, fast food at colleges and even at high schools in some parts of the country. As early as in elementary school, children are able to walk over to the nearest fast food restaurant – McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell – and order up a meal after school.

Another reason why fast food kills is the price. While accessing the food is extremely easy, paying for it might even be easier. Dollar menus, value menus and value meals mean that with five dollars, most people can purchase enough fast food in order to overfill themselves with fat, sodium and carbohydrates. Gallon sized cups of soda, available at many of the different restaurant chains, cost less than a dollar, and huge shakes are less than three. Cartons of fries, triple decker burgers and whirled ice cream treats all fall within this five dollar range as well, making stuffing yourself affordable.

Third – it tastes good. No matter how much you try to deny it, our bodies are programmed to think that sugary and salty snacks are delicious. We also enjoy fat, we even CRAVE it, although we might find the idea of eating so much fat repulsive. The smell of cooking French fries, the grilling burgers, the garlic pizza aroma and the nacho cheese – all of these things call to our bodies in ways we can't even identify. We just know we want it – and will enjoy these foods, even if we know it is wrong.

All of these reasons combined make up the explanation for why fast food kills. Combine access, with constant bombardment of commercials and ads touting the the delicious taste and smell of these foods, and make them cheap and quick... it's hard to say no. While some people manage to keep themselves and their children away from food that can be harmful, others can not afford to not take advantage of the cheap rates on food at fast food restaurants.

The only way we can stop the fast food from causing as much damage as it does is by stopping the bombardment of commercials, and making fresh, healthy food available that costs less than it does right now.

Walter Taguchi writes nutrition health articles for WeightLossLodge.com

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Healthy Fast Food

2009-09-20T06:50:00.000-07:00

Of course you'll be able to set foot in McDonald's and Burger King
without having an instant heart attack because of the fast food
you find there.

In the last couple of years, most fast food chains have added
healthier options to their menus. We are not only talking
about bland salads without dressing. Nowadays you'll see that
there are many juicy and tasty items to choose from.

There are a few basic rules that you should try to keep in mind
when trying to pick healthy fast foods.
The good options usually include:

The smallest size of burger
Grilled chicken sandwiches and salads
Low-fat dressings and sauces and even none at all!
Diet soft drinks or water

There are many things to avoid:

Super sizes of anything
Fried or breaded chicken/fish
Chicken nuggets
High-fat sauces and dressings
Onion rings
Extra cheese

That said, here is the lowdown on the best fast food choices.
It's a fact that burgers are never a very healthy option, and I
know guys that badly need that burger fix every so often,
so I've tried to provide you with the best possible options.
I did stick you with a few salads:) Try one and I promise
that you will be surprised how tasty and satisfying some of them are!

Also, keep in mind that if you "must" have side orders like fries
with your meal, choose the smallest size possible, or try a plain
baked potato or vegetables instead.

Ribs instead of fast food

2009-09-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

Kansas City ribs are really a serious business when it comes to BBQ. True to tradition, barbeque in Kansas City is dry rub-spiced, smoked with hickory and coated with a KC style sauce. For Kansas City sauce means a thick, rich and tangy tomato based sauce with molasses and sometimes a hint of vinegar.

The meat is seared, slow cooked and mop basted with sauce until the meat is tender. A nice crust has then formed on the outside. Roll up your sleeves and get ready for sauce that you enjoy getting under your fingernails.

As with any rib, first start by removing the membrane on the back of the rib. This can be difficult with wet fingers so dry hands and a paper towel work well for this. Evenly coat the ribs with the dry rub, wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours but overnight is best. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the ribs, remove them from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Continually mop the ribs with sauce until finished cooking.

Kansas City Style Dry Rub:
1 C sugar
½ C paprika
¼ C kosher salt
¼ C celery salt
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons dried mustard powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Classic Kansas City Style Sauce:
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon mace
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 C ketchup
¾ C dark unsulphered molasses
½ C white wine vinegar

Wendy's fast food is the best

2009-09-10T02:15:00.000-07:00

Wendy's is easily the best of the Big Three.

Their burgers are fresh and made on the spot, and feature actual produce if you so desire. Also, they have kick-ass chili, taco salads, various garden salads, and interesting chicken sandwiches.

Through my job I've had the opportunity to eat many a fancy-pants meal in stuffy restaurants, and expensive catered dinners at meetings and such. Very few could compare with the Wendy's #1 combo with cheese, no pickles, and a Coke. Call me low-class if you'd like, but that's a goddamn fact.

Find Wendy's HERE

McDonald's Fast Food menu

2009-09-08T02:04:00.000-07:00

McDonald's is not a place you should eat if you are trying to be healthy. But if you must eat there or like to eat there, there are definitely some better choices on the menu than others.

