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Why Fast Food Companies Must Be Held Accountable for Their Ingredients

Drive down any suburban or city street and you will witness an overload of fast food marketing. Brightly colored signs, cheap value meals, happy cartoon logos, and a familiar smell will fill your senses. Fast food restaurants have established themselves as a leader in our nation's daily menu. What is the net affect fast food and its ingredients have on our health? What, if any, moral and social obligations do fast food companies have to their consumers?

Obesity is believed to lead to diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and other illnesses. Over 60% of Americans are considered over weight, and the rise in diabetic individuals has increased dramatically. In 1999 there were 42 billion people on direct diabetes medicine. That figure has more than doubled in less than three years.

"Fast food is literally shortening the life span of our citizens," states Lynn VanDyke, certified sports nutritionist, personal trainer and owner of http://www.strength-training-woman.com. McDonalds serves 46 million fast food meals every single day. As the documentary Super Size Me points out, each McDonalds employee is trained to up sell the size of each order. This increase in meal and drink proportions is becoming so widely acceptable that cars now come with larger cup holders.

The fast food process truly begins with the ingredients. As Eric Schlosser mentions in his article "Why McDonalds French Fries Taste So Good", the federal Food and Drug Administration does not require companies to disclose the ingredients of their color or flavor additives so long as all the chemicals in them are considered by the agency to be generally recognized as safe, or GRAS. Unfortunately, consumers are not able to tell a products full ingredient list by reading the nutrition label. Terms such as 'artificial' and 'natural flavoring' are often seen at the very end of most ingredient lists. We are completely unaware of exactly what constitutes a natural or artificial flavor.

Fast food companies owe it to their consumers to disclose all ingredient information. Many people have special dietary restrictions due to allergies or religious affiliations. Some people simply prefer not to eat a product that contains any animal or any part of an animal. According to Schlosser, "The Vegetarian Legal Action Network recently petitioned the FDA to issue to labeling requirements for foods that contain natural flavors." At this point in time, it is difficult for anyone to refrain from using animal products or added coloring or any a specific chemical to do so.

Consumers cannot make educated decisions about a food product if they do not know the full ingredients list. Some may be shocked to know that Dannon strawberry yogurt gets its coloring from Dactylopius coccus Costa, a female insect that feeds on berries and produces berry colored larvae. "The insects are collected, dried, and ground into a pigment. It takes about 70,000 of them to produce a pound of carmine, which is used to make processed foods look pink, red, or purple" states Schlosser.

Another example of a misleading ingredient label comes from Burger King. Its strawberry milk shake lists artificial strawberry flavor as one of its ingredients. By taking a closer look, we learn that the following ingredients make up the artificial strawberry flavoring: amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenol-2-butanone (10% solution in alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methyllacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, y-undecalactone, vanillin and solvent. Simply stating artificial strawberry flavoring is not educating consumers on what they are eating and what possible effects these food products could have on their bodies.

Fast food companies have a responsibility to list all of their ingredients. It is a basic consumer and human right to know what we are ingesting. McDonalds and other companies complain that giving away all their ingredients will result in them losing their secret recipes. As a culture we must face the reality that these ingredients and fast food products are making us extremely overweight and very ill.

McDonalds is the fast food leader of the world. They market to young children by providing playgrounds, happy meals, and cartoon characters. Unfortunately, these children do not know about the horrible side effects that eating fast food has on their bodies. "On average, Americans now eat about four servings of french fries every week" says Schlosser. The increase in portion size and the increase in the volume of eating at fast food restaurants directly relates to America’s bulging waist lines.

Recently two over weight teens sued McDonalds because the teens felt the restaurant neglected to properly inform them of the side effects its food would have on their weight and health. Lawsuits such as this one are becoming more and more popular. There are two sides of this debate, but regardless of which side you are on one thing can be agreed upon, fast food is not the most nutritious meal available.

Fast food companies have a moral and social obligation to their customers. We as a nation have a right to know what we are eating. Once the truth is finally told and nutrition labels have all ingredients and chemicals, consumers can begin to make educated decisions. At that point the blame would rely solely on the consumer and not on the fast food company. However, until that point is reached we cannot expect Americans to understand the impact fast food will have on their health and well being.

Morgan Spurlock, creator of the documentary Super Size Me, explains how we live in a toxic, fast and cheap environment. America is home to over 3 million vending machines and countless convenient stores. Gas stations sell more candy and prepared foods than gas. Soda machines are in our schools and our school lunches are being filled by chain restaurants such as McDonalds and Pizza Hut.

The availability of fast food products is overwhelming. The abundance and mass marketing of fast foods along with the low cost fare makes it a habit of continually eating these foods. We grow used to the aroma, textures and tastes. Often a McDonalds happy meal reminds us of happy childhood memories when we did not have a care in the world. For many consumers to stop eating fat food, it would be like breaking a smoking habit after 20+ years.

The increase in diseases and illnesses is alarming. Americans are becoming more and more overweight. Obesity is in line to become the number one cause of preventable death. Fast food companies have the moral and social obligation to inform their consumers of all ingredients. It should then be the consumer’s decision to stop eating this toxic food.

Learning about proper nutrition does not take a degree form Harvard. It takes the commitment and dedication to truly change your life once and for all. Nutrition and fitness are our best defenses against the mounting health care crisis. According to the National Institute on Aging, "If exercise could be packed in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation." I whole heartedly agree with their statement.

Copyright 2005 strength-training-woman.com

Lynn VanDyke is the Internet’s leading fitness and nutrition advisor. Her ebook has been ranked "The best fitness ebook on the net" by the No Limits ezine. Learn more about her services and grab her best-selling ebook by visiting: [http://strength-training-woman.com/31-no-holds-barred-answers.html]

Eating Fast Food While Doing P90X

Eating fast food while doing P90X is inevitable. Sure many have been strict enough to avoid it, but those of us with kids on the go - sometimes eating out is the option. But it's really not hard to come up with a good meal to get you to the next one.

First of all, you've got to know the basics of healthy eating before you even venture out of the house. Then and only then will this be easy. Also, it's nice to have a copy of Eat This Not That on hand to help make the tough decision (turkey or ham at Subway?).

So let's start with your P90X fast food breakfast - you're goal here is a good amount of carbs (2 pieces of bread), a healthy dose of protein (maybe an egg or yogurt size) and a little fat. If you're eating fast food - don't worry about the fat. There's no way to get around the fat in fast food. So if you're at McDonald's, get yourself an egg/ham mcmuffin - no cheese. Here you'll get protein in the egg and in the ham. You'll get the carbs in the muffin and fat in everything. It's not the best - but it'll get you to the next meal.

The snack after breakfast. If you're out, hopefully you brought a bar with you. Otherwise I'd say stop at the convenience store and pick up a nutrition bar. It'll cost more there, but that's punishment for forgetting.

Lunch. This is where you want to eat a lot of carbs and a lot of protein. By a lot I mean get a 6" sub at Subway, ask for double meat and load it up with all the vegetables. If you're at McDonald's get 2 regular hamburgers and take the top bun off of one (there's a lot of fat in the buns). If you're at the grocery store, see if they have a sushi section and then buy some beef jerky to make up for the lack of protein.

Your fast food snack after lunch really should be a smoothie. Not a sugar smoothie, but one you brought stuff to work to make. Protein powder, lowfat milk and 1/2 a banana. You want to start cutting back on carbs. Maybe 1/3 of the carbs you ate for lunch. A bar would be fine.

Finally dinner. No exceptions - meat and veggies only. KFC is my favorite fast food place since they started the grilled chicken. Get a breast piece and some broccoli. Or a chicken salad at Burger King, or... well stick with salads.

If you're looking to really take P90X to the next level, contact me at http://lettersfromdan.com/category/the-fit-life/ and let's get the muscle building and fat losing done together!

Daniel R Morris (DanRMorris on Twitter) Triathlete, Nutrition Geek and Fitness guy

A Quick Guide To Healthy Fast Food Choices

With the tempting smile of McDonald's "golden arches" and the addicting scent of Whoppers hitting the air as you pass by Burger King, healthy fast food choices are probably the furthest from your mind.

The dark cloud hanging over fast food restaurants is pretty overrated, as there are plenty of nutritious and fulfilling selections to mull over. Being equipped with the knowledge of how to make healthier choices at fast food eateries is key to getting the most out of a dining possibility that is convenient, inexpensive and truly speedy.

Hamburger Heaven

A single hamburger at a fast food restaurant is pretty reasonable. The McDonald's plain 'ole hamburger with its signature onions contains 250 calories with a reasonable saturated fat count and decent serving of protein.

To cut back on the calories associated with a fast food hamburger, you can eliminate some of the extras that increase the overall fat content of the meal.

For example, forgo the slice of cheese on a Wendy's Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe and save 40 calories. Take off the mayonnaise to reduce your burger by 25 calories. Want to save carbs and calories regarding your healthy fast food selections? Eat your burger on half-a-bun and save 60 calories. All together, the 125-calorie cut still allows you to savor the taste of bacon and juicy hamburger accompanied by nutritious tomatoes and lettuce.

