Advantages and disadvantages of fast food: 20 main pros and cons.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Food: Many busy families today require quick meals that can fit into their daily routine while away from home. This often means you have to settle for a quick meal alternative.
By definition, fast food is a mass-produced product that can be prepared very quickly and then served. It is also sold in quick service restaurants with sit-down, take-out and drive-thru options. They are a cheap alternative to home-cooked food, although they also seem to have questionable nutritional value in most menu items.
Sandwiches, hamburgers, French fries, soft drinks and milkshakes are popular fast food menu items. It's an easy way to fit meals into a busy schedule for about $6 per person. There are several advantages and disadvantages of fast food to consider if you need a quick meal. These are the key points to consider.
Why is fast food so popular?
Popularity is due to the following reasons:
- Speed of preparation and consumption. In large cities with a busy rhythm of life, people do not always have the time, opportunity and desire to spend several hours on one dish. Fast food eliminates this need. 10-15 minutes are enough to get a feeling of fullness and return to other things.
- Price. The price of fast food is low, so many can afford to eat it on an ongoing basis.
- Availability. Despite the prices, the sale of such products is profitable for manufacturers. This is due to the large flow of customers and the low cost of food. For this reason, there are sales points almost everywhere; people do not have to go far from home or place of work. Additionally, many companies offer food delivery. You can pay for your order not only in cash, but also by transfer to your account.
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Useful points
However, there is good news: fast food is not always food from fast food restaurants. This is everything that can literally be intercepted on the go. This also includes yoghurt, dried fruit, nuts and even a sandwich with cereal bread and salmon taken from home. Agree, such food has even more benefits:
- helps save time;
- allows you to get the required dose of calories;
- saturates the body.
What about hamburgers? Nothing will happen to you if you grab your favorite hamburger at the famous yellow-red fast food restaurant twice a month. Calories will be consumed throughout the day, so you won't be able to gain weight. But if you eat there every day, excess weight and health problems will not keep you waiting.
Main types of fast food
The most popular types of fast food are sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs and shawarma. In some cases, yoghurts and salads may fall into this category.
Hamburgers
Officially, a hamburger is a subtype of sandwich. It consists of a bun cut into 2 halves and a chopped fried cutlet. The composition may include other products, but meat is the basis. Pickles, fried onions, tomatoes, lettuce, sauces, etc. are added to hamburgers.
Sandwiches
A sandwich is a dish that consists of 2 or more slices of bun or bread. The filling is placed between them. It can be meat, cheese, vegetables, etc. A sandwich differs from a sandwich in its closed design: it is covered with a piece of bread on top.
Hot dogs
A hot dog is a wheat bun with a sausage or sausage inside. Vegetables are sometimes added to it. They can be fresh, fried, pickled, etc. They include bacon, cheese, and herbs. The products are seasoned with sauce. Most often it is ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.
Quick hot dogs.
Pizza
Pizza is a traditional Italian dish.
In the classic version, a thin round cake serves as the base. It is baked from yeast dough. However, additional varieties have now begun to appear. Some manufacturers prepare pizza with a thick or square flatbread. The filling consists of tomato sauce, vegetables, mushrooms, cheese, and meat. Sometimes you can find exotic pizzas with fruits and sweets.
Shawarma
Shawarma first appeared in the Middle East. It is prepared from lamb, mutton, pork and chicken, sometimes turkey and veal are added. The ingredients are roasted on a spit, then wrapped in pita bread or pita bread. The composition may include vegetables, lettuce, spices and sauces.
Some regions have their own names for shawarma depending on the composition of the population.
Common additional options are “shawarma” and “shawarma”. However, the generally accepted name remains “shawarma”.
Appetizing shawarma in lavash.
Pancakes
Officially, a pancake is a round, flat flour product. It can have different diameters, but is always made from liquid, flowing dough. It is baked in an oven or in a frying pan. Pancakes can be eaten as an independent product or together with filling.
Souvlaki
Souvlaki are small kebabs on wooden skewers.
Most often they are made from pork. In Abkhazia, lamb or chicken is used for this. Fish souvlaki is less common. The secret of the dish lies in the special marinade. The meat is first dipped in a mixture of pepper, salt, lemon juice, olive oil and oregano. The kebabs are cooked over an open fire, which makes the meat a bit dry. Souvlaki is sometimes served like shawarma by wrapping the ingredients in pita bread.
Chicken souvlaki.
Sushi and rolls
Sushi is a type of Japanese fast food. They are made from rice, seafood and vinegar seasoning are added. Sushi is wrapped in nori - seaweed. This helps give it shape and makes it easier to eat. Meat, eggs, and vegetables are sometimes added to the filling.
Rolls are a type of sushi.
During the cooking process, they are wrapped in a cylinder using a bamboo mat, then cut into small pieces.
Burrito
Burritos were first prepared in Mexico. The base is a soft wheat flatbread, in which the filling is wrapped. The latter can be fried beans, cheese, avocado pieces, minced meat, etc. The ingredients are seasoned with hot sauces or sour cream.