Lifehacker put together a great guide showing just what foods aren't so bad and what should be avoided at all costs. The good news is that good ol' Chicken McNuggets aren't so bad, providing 280 calories in a 6 piece box. And a hamburger has only 250 calories if you can stand eating it without cheese!

The fast food menu at McDonald's can be found HERE!

Fast-food restaurants

2009-09-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

As the U.S. restaurant industry struggles through the economic downturn, quick-service operators such as McDonald’s (MCD), Burger King (BKC) and Wendy’s (WEN) may enjoy a comparative advantage that helps them navigate the weakness better than their competitors in the casual-dining and higher-end segments, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

“Fast-food restaurants have a lower average check, greater convenience and increased food choices that resonate well with today’s financially stressed consumer,” says Moody’s VP-Senior Analyst William Fahy.

However, one threat to quick-service restaurants (QSRs) is the option of eating at home, or “trading out,” which is almost always less expensive than dining out. “As more consumers choose to eat their meals at home, QSRs will be negatively affected, but to a lesser degree than casual dining,” said Fahy.

With a lower price point and an increased emphasis on healthier food options, QSRs should be better-positioned to satisfy the consumer’s desire to dine out and save money. This will help QSRs better weather the “trading out” effect, the report says.

The Whopper Bar fast food menu

2009-09-04T05:11:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Orlando, I had an opportunity to check out the first-ever Burger King Whopper Bar that recently opened at Universal's CityWalk.

The Whopper Bar is a regular Burger King with a twist. Aside from the standard burger offerings, you can customize your Whopper with a bunch of different toppings and over a dozen different sauce flavors. Sandwich prices are not unreasonable for a theme park location. A customized Whopper could be had in the $8 ballpark.

While the premise is good, I was unimpressed with the execution. First of all, you do not get to build your own Whopper. Instead, you customize your sandwich at the register and the assembly happens behind the counter. For anyone who has ever had a fast food worker mess up an order, a leap of faith is needed here.

Second, the store itself is small and in no other way unique. I would've liked to have seen more thought put into how the guests could get involved with their creations. For example, if Burger King wants to maintain control over the physical assembly of the sandwiches (meat, cheese, garden, etc) then they could've at least moved the sauce rack onto the public side and let patrons control that part of their Whopper experience.

Fat fast food menus

2009-09-02T05:06:00.000-07:00

Do you know how sloppy that triple Whopper with cheese is? It actually has 1,250 calories, or 62.5% of the recommended 2,000-calories-per-day diet. The Fried Macaroni and Cheese from the Cheesecake Factory?

Try 1,570 calories — according to health experts, you're better off eating a stick of butter.

If public-health advocates, and now the Senate, get their way, when you look at a menu from a chain restaurant, those calorie counts will be staring you down. "Order me if you dare," the mighty Quesadilla Burger from Applebee's (1,440 calories) may entreat. Spurred by the passage of a slew of state and local menu-labeling laws, on June 10 the Senate reached a bipartisan agreement to include a federal menu-labeling law as part of comprehensive health-care reform.

Labeling rules for fast-food restaurant chains

2009-08-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

Massachusetts approved the toughest statewide restaurant menu labeling rules in the United States on Wednesday, requiring major chain restaurants to display the calorie content of the food they sell.

The regulations, designed to combat rising obesity, are more comprehensive than those in California, which in September became the first state with menu labeling rules for fast-food restaurant chains such as McDonald's Corp and Yum Brands' KFC, advocates of healthy foods say.

Fast food facts

2009-08-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

Fast Food Facts is your source for the most up-to-date nutritional information on your favorite fast food for dieting and weight control; sugar levels for diabetics; carbs (carbohydrate) for low-carb dieters; and health & nutrition class projects for students and teachers.

More on Fast Food Facts can be found HERE!

Fast food restaurants add wine to their menus

2009-08-27T05:01:00.000-07:00

Fast food restaurants are adding wine to their menus in a bid to boost sales.

Burgerville, a 39-unit chain in the United States' Pacific Northest, recently put wine and beer on the drinks list at one of its restaurants in Vancouver, Washington, a municipality close to Portland, Oregon.

'We wanted to create a different kind of dining experience', said Jeff Harvey, president of the chain.

'The guests have been surprised but very pleased with the idea'.

Further information can be found HERE!

Fast-food menu

2009-08-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

New menu items unveiled this week by a pair of prominent fast-food chains — including a “breadless” sandwich that uses a pair of fried chicken fillets as the bun surrounding bacon and cheese — have dismayed local dietetics and nutrition specialists who say the dishes are a step backward in the fight against obesity.