Additionally, you can also select smaller burger choices, as a Whopper Jr. without mayo (290 calories) tastes just as good as its 510-calorie cousin.

Chicken Delight

With all of the Crispy Chicken Sandwiches and Chicken Nuggets lining the fast food strip, it's hard to pass on the spicy blend of seasonings that tickle the tongue.

Once again, the real reason you order a chicken sandwich is to savor the crispy coating, so why waste calories on the bun, which takes up 120 calories of the 340-calorie sandwich? Some people eat the chicken completely without bun, while others only use half.

At McDonald's, the Honey Mustard Snack Wrap with Grilled Chicken is a sandwich offering the second lowest number of calories on the menu with 260. A four-piece Chicken Nuggets offers only 170 calories. In order to reduce the number of calories associated with healthy fast food chicken choices, pay attention to your sauces, as a Creamy Ranch Sauce runs 200 calories alone.

Pizza, Pizza

Scan the menus of popular chains, such as Pizza Hut, and you will learn about healthy fast food choices, such as the Thin-n-Crispy selections, which offers less bread and crust.

To create a healthier pizza meal, eliminate the meat toppings and load up on popular veggie creations, including onions, olives, peppers, and jalapenos.

Pizza Hut also offers "Fit-n-Delicious" pizzas, where the diced red tomato, mushroom, and jalapeno selection provides 150-calorie slices.

Additional Healthy Fast Food

Often overlooked as a fast food restaurant, Subway is a great way to stick with a healthy meal plan. Some of the best selections include tons of vegetables and lean chicken. My personal favorite is the 1/2 sub daily special, on honey oat bread, spicy mustard and loaded with every veggie in the place. What a taste explosion and it's so healthy.

Overall, the continuous pressure to lead a healthier lifestyle has encouraged numerous eateries to bring lower calorie food choices to the forefront. Today, popular healthy fast food menu items include the likes of Chicken Garden Salads, Strawberry-Flavored Applesauce, 2% Milk, Bacon Ranch Salad, Apple Dippers, and Fruit-n-Yogurt Parfait.

Making healthy fast food decisions is not boring. Make it an adventure in good dinning. Bon Appetit!

The author has a whole web site devoted to making healthy food choices and a section on healthy fast food choices. Join us at: http://healthfood-guide.com/healthyfastfoodchoices.aspx where the discussion continues and healthy food ideas abound.

Fast Food Restaurants and Churches - What They Have in Common

The rise of fast food restaurants in the world is a current phenomenon. McDonald's was the first major chain, and it stood unchallenged for many years providing inexpensive fast food and an entertainment experience. The market exploded suddenly, with a numerous variety of franchises spreading to the reaches of North America and eventually to the world. Although the fast food restaurant is a product of modern culture, it has remarkable similarities to church. This may sound like an outrageous statement, but consider the likeness of their history, beginning with the official Catholic Church which "stood unchallenged for many years"; then numerous other denominations were created. Today, churches and fast food restaurants have an easily recognizable physical structure and a set of consistent routines and procedures. They also both teach desirable values through their interaction with society.

Churches are easily recognized by their outward appearance: some are very ornate stone with spires, bells and stain glassed windows, while others have a simpler or conservative construction. Each denomination has a distinct appearance that is duplicated in the towns and cities of North America; likewise, restaurants are easily recognizable. Even a child can spot the 'Golden Arches' of a McDonald's from a distance. Just as there are numerous flavours of churches, there are also many different fast food franchises, that offer a customized menu and atmosphere. Each restaurant has an individual style, but they are all colourful, stylish buildings with bright, large windows.

The inside of franchised restaurants are decorated in the same style, just like in churches of the same denomination. There are standard decorating and furniture by franchise or denomination. For example, churches have seating in a main hall or sanctuary where sermons are received. In a Catholic Church there will be wooden pews in rows, whereas in a Brethren Church there will be modern cushioned chairs, placed in an arrangement of sections and rows. Likewise, all fast food franchises have fixed seating of tables, chairs, and bench seating, but each has its own manner and style of arranging the seating. Inside or out, fast food restaurants and churches are easily recognized by their physical appearance.

Both institutions have predictable routines and procedures that are followed by the people who go there. When going to a church service, you are greeted by an usher; likewise, when going to a fast food restaurant you are greeted by a server. Both can be visited alone, with family or with friend, and offer a social aspect as well. During both social experiences, you will consume food and drink. During the church service you will take communion, bread and wine, and during your restaurant experience you will eat a meal of your choice. One feeds the body, while the other feeds the soul.

Routines will vary by denomination or franchise, but will be consistent in each. For example, all church services involve singing, preaching, offering, and praying, but the order and style will vary by denomination. A Baptist Church service generally begins with a couple hymns and an opening prayer. Then announcements, special music, and scripture reading before the sermon. Sermon. Closing prayer and/or hymn. It's a predictable experience. Attending a Catholic Mass will be different from a Baptist service, but it will be equally predictable each week.

Likewise, going to McDonald's involves getting in line at the counter, ordering your food, taking your tray to your table while picking up napkins, ketchup, straws, etc., on the way, eating, and cleaning up your own mess. Then kids can play, while the adults relax. No matter what McDonald's you visit the experience will be the same. Going to Burger King provides relatively the same experience, but the food, atmosphere, and play items will vary. You could be dropped into a church or fast food restaurant blindfolded, and it's absolutely certain that you'll know what's expected of you when the blindfold is removed!

Finally, both churches and fast food restaurants teach values through their respective institutions. Churches teach biblical values for how people should live their lives. "For the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness,,,... and self control" is an often quoted verse that names virtuous qualities for people to develop in themselves. There are also many parables that teach about making right decisions. Beyond believing in God, Jesus and the sacrifice of the cross, people are encouraged to strive for good qualities so that they can be good people.

Fast food restaurants teach values, although it is done more implicitly. They encourage cleanliness and responsibility by expecting people to clean up after themselves. The words "Thank You" on the garbage receptacles are an encouragement to dispose of your waste instead of leaving it on the table. Kindness is also exemplified through their advertising slogans. Dairy Queen has trademarked the slogan, "We treat you right." McDonald's uses the slogans, "We like to see you smile" and "The smiles are free." These are feel good, positive statements that encourage the consumer to respond in kind.

Both institutions are involved in charity, collecting money for worthy causes that will help people. Churches collect money through collections to offer programs to the people in their community, while fast food restaurants provide change receptacles at the cash where you can donate to various charities. These are ways that both institutions teach values to the people who frequent them.

Although there are many striking similarities between churches and fast food restaurants, there are also differences. While church is offered at fixed times during the week, fast food restaurants have lengthy and flexible hours. It's very convenient to eat dinner quickly, inexpensively, and without the work of preparing it. Church services are offered at fixed times and it's unlikely you will get out of there quickly. As well, going to church is meant to meet a spiritual need, while going to a fast food restaurant is meant to meet a physical need. At the restaurant you are feeding your body, but at church you are feeding your soul. Attending church helps people maintain a balanced life, while going to fast food restaurants merely provides an unhealthy meal, which contributes to an unbalanced diet.

One experience is free, but the other has a cost. You can willingly give a donation or politely decline during offering, but at any fast food chain you will not be given food unless you pay. Fast food restaurants are money making ventures, in contrast to the non-profit nature of churches. The restaurant owner offers this food and service to make a living; whereas, the minister or priest is collecting money to use for the physical or spiritual service of others. It may be argued that the church overseer also receives a salary, but idealistically the salary is given for self-less service and not personal gain.

I have presented this comparison to a variety of different people over the last few years. Curiously, the initial reaction of most people was to adamantly argue against the idea that these institutions were similar. The main reason for their persistent protesting was that they thought it was heresy to make this comparison - between the modern, pagan fast food establishments and rituals and the long-standing Christian churches whose establishment and rituals' purpose is to reunite the human race with God. For many people, the comparison becomes intensely personal and they feel that it's wrong.

Overall, there is a sense of strangeness in the similarities that exist between fast food restaurants and churches. The remarkable likeness between the two should not be surprising as they were an invention of people who have been raised in a church-going society. Whether they are active, religious church goers or not, they cannot help but be implicitly affected by this pervasive institution. People are comfortable with predictability; thus each familiar experience, whether in church or a fast food restaurant, is like an old familiar shoe.

I am a secondary school teacher in Ontario, Canada who has been teaching for over 14 years. Qualified to teach grades 4-12, I have taught all levels of English at the high school level. Recently, I started a blog about the teaching of English and Language Arts to encourage a dialogue between language teachers: http://www.cheekylit.com

This piece was written for a university writing course to practice the model of comparison.

Fast Food Market Forecast - The Subway Example of Strategic Product Positioning

The United States fast food market has seen a healthy rise in growth within the last three years which forecasts can be sustained. The fast food market is forecast to maintain its current growth expectations, with an anticipated Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.3% for the five-year period 2005-2010. This is expected to drive the market to a value of $57.6 billion by the end of 2010. Drivers of growth include increasing numbers of Americans in the workplace, which reduces the amount of time spent on preparing meals at home. In 2010, the United States fast food market is forecast to have a value of $57.6 billion, an increase of 12.1% since 2005.