Chicken souvlaki.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a fermented milk product that is obtained by fermenting milk. The composition may include pieces of fruit. Industrial fast food is very different from its home counterpart. Flavorings, preservatives and a lot of sugar are added to it.
Croissants
A croissant is a small confectionery product made from puff pastry. A distinctive feature is the use of full-fat butter (from 82%) during preparation. In the USSR, a croissant was called a bagel. The classic version provides for the absence of filling, but jams, creams, cheeses, ham, etc. are often added to baked goods.
Chicken nuggets
Nuggets are a small but nutritious chicken breast snack. It is fried in oil, adding a crispy breading. Initially, the dish was prepared from ground fillet; now nuggets made from whole pieces of meat are more popular.
Breaded chicken.
French fries
French fries are deep-fried potato pieces. This is a popular side dish, which is eaten both separately and with meat additives and sauces.
Salads
A salad is considered to be any combination of products to which seasoning or dressing has been added. In the case of fast food, we mean store-bought ready-made options.
Potato chips
Potato chips are similar to French fries, but the slices are shaped differently. Products are also deep fried.
Crispy potato chips.
Breakfast cereals
Breakfast cereals are a type of food concentrate. They are prepared by flattening, boiling and then frying the grains. Flavoring additives are added to breakfasts. The most popular products in this range are muesli, cereals and instant porridges.
Fats
Fats are an integral component of our diet and an essential ingredient in cooking. Fats themselves consist of so-called fatty acids, which come in two types - saturated and unsaturated. The former are of animal origin, the latter are of plant origin. Molecules of natural unsaturated fats are in the so-called cis form, they are also called cis fats. You rarely hear about these fats. Their “doubles” are commonly heard – trans fats. They are sometimes, of course, found in nature, but a much larger number of trans fats that enter our body are of artificial origin. They can be found in margarine, spreads, mayonnaise and, of course, in many products from fast food establishments - French fries, hamburgers, pasties, donuts.
Such fats, compared to cis fats, have an irregular molecular shape and are not able to properly perform the functions inherent in fats in the body. At the same time, they are quite attractive to the fast food industry. Fats based on unsaturated fatty acids (and these are usually vegetable oils) have a significant drawback - they are difficult to store. To increase shelf life, a hydrogenation method is used, as a result of which most unsaturated fatty acids are transferred from the cis form to the trans form. Various margarines and hydrogenated oils are produced in this way. They last longer, can be used repeatedly for frying, and are also quite cheap compared to animal fats. That is, they have everything that is needed for use in the fast food industry.
At first, no one noticed the harm from such fats. But already in 1993, studies appeared confirming that eating foods high in trans fats increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Trans fats behave differently in the body than their natural counterparts. In addition to the heart, trans fats also damage the pancreas - leading to the development of diabetes, as well as the appearance of chronic inflammatory processes.
Consumption of trans fats leads to obesity. At the same time, trans fats are difficult to remove from the body; according to some data, this requires at least 2 years, provided that a healthy diet is maintained during this period.
Don't assume that saturated animal fats are safe. They are also used in abundance in the preparation of fast food. Their excessive consumption creates a huge burden on the liver, negatively affects the heart and leads to obesity.
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The effect of fast food on the body
Fast food is most often high-calorie dishes with low nutritional value: it contains almost no nutrients. This determines its effect on the body.
Adults
Most of the ingredients included in the product are fried in vegetable oil.
In the latter, with strong heating, carcinogenic compounds are formed - acrolein and acrylamide. These substances irritate the mucous membranes and increase the risk of developing cancer. Acrylamide can damage blood cell chromosomes.
The oil is not replaced immediately after preparing one dish, which makes the situation worse. With frequent heating, acrylamide breaks down into glycidamide. The latter destroys the DNA structure, which more strongly provokes the development of autoimmune and oncological pathologies.
Another negative factor is high calorie content. A serving of French fries, a glass of soda water and a Big Mac contains 1150 kcal, which is more than 2/3 of the daily value. This is the average order in a restaurant.
Fast food contains a lot of calories and is unhealthy.
Children
Fast food addiction occurs in everyone, but in children it happens faster.
This is more dangerous, since the child’s body continues to develop both in preschool and adolescence. At this time, children need to be offered the best foods that contain enough nutrients. Otherwise, the risk of developing pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system increases. According to research, children who eat a lot of unhealthy foods have lower performance in school.
Pregnant
For pregnant women, the danger of fast food is a lack of vitamins and minerals.
If a girl eats mainly fast food, the body is forced to economize and take away the required substances from the mother’s organs and tissues. Due to the excess salt in the composition, the blood thickens, the transportation of available nutrients becomes difficult, and swelling occurs. Another danger is the chance of bacterial infection. This may lead to miscarriage.
Fast food is not recommended for pregnant women.
Old people
Salt in the composition provokes surges in blood pressure and the development of hypertension. Sugar greatly increases the risk of diabetes. Fats found in unhealthy foods contribute to a jump in blood cholesterol levels. This impairs blood circulation and can cause the development of atherosclerosis.
People with chronic diseases
Fast food is harmful even for a healthy person. For any chronic diseases, such a diet is fraught with frequent exacerbations and rapid progression of the pathology.