Forecast Volume

In 2010, the United States fast food market is forecast to have a volume of 37 billion transactions (Figure 1). This represents an increase of 5.3% since 2005. The CAGR of the market volume in the period 2005-2010 is predicted to be 1%.

Success Factors

Success factors for fast food franchisees will include products and marketing targeted to healthier menu selections, brand consistency, low start-up costs, franchisee support, and consumer convenience. Subway ® represents a poignant example of a fast food franchisee ready for success in the future fast food market. Their strategies transcend the fast food market and apply to many other markets and products.

SWOT Analysis

Subway sandwich shops are well positioned to leverage their strengths and address reasonable threats, weaknesses, and opportunities. The table below highlights these Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Strengths

Size and number stores and channels

Menu reflects demand for fresh, healthy and fast.

Use of non-traditional channels.

Partnering with the American Heart Association.

Worldwide brand recognition.

Customizable menu offerings.

Low franchisee start up costs.

Franchisee training is structured, brief and designed to assure rapid start-up and success.

Weaknesses

Décor is outdated.

Some franchisees are unhappy.

Service delivery is inconsistent from store to store.

Employee turnover is high.

No control over franchise saturation in given market areas.

Opportunities

Continue to Grow Global Business.

Update décor to encourage more dine-in business.

Improve Customer Service Model.

Continue to expand channel opportunities to include event wagons.

Improve franchisee relations.

Experiment with drive-through business.

Expand packaged dessert offerings.

Continue to revise and refresh menu offerings.

Develop more partnerships with movie producers and toy manufacturers to promote new movie releases through children's menu packaging and co-branding opportunities.

Threats

Franchisee unrest or litigation.

Food contamination (spinach).

Competition.

Interest Costs.

Economic downturn.

Sabotage.

Law Suits.

Competitive Analysis

Subway is not without competitive pressures. Chief competitors include Yum! Brands, McDonalds, Wendy's, and Jack in the Box. Yum! Brands are the world's largest, with 33,000 restaurants in over 100 countries. Four of the company's highly recognizable brands, KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's and Taco Bell, are global leaders of the Mexican, chicken, pizza, quick-service seafood categories. Yum! has a workforce of 272,000 employees and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

McDonald's Corporation (McDonald's) is the world's largest foodservice retailing chain with 31,000 fast-food restaurants in 119 countries. The company also operates restaurants under the brand names 'The Boston Market' and 'Chipotle Mexican Grill'. McDonalds operates largely in the US and the UK and is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois employing 447,000 people.

Wendy's International (Wendy's) operates three chains of fast food restaurants: Wendy's (the third largest burger chain in the world), Tim Horton's, and Baja Fresh. Wendy's operates over 9700 restaurants in 20 countries, has been included in Fortune magazine's list of top 500 US companies, is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, and employs about 57,000 people.

Jack in the Box owns, operates, and franchises Jack in the Box quick-service hamburger restaurants and Qdoba Mexican Grill fast-casual restaurants and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Target Markets

The increase in sales of the sandwiches has been a result of decreases in consumer interest in hamburgers and fries and increases in demand for healthier options. Sales of sandwiches are growing 15 percent annually, outpacing the 3 percent sales growth rate for burgers and steaks.

Current Marketing Program

A new breed of restaurant is making big gains against the market-saturated hamburger establishments. Termed "fast-casual," these restaurants are dominated by Mexican chains, and sandwich restaurants offering fresh-baked breads and specialty sandwiches.

Responding to evolving consumer expectations for health, fresh, custom-made sandwiches; Subway's marketing program addresses these expectations through a number of approaches. The most notable were the television commercials featuring Jared. These commercials emphasize the healthy aspects of a Subway sandwich by highlighting the 245 pounds Jared lost by eating a Subway sandwich diet. Subway also markets through a national sponsorship in events such as American Heart Association Heart Walks and local events such as triathlons, and children's sports teams.

The Subway example represents marketing and product strategies that are classic examples of focusing on market demand, consumer trends, product leveraging, and innovation. The marketing strategies of creating clear brand recognition, brand and product association, and market demands, have strategically positioned Subway to advance market share into the near future. These marketing strategies are also repeatable fundamental marketing strategies transcending the fast food market. Does your marketing strategy bind brand recognition to products that support your market's future direction?

Reference

Datamonitor Industry Market Research, (July, 2006), United States Fast Food

For more on Mr. McCarty, please refer to http://www.leadershippinnacle.com

Michael McCarty C.C.C.E, MBA

Mr. McCarty has a proven record of accomplishment in strategic leadership roles for fortune 500 companies. He is an award winning performer in the areas of large-scale operations leadership, strategic planning, senior project management, and significant contributions to the bottom line. Michael has successfully leveraged his leadership skills to provide keen insight, vision, direction, and executive support to financial services firms, information technology firms, and the automotive, credit, and insurance industries. He has been particularly effective in start-up and turnaround situations.

Insisting on integrity, self-reliance, resourcefulness, and ingenuity, Mr. McCarty is an action and solution oriented leader capable of making strong financial contributions to the bottom line. Operational leadership in the areas of process improvements, cost analysis, and innovative revenue generation characterize soundly this veteran executive's distinguished career. For more on Mr. McCarty, please refer to http://www.leadershippinnacle.com

Top Places to Find Fast Food Coupons

McDonald's is the most popular fast food chain in the United States and all around the world. For those seeking to save a little money and still want all the benefits of a quick meal there are several quick and easy ways to get all the latest McDonald's coupons without having to do a lot of work.

Visit McDonalds.com: By visiting McDonald's official website and becoming a preferred subscriber, you can find out about the latest promotions and coupon discounts before others. The site allows you to customize the type of updates you receive and you can choose to get updates by email or through cell phone text messages.
Socialize with McDonald's: Fans of McDonald's can friend the fast food chain on Facebook to find out about new offers. A number of online coupon websites also categorize and report on the latest McDonald's promotions and offer coupon codes, some actually allow you to print out coupons directly from your computer.
Search the newspapers: Like most fast food chains, McDonald's usually includes their latest round of coupons in local Sunday newspapers all around the country in the insert section. They may also insert coupons in the flyers distributed by local grocery stores, so checking here can also be useful.
Check your mailbox: Occasionally McDonald's offers direct mail campaigns and may send a booklet of the latest deals directly to your mailbox. Usually these booklets are sent out during the summer months to entice families to visit the restaurant or may be sent out to promote new items on the menu. So instead of trashing that junk mail without reviewing it, look through it for a McDonalds coupon booklet. For those willing to spend a few bucks, some enterprising individuals have even begun to resell these coupon books on auction sites like eBay. If you choose this route, make sure the deal is cheap and that the coupons have not yet expired.

For some additional bargains for parents, fun kids activities, fantastic printable coupons, and some budget meal ideas come visit us over at Coupon Mommas where we love to save you money the easy way!

Fast Food Fries

We all know fast food is quick, easy, tasty, and cheap. For those reasons, it may even be the bane of many college students' diets while they cram for exams. It's the convience that gets us. While they work for getting a full course meal, they are also good for just grabbing a quick snack when you're in a rush. The major component of the fast food experience is definitely the french fries. It's the side of every meal, or the main course of your snack.

Let's think about it. Each fast food chain has their own specialty when it comes to the main course: Arby's for sandwiches, Chick-fil-A for chicken sandwiches and wraps, Burger King, McDonald's, Five Guys, or In-N-Out for burgers. They all have one staple despite their differences: the french fries.

The filler that works its way into every combo. But who has the best? It's my opinion that BK fries are by far the crispiest and most enjoyable. McDonald's fries just seem to be soggy all the time. Chick-fil-A has some amazing tasting waffle fries, but they lack the salt that gives 'em that zing. And why is Arby's doing away with straight fries? They are moving exclusively to curly fries with all those spices - which, if you like them, are amazing. But it definitely sets them apart from the other fast food chains. I guess each fast food restaurant tailors towards a unique and individual audience. But the real question is, do the major chains, McDonalds and Burger King, tailor to you?

Visit to vote between the top two contenders:
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The Atrocious Nutritional Facts of Fast Food

There is absolutely no question that fast food is bad for you. When you take a look at the total nutrition picture and hidden dangers of fast food, you find out it is even worse than you thought.

Fast Food has become a part of modern American culture and it is spreading rapidly around the entire World. In the United States, almost every town with more than 5,000 people living in it has its fast food strip on the edge of town. It does not matter if you live in Oregon or Maine, driving along the fast food strip will make you feel at home. There is virtually no unique American regional culture visible in these restaurants beyond the pictures on the wall. People might argue this is not a bad thing. People can go into a fast food restaurant in any part of the country and be pretty sure of what is on the menu. They will have their familiar food in a very short time, and be on their way with their stomachs filled.

The real problem goes beyond the loss of regional uniqueness in our eating habits. The fact is that fast food is just plain bad for you in almost every way and in almost every case. America is a country of overweight people who long to be thin, and yet the fast food industry is the leading culprit of the almost epidemic obesity in the country. The problem is spreading to our children. It is said that Ronald McDonald is the second most recognized figure to American Children, second only to Santa Claus, and it is estimated that every American child averages at least one meal a month at McDonalds or a similar restaurant.

The problems are many with fast food, but the biggest problem is the amount of fat and the high calorie count in the average fast food meal. The recommended American diet suggests an intake of around 65 grams of fat and about 2,000 calories per day. This may vary depending on exercise and age, but in most cases the variations call for less for dieting purposes. When you start reviewing some of the common fast food meals, the problem becomes evident. At Burger King, a Whopper with Cheese, French Fries, and a vanilla shake measure in at 87 grams of fat and 1480 calories. Even if this is your only meal of the day, you have taken in almost 1/3 too much fat.

McDonalds Big Mac, Fries, and a shake do better. They get under the mark at 57 grams of fat and only about 1200 calories. Once again, this is only for one quick meal and is usually not all that is eaten each day. Of course, you are being urged to "super size" everything and doing so is going to increase the fat and calorie count. Excessive amounts of fat and high calorie counts may be the leading cause of problem, but they are not the only negatives by a long shot. Fast food is low in basic fibers, nutrients, and vitamins needed to maintain good health.

There are also many hidden dangers to fast food. These dangers run the whole gamut from danger of contamination to excessive amounts of Trans fats due to the hydrogenated cooking oil that is used. The body can not even recognize Trans fats as food and so immediately stores it as fat tissue. There are even social problems associated with fast food such as poor working conditions and inhumane treatment of animals in slaughtering plants and problems associated with the underage work force that operates most fast food restaurants. Fast foods are very, very bad for you.

Aazdak Alisimio writes about the slow food movement for SlowFoodRevolution.com

The Healthiest Fast Food Options at McDonalds

McDonalds is the fast food giant and many people considering them and their "supersized" ways to blame for much of the current obesity epidemic. For years, McDonalds has loaded its' foods with salt, high fructose corn syrup, and trans fats. But have they begun to change their ways?

Fortunately, McDonalds has made some progress in recent years, eliminating trans fats from their foods and increasing the amount of healthy options. Here are a few of their healthiest food options:

• Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich: 420 calories, 10g fat, 2g sat. fat, 1190mg sodium

• Honey Mustard Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g sat. fat, 800mg sodium

• Chipotle BBQ Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g sat. fat, 830mg sodium

• Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: 300 calories, 10g fat, 1g sat. fat, 890mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)

• Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g sat. fat, 60mg sodium

• Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12g fat, 5g sat. fat, 820mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich)

• Fruit & Yogurt Parfait (with granola): 160 calories, 2g fat, 1g sat. fat, 21g sugar

• Apple Dippers: 35 calories, 0g fat

BOTTOM LINE: McDonalds also has 1% low fat milk and chocolate milk, apple and orange juices, and nonfat latte and cappuccino options. All in all, they have taken steps to offer healthier options on their menu, but still have some work to do.

For more information about restaurant nutrition facts, check out http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/mcdonaldsnutritionfacts.html

The Double Edged Sword of "Healthy Fast Food"

What's on the menu at the big fast food chains lately? Oddly enough, the answer is... "health food!" Even more incongruous, many are marketing their food for weight loss. Healthy weight loss food at Taco Bell and McDonalds? Is this a noble move to be applauded, is it a big corporate money grab, or is it a double edged sword?

Almost everyone remembers the Jared weight loss campaign for Subway. Jared Fogle was the guy who lost 245 pounds while eating at Subway regularly. He simply picked the lower calorie items on the menu. Seeing an opportunity, the local store owner pitched Subway corporate with an idea. Before long, Jared was the company spokesperson in their nationwide advertising campaigns which became known as, The Subway Diet.

Subway sales doubled to 8.2 billion. How much the increase came from the weight loss ads is unknown, but there's little doubt that using weight loss as a marketing platform was a boon for the sandwich maker. Other fast food chains picked up the weight loss torch where subway left off.

The latest is the Taco Bell drive through diet. With its own dedicated website and advertising campaign, the drive through diet flaunts their own "Jared": Christine! The ads, which are admittedly conservative, (perhaps due to more stringent FTC laws), say Christine lost 54 lbs over 2 years by reducing her calories to 1250 a day, and part of her success came from choosing Taco Bell's new lower calorie "Fresco" items.

These include "7 diet items with 150 to 240 calories and under 9 grams of fat." For example, there's a chicken soft taco with only 170 calories and 4 grams of fat.

By swapping traditional food items with some of these lower calorie menu items, you'd take in fewer calories and less fat. If all else remained equal, this could help you lose weight. For people who refuse to give up eating at fast food restaurants, this is arguably a positive thing.

Take my brother for example, He's not a total junk food junkie, but left to his own devices, he WILL make a beeline to Taco Bell and McDonalds and so will the friends he hangs out with.

I went to McDonalds with him a few months ago (not by choice - I was dragged there), and he was about to order a bacon cheeseburger. I glanced at the menu and said, "That's 790 calories!" I glanced down at his belly then continued, "Look, they have chicken wraps. Why don't you have one of those?" Without questioning me, he agreed, apparently happy just to get any McDonalds fix.

Right there at the counter they had the nutrition information sheets:

McDonald's honey mustard grilled chicken wrap: 260 calories, 9 grams fat, 27 grams of carbs, 18 grams of protein.

That saved him 530 calories. Am I happy there is something with 260 calories on the menu and not just 700 calories across the board? Absolutely. Do I applaud the fast food restaurants for offering lower calorie choices? You bet. But here's the big question:

It may be nice to have these lower calorie choices on the fast food menus (especially with calories posted) but are these really "healthy choices?"

A few journalists and bloggers caught the inconsistency and cleverly countered, "These new fast food menu items are NOT healthy, they're only 'healthi-ER.'"

I think they're both mistaken. This food is not healthy nor is it healthier. It's only lower in calories.

You could say these lower calorie fast food items are healthier choices in the sense that they can help to reduce total daily caloric intake, which can facilitate weight loss. If you lose weight, that can improve your health. But what if your definition of healthy food is dependent on nutrition, nutrient density and absence of artificial ingredients?

Let's take a look at that very low calorie chicken wrap. Do you really think it's healthier just because it's got 1/3 the calories of a bacon cheeseburger?

Here's the ingredients straight from McDonald's website:

McDonald's Grilled Chicken Breast Filet (wrap): Chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (plant and animal source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika), modified potato starch, and sodium phosphates. CONTAINS: SOY AND WHEAT. Prepared with Liquid Margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color). (and don't forget the 800 mg of sodium).

HOLY CRAP! Shouldn't chicken breast be just one ingredient... chicken breast?! Isn't that generally what healthy, whole food is - one ingredient?

This is not food. It's more like what author Michael Pollan would call an "edible food-like substance."

What about the honey mustard sauce? The first ingredient after water is... SUGAR!

The flour tortilla ingredients? Enriched bleached wheat flour, also made with vegetable shortening (may contain one or more of the following: hydrogenated soybean oil, soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrogenated cottonseed oil with mono- and diglycerides added), contains 2% or less of the following: sugar, leavening (sodium aluminum sulfate, calcium sulfate, sodium phosphate, baking soda, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), salt, wheat gluten, dough conditioners, sodium metabisulfite, distilled monoglycerides.

Trans fats? Sugar? Aluminum? Stuff you can't pronounce and have to look up to find out it's preservatives and disinfectants?

Don't confuse the issues: weight loss and health.... Calories and nutrition. There IS a difference!

This is what makes "healthy" fast food a double edged sword.

Some people, like my brother, simply aren't going to give up fast food completely. If I can get him to make better bad choices that could help him control his weight. If that works, then I'm pleased that the fast food restaurants have such choices to offer.

But if you wanted to make a good choice - a healthy choice - you'd forget about "driving through" anywhere for your diet. You'd shop for whole, fresh, natural real food, keep a well-stocked kitchen... and learn how to cook.

The Subway diet, the Drive Through diet, The Cookie Diet, or the Weight Watchers approved McDonalds menu (yes its true, what a pair that is!) Don't kid yourself - this is not only not healthy, it's not healthier - it's lower calorie junk food.

"Welcome to our restaurant sir. Would you like a large plate of dog poo or a small plate of dog poo?"

"No thank you, I will take neither. No matter what the serving size, crap is still crap."

Tom Venuto is a natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, fat loss expert and author of the best seller, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat Burning Secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Get a FREE fat loss mini-course and learn how to get rid of stubborn fat naturally by visiting http://www.BurnTheFat.com

Help for My Obese Child - Fast Food, a Fast Track to Child Obesity

Each obese child suffers through their own personal pain. They each confront the increased dangers of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and early onset puberty as well as all the emotional issues of low self esteem and possible ridicule by other children. But with an estimated 1 in 3 children either overweight or obese, this is more than an individual problem for our society. As we have increased our consumption of fast food over the past 30 years so also has the number of obese children increased. There is ample evidence that a fast food diet is a fast track to child obesity.