Sugar
While salt has been known to man since ancient times, sugar is a relatively new product. If in the middle of the 19th century the average annual consumption of sugar per person in Europe was 2 kg, then by the beginning of the current century it was already 37 kg. Sugar, or scientifically sucrose, is an artificial product. And although it is made from natural raw materials, this should not mislead you. In the human body, sugar is broken down into glucose and fructose, which immediately enter the blood. However, if glucose is a vital substance for humans, then fructose, according to scientists, has no nutritional value. Although it is twice as sweet as glucose, it is what gives the sweet taste to your favorite foods.
Fructose even poses a serious danger to the body. A study conducted by scientists from the University of California found that fructose can cause diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and various cardiovascular diseases. We must immediately talk about fructose in fruits. This is the same fructose, but it does not enter the body alone, but with cellulose (indigestible fiber). Thanks to her, it bypasses the stomach, is not absorbed into the blood and reaches the large intestine.
Now look at the composition of the Big Mac. The sauce contains high fructose corn syrup. Some time ago, fructose syrup was also included in the list of ingredients for the Big Mac bun. If we talk about sugar in general, it is found in carbonated drinks and cocktails, cakes and ice cream. And excessive consumption of sugar, both glucose and fructose, is a direct path to obesity and diabetes.
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The harm of fast food
The harm of fast food lies in its unbalanced composition, the use of low-quality products, high calorie content and the almost complete absence of nutrients.
Trans fats
Trans fats are substances that are formed during the heat treatment of lipids. They cause an increase in bad cholesterol levels. This is fraught with deterioration in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Lack of useful elements
Even ready-made salads and yoghurts, which we are accustomed to consider healthy foods, contain few nutrients. Fruits and vegetables that are used to make fast food are carefully treated with chemicals. They are collected unripe in order to be transported to the point of sale in time. Such vegetables and fruits contain almost no vitamins and minerals.
Fast food does not contain healthy elements.
High calorie content
Due to the lipid and carbohydrate content, ready-made meals are high in calories. They provoke obesity. Visceral fat, which forms on internal organs, makes it difficult for the entire body to function.
Unnatural composition
Preservatives, flavorings, flavor enhancers and other chemical additives are often added to instant foods. In large quantities, they can irritate mucous membranes, cause the development of cancer, etc.
High sugar and salt content
With excess salt, blood circulation becomes difficult and swelling appears. Frequent consumption of sugar is fraught with obesity and the development of diabetes.
Addiction
Flavoring additives are addictive and addictive. It becomes difficult for a person to eat differently; he includes more and more fast food in his diet. This has a particularly bad effect on people who are initially prone to psychological addictions.
Incompatible products
When preparing fast food dishes, incompatible products are often used. For example, meat and buns. These are proteins and carbohydrates. With this combination, all digestion processes slow down, and the person suffers from digestive disorders.
Protein and carbohydrates in one hot dog.
Lack of fiber
Fast food contains mostly processed foods, meats, baked goods, etc. It has no fiber, which aggravates digestive problems.
Infection with pathogenic microorganisms
When preparing fast food, sanitary standards are rarely observed. To reduce costs, manufacturers purchase low-quality ingredients and save on storage methods. This is fraught with infection by helminths, bacteria and viruses.
Food for the poor?
Fast food is often considered low-quality food for the lower class, but according to the results of a large US study, the higher the income, the more people eat fast food .
In a study of 605 people, the most common reasons for visiting fast food establishments were: it's fast (92%), the restaurant is close (80%), and the food is delicious (69%). People with a high level of education more often chose fast food due to the lack of time to cook, and the unemployed - because it was an opportunity to have fun and spend time with loved ones; About half of the participants confirmed that for them, fast food is something of a reward.
How to snack properly
A person snacks on average three times a day. This can happen at home, on the go or at work. Snacking is beneficial if you follow a few rules:
- Drink a glass of water before meals.
- Pay attention to the calorie content of the product.
- You should not read, watch TV, or study information on the Internet while eating.
- You need to eat slowly, chewing thoroughly.
- Two snacks per day are enough.
Instead of fast food for a snack, you can use:
- bananas – tasty, healthy, mood-enhancing;
- baked potatoes, rich in potassium, phosphorus, promoting metabolism;
- dark chocolate is a product that satisfies hunger well;
- almonds, tonic, uplifting.
We recommend reading: What are the benefits of almonds, properties and contraindications
If you organize snacks correctly - not with fast food, but with healthy products, then you can maintain your health, performance, and mood.
Low quality
Fast food uses ingredients that are not of the best quality. Often the cheapest products are used. When you eat, you don’t have the slightest idea about the origin of this or that component, so it’s better to buy the food yourself and cook it at home. For fast food chains, quantity is more important than quality .
Fast and dead food
This kind of food is called fast for a good reason. It cooks quickly, but is it right? Nobody wants to wait for the chef to prepare a healthy dish according to all the rules, because fast food is so delicious. Such food brings excess nutritional energy into the body, causing discomfort, as well as various diseases . So it's better not to eat such food, it's risky. Learn to say no to fast food.