Calories come in different forms. Some are gotten from fat or carbohydrates while others come from sugars. Our bodies absorb these calories in different ways that are important to your health, but the bottom line is a calorie is still a calorie. If you consume more calories than you burn off through activity you will gain weight. If you burn off more than you consume you will lose weight.

A child who consumes just a few more calories than are burned off through activity and normal growth will gradually become overweight. A very active 5 year old boy with a healthy body weight who is out playing and running around for more than an hour each day will need to consume around 1800 calories each day. If the child is not very active the required calories drops to around 1200 per day. For the same 11 year old boy the range would be from around 1500 to 2500.

Now let's look at some calorie information for common fast food items.


Happy Meal has 555 Calories.
Four piece Chicken McNuggets has 170 calories.
McDonald's medium French fries has 350 calories.
McFlurry with M&M's has 620 calories.
Jack In The Box OREO Cookie Ice Cream Shake has 190 calories.
Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket (6 piece) has 1270 calories.
Burger King TRIPLE WHOPPER Sandwich with Cheese has 1230 calories.
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese has 770 calories
Big Mac has 600 calories.
McDonald's 16 oz Triple thick shake has 580 calories.
Burger King large chocolate shake has 850 calories.

So a meal at McDonald's consisting of a Big Mac, medium fries and a Triple thick shake will have 1,800 calories. Add to that any other meals eaten in that day or snacks and you can see why even the most active child would have a hard time maintaining a healthy body weight. And McDonald's is not necessarily the biggest offender. A similar meal at other fast food chains could yield even more calories.

Just consider the fact that 1 in 3 children between the ages of 4 and 19 are eating at fast food restaurants each day and 1 in 3 children of the same age are obese. I do not believe this is a coincidence. Over the last 30 years more of us are eating out more. It has been found, when eating out we tend to eat larger portions. Over the last 30 years the obesity rate has skyrocketed. Fast food is not the sole cause for the rise in obesity, but it sure hasn't helped.

Parents play a large role in developing the eating habits of their children. The lifestyle changes that brought on this epidemic of obesity can be reversed. The more we cook healthy meals at home the less likely our children will be overweight. This may take a little extra time and effort, but the payoff will be well worth it.

The most important first step to help your obese child (help-for-my-obese-child.info) is the decision to take action. If you are looking for a complete guide to help you give your child a healthy and happy future you will want to look into this total program to prevent child obesity. If you want to learn how to help your obese child lose weight you will want to get this wonderful package. Fad diets do not work, and some can be dangerous. Go to my obese child (help-for-my-obese-child.info) to learn how to make the long term life style changes to give your child a healthy life.

Fast Food - Hazardous to Your Health

Fast food restaurants are getting a boost from the poor economy and that is a real shame. Why would I say that? Because of all the industries that don't need a real boost in income the fast food industry should not be the one to benefit. Their food is hazardous to your health and is responsible for many illnesses.

The overall picture of our nation's health is already a horrendous one. People are ruining their health by eating fast food and they either don't realize how bad it affects their health or they really don't care what happens to them as long as they enjoy eating this type of food.

Here's the real story you should know:

* Fast food contains high amount of calories, saturated fat, sugar, sodium, carbohydrates and proteins.

* Trans fat (The worst of all fats)

KFC chicken potpie has 13 grams

McDonald's large french fries has 8 grams

Dominos garlic dipping sauce has 7 grams

* Calories

McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast contains a grand total of 1220 calories, 550 of them from fat, including 17 grams of saturated fat.

KFC mashed potato bowl with gravy contains 690 calories and 31 grams of fat, nine of them saturated fat.

Pizza Hut - Stuffed Crust Meat Lover's pie. 2 slices will stuff you with 1000 calories. 82 grams of total fat, 22 grams of it saturated.

Even though it's bad enough that adults are consuming these types of food we all should be even more concerned about our children's eating habits. In the past 30 years the percentage of overweight children has more than doubled.

And to add to that 67% of urban children watch 2-4 hours of television a day, with 40 -80 commercials. Of this many commercials you can bet many of them are for fast food, sugary drinks and whatever else is bad for them to consume. Last year, Americans spent about $115 billion on fast food, more than on higher education or personal computers or automobiles.

So here is how the poor economy is helping the fast food industry. Two of the biggest, McDonald's and Burger King are enjoying sales increases. McDonald's saw its US sales increase 5% in 2008 compared to the previous year. Burger King saw its revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 20009 increase 3 percent compared to $613 million in the comparable period of fiscal 2008.

Now it seems the casual and fine dining restaurants are trying to woo back customers with special discount menus coupons and other promotions. You may have seen where Denny's offered a free breakfast to all customers in February of 2009. The reason people are courting the fast food industry so much is because of the price of a meal is less than any casual or fine dining restaurants. Not only that cooking at home seems to be such a chore for whoever cooks the meal today.

If people do eat at home it still means many of them are stopping at the local grocery, buying a processed or frozen meal and then taking it home and popping it in the microwave to cook in minutes. There are really two big problems with this kind of thinking too. The microwave is known to be a very unhealthy way to cook, the processed food meal is many times as bad for you as fast food.

Because of the fact that we live in such a fast world today, people don't take the time to cook healthy meals today. However if they would stop and think how they are abusing their body and their children's body maybe it would make a stronger impression on them.

There is such a thing as crockpot cooking or even timed cooking in the oven or on the stove. Food prepared ahead of time and then planned to cook either one of these ways is the healthier way to go. Many years ago when fast food wasn't even heard of much and when my wife and I were both working that's exactly the way she cooked back then. As a matter of fact, even today, she prepares and cooks many meals in a crockpot or oven.

If people don't start taking better charge of their health they will soon be sorry because of it. They will be faced with some serious illnesses and diseases. Then life won't be so pleasant anymore. They will probably wonder why all of a sudden this is happening to them.

Think about this seriously my friends. Life is more fun when you are healthy. Believe me, I know since I'm a pretty healthy senior citizen. If you want to know what is really necessary for living a healthy life go to my website at: http://www.AHealthyLIfeForSure.com and get the real story.

Sonny grew up in a family that owned a local florist business that lasted for 63 years. For 29 years he was personally involved in the business.

Eventually becoming dissatisfied with it he left to become a sales representative and spent more than 20 years in sales roles.

After retirement Sonny became involved in developing an Internet business about various health matters.. Get his free ebook "Become Healthy in Body and Mind" at his website.

Fast Food Gluten Choices - Eating Out Gluten Free

Living a gluten free life nowadays may seem like a bit of a challenge, especially with the ads for delicious looking fast food staring you in the face everywhere you turn. While these fast food places might not seem ideal to get gluten free foods from, there are some options out there at Wendy's, Taco Bell and McDonald's. As shocking as it may be that gluten free people can still eat out with everyone else, there are some loopholes in various menus that allow for just that. Below is an exploration of the different choices out there.

For gluten free choices at McDonald's, you simply have to look for foods without the buns, biscuits, McGriddles, and chicken. For breakfast, that may include a "big breakfast", which includes hash browns, eggs, and sausage, along with a biscuit you just don't have to eat. For lunch, McDonald's has some great chicken salads that you can just get without the chicken. There's a southwest one and a fruit and walnut salad, as well as the standard tossed and Caesar. The French fries are fine too, and you can finish things off with a fruit and yogurt parfait, as long as you don't use the granola.

For gluten free meals at Wendy's, you won't be able to get French fries. You can, however, choose from a variety of sides that Wendy's has and McDonald's doesn't. Baked potatoes, cups of chili, mandarin oranges, side salads, and strawberry yogurt are all very popular gluten-free choices that you can find at Wendy's. They even offer a taco salad with lettuce, chili, chips, cheese, sour cream, and vegetables. Pair this with your favorite drink, and you could have a healthy meal that is free of gluten entirely.

If you want to go to Taco Bell for your gluten-free fast food experience, you only have a few options to choose from. These options, however, are pretty filling, so you can at least make a meal out of them. The Southwest steak bowl is a hardy option, although many Taco Bells have taken that off their menu nowadays. If yours still offers it, the bowl is made of beans, rice, steak and cheese, al covered in a rich, spicy sauce. You can also get a tostada, and for your sides, you can look into Mexican rice or pintos and cheese. The options for a fast food gluten-free experience are out there. You just have to find them.

About The Author:

James Novotny writes informative articles relating to Gluten Intolerance, what it means, and most importantly, how to live with it. James is proud to be able to help spread Gluten Awareness through first hand knowledge via his blog at http://www.mynonglutenlife.com Visit often for advice, tips, fresh food, fast food choices, and much more. A new Droid App is in the works to simplify Gluten Free Shopping. And don't forget to sign up for the newsletter so that you can be notified of new Gluten Free content quickly.

Copyright ? 2010 by James Novotny. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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Can You Eat Healthy in a Fast Food Restaurant?

Fast food as a dining concept got its start with the drive-in restaurants started in the 1950s. The twist that really made this option take off was the ready-to-eat approach pioneered by McDonalds. The menus featured hamburgers, fries and shakes.

With this early menu, fast food acquired a reputation for being high calorie fare with lots of fats and salt. With today's double and triple burger options in many fast food restaurants, it can be a challenge to eat healthy.

However, in the 1980's, the fast food industry realized that they needed to offer healthier food options. This new direction was amplified when the federal government started requiring restaurants to publish the calorie counts, fat, salt and protein content for the menu items.

Today, there are a lot of options you can choose from to make your meal a healthy one. Let's take a look at what is available.

McDonalds has put in place a number of menu choices that give healthy eaters plenty to choose from. They currently offer three salad mixes, topped with either grilled or crispy chicken. By choosing the grilled chicken option, you avoid the higher fat content from frying the crisy chicken.

McDonalds also offers chicken tortilla wraps with grilled chicken, crispy chicken or hamburger. These wraps include a sauce, lettuce and grated cheese. By sticking with grilled chicken, you get a high quality protein source with less fat and salt.

Wendys has their entry in both of these areas as well. They offer four salad mixes topped with grilled or fried chicken, as well as a variety of salad dressings, both regular and low calorie. They have a chicken wrap as well. To avoid the fat of fried chicken, go for the grilled chicken.

Burger King has a base salad with grilled or crispy chicken, they also offer a side salad as an alternative choice for their combo meals.

These are of course the main menu options for healthy dining. There are also healthy snack options, such as fruit parfaits at McDonalds, and kids meal options that include fruit.

The last option available is getting a custom order tailored to your specific needs. If you just want a grilled chicken breast, just ask for it. Another path is get a plain grilled chicken sandwich, then throw away the bun. If you get creative, there are a lot of ways to make your menu choice a healthy choice.

This quick review of fast food options has shown that there are a number of healthy eating choices available in fast food restaurants. Give one of these a try the next time you want to skip the burger and fries!

Andre has been writing articles for 3 years. Come visit his latest website over at http://lumbarsupportpillowreview.org/ which helps people find the best lumbar support pillow for soothing a strained back.

The Healthiest Fast Food Options

Fast food has become a staple in the average American diet, and that's not a good thing. Obesity rates are at an all time high, and the fast food industry deserves a lot of the blame. Consider this: Americans are now spending over $140 billion on fast food each year! There are now over 25,000 fast food chains in the U.S. (an increase of more than 1,000% since 1970). Fast food restaurants spent $294 million on marketing messages aimed at children in 2007. A cheeseburger happy meal with fries and a Sprite at McDonalds has 640 calories and 24 grams of fat. This is over half of the total calories many children should be eating in a day!

Fast food restaurants are like any other company in that their goal is to increase profits in order to please shareholders. The best way to do this is to get people to buy more of their products and they're doing a good job of accomplishing this goal. The average serving size for burgers, fries, and sodas has more than tripled since the 1970's! The always-popular Whopper at Burger King has 670 calories and 39 grams of fat. Add a large order of fries with your order and another 500 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 6 grams of the artery-clogging trans fat. Throw in a large Coke and you add 290 more calories and 79 grams of sugar. The grand total for this "Value Meal?" 1460 calories and 67 grams of fat!

A study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that those who ate at fast food restaurants more than twice per week compared to those who at there less than once a week had gained an extra ten pounds and had a two-fold greater increase in insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Considering the average American eats fast food an average of two times per week, it's not wonder 1 out of every 3 Americans now falls into the "obesity" category.

Despite all the shortcomings of fast food restaurants, there have been more and more additions of healthy menu options because of pressure from consumers, doctors, nutritionists, and public interest groups. Certain states have now required restaurants to post nutritional information, and this is a crucial step in educating people about what they're eating. To write to the legislators in your state about supporting menu labeling, click on the following link to the Center for Science in the Public Interest's website...it only takes a minute and could make a world of difference.

Before we take a look at some of the healthier fast food menu options, here are some tips for being more health-conscious at fast food restaurants:

1. Skip the soda - they're full of sugar and empty calories. A large soda can run over 300 calories and 80 grams of sugar - 2-3 days worth for someone trying to lose weight

2. Skip the fries - they're deep fried in unhealthy oils and often contain trans fats. See above - a large order of fries may contribute over 500 unnecessary calories to a meal. Order just the sandwich and get a side salad instead...your waistline will thank you later

3. Choose your salads wisely - check the nutrition label for the amount of fat, sugar, and sodium. Most fast food chicken is very high in sodium too. Check out the restaurants nutritional information beforehand

4. Stay away from burgers and "crispy" chicken options. Choose grilled chicken options instead

5. Watch out for $1 menus. Some of the worst foods culprits are here. Look for fruits, veggies, baked potato, or chili if they're available

6. Order your sandwich without the sauce. Mayo and other fat-filled sauces contribute a lot of extra calories and saturated fat

7. Choose whole grain bread options if possible

Here are some of the best fast food options at several different restaurants:

McDonalds:

McDonalds has made some progress in recent years, eliminating trans fats from their foods and increasing the amount of healthy options. Here are a few of their healthiest food options:

o Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich: 420 calories, 10g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1190mg sodium

o Honey Mustard Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 800mg sodium

o Chipotle BBQ Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 830mg sodium

o Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: 300 calories, 10g fat, 1g saturated fat, 890mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)

o Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 60mg sodium

o Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12g fat, 5g saturated fat, 820mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich)

o Fruit & Yogurt Parfait (with granola): 160 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 21g sugar

o Apple Dippers: 35 calories, 0g fat

o Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone: 150 calories, 3.5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 18g sugar

McDonalds also has 1% low fat milk and chocolate milk, apple and orange juices, and nonfat latte and cappuccino options. All in all, they have taken steps to get healthier options on their menu, but still have some work to do.

Burger King:

Amazingly, as many fast food places are cutting out trans fats from their menus, Burger King still uses artery clogging trans fats in many of its' foods. They also offer a "Triple Whopper" sandwich that has over 1230 calories and 82 grams of fat, and have the audacity to market it as a "man's meal." BK does have a few halfway decent options on the menu that won't go directly to your waistline and I've listed them below.

o Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich (no mayo): 400 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1090mg sodium

o BK Veggie Burger (no mayo, no cheese): 340 calories, 8g fat, 1g saturated fat, 1030mg sodium

o Side Garden Salad w/ Fat Free Ranch Dressing: 75 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 740mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)

o Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad w/ Fat Free Ranch Dressing: 240 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 1460mg sodium

o Ham Omelet Sandwich: 290 calories, 13g fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 870mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich)

Burger King doesn't have many healthy choices to choose from. They have been one of the last fast food chains to embrace healthy changes such as eliminating trans fats and offering healthy menu options. Look for another option whenever possible.

Taco Bell:

With the addition of the Al Fresco menu options (where you get a nice pico de gallo topping instead of cheese and fattening sauces), Taco Bell has made significant progress in offering more healthy menu options.

o Crunchy Taco: 150 calories, 8g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 370mg sodium

o Spicy Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 6g fat, 2g saturated fat, 580mg sodium

o Gordito Nacho Cheese - Chicken: 280 calories, 11g fat, 2g saturated fat, 790mg sodium

o Gordito Nacho Cheese - Beef: 270 calories, 12g fat, 2g saturated fat, 680mg sodium

o Grilled Steak Soft Taco: 160 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 550mg sodium

o Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 4g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 730mg sodium

o Bean Burrito: 350 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 190mg sodium

o Cinnamon Twists: 170 calories, 7g fat, 0g saturated fat, 12g sugar

Taco Bell is an easy place to get yourself in trouble if you overindulge because many of their menu items are loaded with fat and sodium but if you stick to 2 or so items and order them Al Fresco, or minus the ranch sauces and cheese then this is actually a fairly healthy option (for fast food).

Subway:

Subway has made great strides in recent years to introduce healthier menu options. They offer several sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less and you can load as many veggies as you want on top of them. Always choose wheat bread, no cheese, lots of veggies, and either honey mustard, red wine vinaigrette, sweet onion, vinegar, or light mayo if you prefer a sauce on your sub. Here are some of their healthiest choices (note: subs include wheat bread, no cheese or sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles, and olives).

o Oven Roasted Chicken Breast: 310 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 830mg sodium

o Veggie Delight: 230 calories, 3g fat, 1g saturated fat, 500mg sodium

o Turkey Breast: 280 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1000mg sodium

o Turkey Breast & Ham: 290 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1210mg sodium

o Ham: 290 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1260mg sodium

o Roast Beef: 290 calories, 5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 900mg sodium

o Subway Club: 320 calories, 6g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1290mg sodium

o Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki: 370 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1200mg sodium

Subway has the most healthy menu options out of any fast food restaurant. They also have salads available with fat free Italian dressing, all of which are good options. The one thing that they could stand to improve upon is the high sodium content in a lot of their food. However, overall, I would rate Subway at the top of the list of healthiest fast food options.

http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/restaurantnutritionfacts.html

http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/healthyeatingguidelines.html

The Fast Food Industry - You Pay Them to Kill You, While Still Making Hefty Profits

The power of advertising has made the public rethink their unhealthy habits. After the September 11th terrorist attack, the marketing department of the Department of Health used this angle to decrease the desire in young adults to use drugs. We've all seen these public service announcements from time to time, and I have mentioned them previously: "My drug habit lead to the ruination of lives far from where I live, I am directly helping organized crime... In other words, my drug use has financed murder..."

This chapter is using another angle to get the right point across. "Today, I built up the plaques in my arteries, I increased my triglyceride level by 30%." I guess this is a blunt way to make a point. By eating fast food, you literally finance your death.

While several worthwhile books have been written in recent years about the broader social implications of a meat-centered diet (Erik Marcus' "Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating", Gail Eisnitz's "Slaughterhouse", and Howard Lyman's "Mad Cowboy", to name a few), none has been greeted more warmly by the mainstream press than Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation". They all make one point in common: the dangers of eating fast food. In spite of this bad press, we haven't seen many fast food corporate giants go under. Actually, some are doing very well, indeed. How can we comprehend the fact that despite everything that health magazines, newspapers, and television documentaries say about the dangers in the food we eat, such as hamburgers, fries, soft drinks, etc., people still find themselves filling the seats of these restaurants without thinking about the consequences of their actions? We are talking about your health here. A well-researched and trenchant exposé of the fast food industry has caused some people to sit up, take notice, and perhaps even rethink their unhealthy eating habits.

It is obvious that a book talking about the causes of obesity talks about the fast food industry as well. Eric Schlosser's book "Fast Food Nation" has enabled many to understand how fast food is being processed. Today McDonald's is the country's largest purchaser of beef, pork, and potatoes, and it's the second biggest purchaser of chicken - which should seem obvious to us all. With their restaurants in every corner of America and beyond, millions of tons of meat and poultry are being processed in the slaughterhouses that supply meat to McDonald's.

They can only offer their promotions, 2 burgers for $2.22, if their expenses are low. The point here is to make you realize that each time you enter their restaurants, order food, and pay the cashier to eat their food, you are signing your death warrant. Some statistics are truly staggering: In the early 1970's, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2000, they shelled out more than $110 billion, more than they spent on higher education, computers, or new cars. McDonald's operates about 28,000 restaurants worldwide and opens 2,000 more every year. That equals six McDonald's/day. If they follow the same trend for the next decade, they might reach the 50,000 franchises mark. In real life, opening more franchises will mostly send more Americans to their doctors or the emergency room to get diagnosed with several diseases, including high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. There is at least one positive outlook of these corporate giants. They keep our labor force working by creating many jobs in America and abroad. The 3.5 million fast food workers are by far the largest group of minimum-wage workers in the world; not too bad for the fast food industry.

However, creating jobs should not be used as an excuse, though. They are still convincing people to eat their food by using the media and other sources of advertising. Fast food chains collectively spend about $3 billion annually on television advertising, most of it directed at children-talk about creative marketing. By reaching out to kids, they (the fast food giants) assure themselves a future. What is the point in reaching the older crowd since they are already hooked to their food? They need to reach a virgin market. Yep, ladies and gentlemen, they are targeting your kids. While you are trying your best to teach your kids to adopt a healthy lifestyle by making their lunch everyday, making them participate in after school sports activities, encouraging them to avoid unhealthy temptation, the industry is spending several millions dollars to brainwash them about what food to eat. I guess you agree with me that these are counter-productive measures. Can this ever end? I don't think so. Unless Congress confronts one of the underlying factors in health costs for the country, we might never see any progress.

There is some good news, though. We've seen some changes in this industry in the past few years. McDonald's and other fast food chains have tried to implement some healthy items in their menus. Americans are finally seeing some choices offered to them: salad in a cup accompanied by low fat salad dressings is one positive result. Although, most consumers are still not ordering these healthier items, they do have the choice anytime they desire.

Diners can now order salads, baked potatoes and grilled chicken sandwiches, some of which weren't on restaurants' original menus. Jeff Bonasia, Burger King's Senior Director of Product Marketing, says customer surveys revealed that 41 percent of Burger King's "heavy users", the beef eaters, wanted a vegetarian burger on their menu.

"We're not necessarily going out to appeal to people who are strict vegans or vegetarians," Mr. Bonasia says. "It's meant to provide more choice and variety for the people who love burgers." When the BK Veggie Burger idea came up, Burger King officials envisioned it as anchoring a nutritious meal combination, possibly paired with a side salad and bottled water. That didn't register with customers, Mr. Bonasia says. "Their reaction was, 'I'll get the Veggie Burger, and I'll have my fries'," he says. Most fast-food chains supply customers with the nutritional content of their menu items, either through Web postings or handout guides.

Fast-food restaurants may have consistent menus, but items typically can be customized on request. Often, Ms. Gensler, a Chevy Chase Maryland Dietician, says, "the delivery time of such meals is the same as with a standard order". "Today's consumers appreciate a flexible, heart-friendly menu," says Wendy's company spokesman Bob Bertini. The burger chain just went nationwide with four new entree salads after successfully test-marketing them last year in five cities. The Garden Sensations salad lineup offers "ingredients that consumers are not used to seeing [in a fast food restaurant]," Mr. Bertini says, from Mandarin Chicken Salad to crispy rice noodles and roasted almonds. Condiments are included separately.

"The whole approach now is not as much on strict diet regimes ... it's more now about balance and choices," he says.

"For too many, those choices involve super-, mega- or ultra-sizing the meal in question," says Keith Ayoob, a registered dietitian in New York and spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. Super-sized meals also contain excess fat, salt, and sugar, the three main items people crave. The chains (fast foods giants, that is) "know exactly what they're doing," Mr. Ayoob says.

Too much fast food leaves diners susceptible to weight gain and all its risks, including diabetes and high blood pressure, not to mention the strain on the heart. Moreover, fast food tends to offer small amounts of fruits, vegetables and fiber, three components that counteract obesity and other health woes. Mr. Ayoob says: "Americans won't stop eating fast food, but if they eat it wisely, there is nothing necessarily wrong with that". "Go eat it, but eat smart," he says. "Find the food there you like the most and have it in a more modest portion. As long as your weight is being maintained and you eat a low-fat, balanced diet," he says, "An occasional journey into a fast-food restaurant should present no problem.

Dan Amzallag Mission Possible: Eat MORE 2 LOSE more: Combating obesity epidemic in America http://www.fitnesstrainersnetwork.com Top accredited fitness and personal trainers network for USA and Canada To register as a trainer, please visit our site. For clients looking for accredited trainers, this is the right site to be: http://www.fitnesstrainersnetwork.com

The Drive Through Diet - Is There Such a Thing As Healthy Fast Food?

Most fast food places today are offering something new and exciting something you'd be surprised to see on the menu a drive through, health food. Some these restaurants are even advertising that their "healthy choices" will help you lose weight. I'm talking of course about the Taco Bell drive through diet and McDonald's healthy choice menu. But is this possible or is it another trick from a corporation trying to sell us more junk in the guise of diet food? Can health actually come from a drive through?

Subway started the fast food diet craze when Jared walked to the subway each day to get his 6 inch sub and because of the lower calorie diet and extra exercise was able to lose an astounding 245 pounds. The ad campaign that followed his amazing story allowed subway to double their earnings. Now McDonald's and Taco Bell are starting to sell suppose it diet food through a drive through but will these foods actually help anyone lose weight?

Whether it's from subway McDonald's or Taco Bell there is of course a much healthier option available. You can simply proper diet foods prepared at home, or if you're in a bind pack your own lunch for fast food on the go.

Of course if you're an avid fast food eater switching over to these healthier choices can help you save calories and fat from your diet. They may even help you shrink your waistline. But you're fooling yourself if you consider them actual diet foods.

At the end of the day you're still eating fast food. Food that's full of fat chemicals preservatives and of course high fructose corn syrup. And I was everything on the menu is absolutely loaded with sugar. Before you try to consider any of these foods healthy take a look at the ingredients. After all is a reason they're not published on the package.

There is a difference when eating a lower calorie junk food and eating health food. If you tried you could lose weight eating the normal foods on as long as you control your portions and exercised, but you will have much better results in better long-term health the actual, real healthy foods.

Don't be confused by the marketing. Calling the foods on the drive through diet health foods is just wrong because at the end of the day they aren't healthy at all. If you are actually looking for fast weight loss you won't get it from a drive through diet or the Weight Watchers menu at McDonald's. These are all just lower calorie junk foods advertised as health food. It's just the same as eating less potato chips than you normally and hoping to lose weight no matter what you call it they are still potato chips, and they're still unhealthy. It's much better to opt for home-cooked health foods and follow a proper weight loss exercise plan to get healthy and lose weight fast.

See below for my best weight loss advice.

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Healthy Fast Food Menu Options

Fast food restaurants have gotten such a bad rap in the past few decades as a major reason for the obesity epidemic in the US, that many of them have felt compelled to defend their existence. Recently, the head of McDonald's, one of the most often cited restaurants in the blame for obesity, defended his restaurants saying that they were not responsible for the obesity rates in children.

I must agree with him that it is no one's direct fault that there are increasing amounts of obese children as well as adults, but the sad truth is that here in the US there are a combination of factors in our culture that promote obesity and will continue to unless we change our ways. According to statistics, obesity rates have tripled in just the past thirty years in adults. If that doesn't tell you something is amiss, then I don't know what does.

In response to pressure from consumer and health advocates, many fast food restaurants have come up with lighter menu options and healthier choices for kids meals to do their part in at least offering the option to be healthier. The rest is up to the customer or the parents of children who are eating there, and that is where the true education and enlightenment must come in, which is a difficult thing to control.

Wendy's, one of the most popular fast food chains, has started to offer mandarin oranges as a side option, which is a lot healthier and less caloric than french fries or a loaded baked potato. They also offer side salads with light dressings, and have quite a nice little menu of low fat salads that would tempt anyone's taste buds. In fact, Wendy's probably has one of the best salad menus of any popular fast food chain right now in my opinion.

They still have their triple stacked burgers and fries too for those who want the true naughty fast food experience, but those who are watching their weight or are just generally health conscious now have choices that are more palatable than they have been in the past.

McDonalds has also jumped on the healthier offerings bandwagon, and has salads to choose from, although not as impressive nor as tasty as Wendy's, and instead of french fries as their only choice for sides, they also now offer fruit and nut parfaits and apple dippers, a favorite with kids, which is sliced apples with a low fat caramel dipping sauce.

They even have offered active meals for adults which include salads, bottled water, and a free pedometer and health guide. A recent news story where a man lost significant weight eating at McDonalds no doubt fueled the popularity of apple dippers and their fruit and walnut parfait, both of which he ate almost exclusively while on his diet.

I recently went to the drive thru at a local Taco Bell, and even they have added a lighter menu to their offerings. The lighter menu offers some of the same traditional tacos, burritos and soft tacos, only they hold the cheese and load up more on the veggies, salsa and lettuce to make the meal lower fat and higher fiber, as well as lower in overall calories.

Subway is one of my favorite fast food places to grab a quick and healthy bite to eat while controlling calorie intake. They offer a whole line of subs that are low fat as well as 400 calories or less, perhaps slightly more on some but not much over the 400 calorie mark, which is ideal for a lunch or a dinner since it is calorie controlled.

Their offerings include subs on high fiber bread, which is delicious, and low fat meats such as roast beef, turkey and ham. You should order them without the cheese, which I've found to not be such a big deal since the cheese is very thin and doesn't provide much additional flavor anyways.

Just ordering without cheese saves you roughly one hundred calories. They have such a great selection of fresh veggies to pile on that you won't even notice you're eating a healthy, low fat meal. Choices include spinach leaves (my personal high fiber, high iron favorite), cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, pepper, pickles, and black olives (to be used sparingly, they are high in fat).

Add to that the fact that they have some great condiments that are fat free like their onion sauce and their honey mustard, and you've got a delicious low fat meal that will make you feel energized instead of lethargic, and keep you fuller longer than a burger and fries will.

Burger King, McDonald's oldest rival, also has some healthy menu options. They do offer a veggie burger made by Morningstar, which is quite tasty, however if you want to make it low fat skip the mayo, which they apply copiously unless you ask them to hold it. Add extra tomato and lettuce and maybe a little mustard for some flavor, and you've got a low fat burger replacement. Hold the cheese though of course.

Burger King also offers a nice list of salads and some low fat dressings to accompany them as well for a low fat, high fiber meal with protein such as chicken. There is also a grille chicken sandwich that if ordered without the mayo is a somewhat healthy choice. However, unlike McDonalds, they seem to be lacking in the other more novelty healthy foods that keep it interesting, meaning they are probably sticking with their core audience who stops for burgers and fries.

And there you have it. That's just a quick summary of some of the healthier choices offered by today's most popular fast food restaurants here in the US. Hopefully we will start to see more healthy competitors opening their doors in the same neighborhoods, and that at least will give us a better chance at getting something that is healthy, but also interesting.

Danna Schneider is the owner and primary contributor for several websites about health, beauty and weight management including the herbal and natural remedy information portal Herbal Remedies and Natural Treatment Reviews and also this one where she reviews diet products, various popular diets and weightloss techniques and tips and tricks to lose weight Diet Product Reviews and Weight Loss Tips.

How About Fast Food? KFC? McDonald's?

Every now and then, usually a time constraint, we just have to get some fast food to fill our stomach (although I have to say, they do taste good!).

So among the fried chicken offered by KFC or the Big Mac by McDonald's, what are the actual nutritional value they provide?

If you decide to have some fried chicken, well, try to skip all the desserts in KFC. Why? Just base on a 100-gram serving of a KFC Pecan Colonel's Pie, it contains a staggering 434 calories. The Double Chocolate Chip Cake? It has about 421 calories.

But if you choose to have a hot and spicy chicken breast, with a serving size of about 180g, you will get some very good protein intake of 33g. However, it will also give you cholesterol of 130mg and saturated fat of 8g. Well, if you skip the skin part, I am sure the nutritional value will be much better. (But, who will go to KFC, get a piece of chicken and get rid of the crispy chicken skin?!)

So, what about all the burgers in McDonald's? Well, the highest calories (per 100-gram serving) for food in McDonald's are the desserts - the chocolate sundae with nuts or the chocolate chip cookie. Apart from desserts, it is the breakfast meals that splash you with tons of calories - the sausage biscuit or the sausage McMuffin.

Among the usual burgers that we get, it's the Hot'n Spicy McChicken that comes up on top of highest calories base on a 100-gram serving - 310 calories. If you eat the whole thing (which is about 145g), you will get 15g of protein, 5g of saturated fat and 45mg of cholesterol.

So, next time when you feel like to treat yourself with some fast food, try stay with the main items (or drink more water to fill you up :))!

Reference: http://www.nutritiondata.com/

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Taking a Closer Look at the Fast Food Industry and It's 'Unhealthy' Salad

I have never been a huge fan of eating at fast food restaurants. This is mainly because I have had bad experience after bad experience. I used to blame it on my parents. I thought that because they never took me to those places they had raised me to have a weak stomach. Now I was unable to enjoy the 'delicious' taste of a fast food burger and fries without having to run to the bathroom soon afterwards. As I got older I started to become interested in nutrition and I became curious to better understand why I suffered so much from eating these foods. It's not as though I was eating candy bars, desserts, and ice cream. I was eating protein (meat), carbohydrates (bread/bun), vegetables (toppings, potatoes, and ketchup), right? Why was I in so much pain?

As I learned more about the ingredients used in these fast food products and the products used to prepare them, it was no wonder my stomach reacted the way it did. The use of cheaper quality meat, preservatives, hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans-fats, excess salt and sugar, and bad carbs has lead to low quality unhealthy products. Although these fast food companies are making a killing off of their large margins, consumers are harmed through obesity rates, and disease such as heart disease, type-two diabetes, etc.

Until recently there was no reason to change. Consumers were consuming massive amounts of these products, many not even realizing the affect it would have on their health. Since companies were making so much money, it was unnecessary for them to fix something that 'wasn't broken'. Then something happened... Studies started to prove the health risks associated with eating these foods, various people/organizations started to stand up in protest, and governments started to enforce regulations requiring these companies to tell all of their consumers just how unhealthy their products really were (e.g. having to list the amount of trans-fat found in their products). Also, with the rise in obesity, heart disease, type two diabetes, etc., many consumers were starting to seek healthier fast food options where available. McDonald's and many other fast food chains went back to the drawing board to cook up a solution.

Introducing the 'healthy choice' menus including items such as the 'healthy' salad. I have always questioned what McDonald's intentions were when they developed their salads. Was it to create a nutritious salad that would improve the health of their consumers? Somehow I doubt it. Most likely it was to create a salad that tasted great so consumers would want to eat more of them (mass consumption), minimize costs to maximize revenue (use inexpensive ingredients where possible), and could be packaged in a way that sounded healthy so consumers would think they were doing something good for their body. They fact is that they are not all that healthy. Many of us now know that eating fast food burgers, fries, soda, fried chicken, etc., is bad for us, and that they should be avoided. The salads however are the new culprit to the fast food phenomenon and unfortunately the truth about how unhealthy they really are is not as well known. The best tip I can provide is to educate yourself about what's in these salads. By better understanding what we are eating, we can make more informed, healthier choices. Don't be fooled by the fancy messages on the outside, it's what's inside that counts.

I recently wrote an article that talks more specifically about McDonald's salads. It puts two McDonald's salads up beside a BigMac? to compare their nutrition specs. I think many would be shocked at the facts. Click here to visit that article.

Briana Southward is the author of The Naked Label, a blog that undresses the food we eat to better understand what we are consuming. It strips off all the fancy marketing and misleading messages to get at the truth. If you are interested to see what's naked this week, learn about great substitute products, and get recipe ideas, check out http://www.TheNakedLabel.com