Fast Food Nutrition Facts Overview
Including fast food nutrition facts law, calculator, chart, comparison, KFC, McDonald's, Taco Bell and Chipotle
Everyday as individuals we are faced with decisions and choices to make. Some may be simple, and some, well... not so simple. We make decisions of when to cross the street and when not to. We make decisions of what to wear and what not to wear.
We also make decisions on what to eat and what not to eat, and on this one, we even go an extra mile and decide HOW MUCH we will eat. Life is full of choices, sometimes we make the right ones and sometimes we make bad choices. In this day and age, many of us are making the wrong decisions when it comes to what we are eating. The results are apparent as cases of obesity are on the rise.
In America alone, about a third of the adult population is overweight or obese and 16% of the children are having to deal with childhood obesity and it's many adverse health effects. In fact, most recent data shows that 71% of men in the United States are overweight or obese, and just over 62% of the women are obese or overweight, shocking huh? This is according to the Centers for Disease Control. Increase in weight brings about many health issues such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension amongst others. However, we're not here to condemn you on your bad choices of food, rather we're here to help, showing you what the bad choices are and help you make better decisions through the use of these fast food nutrition facts covered in the different articles listed at the end of this page.
So what is fast food? Fast food is food that is ready-to-eat, purchased and eaten away from home including restaurants and convenience stores. It's popular and a favorite for most of us because there is no preparation required before meals and best of all no dishes to clean up afterward, dishes really suck to do, but somebody has go to do them! Fast food has become so popular today that almost half of our food bills goes to it. However, if you care about you and your family's health, you know that avoiding or quitting smoking, exercising regularly and eating healthy foods is necessary.
Fast food nutrition facts along with soda nutrition facts are important for us to know. This is because fast food and soda pops have become the order of the day for most people, you eat your double cheeseburger and fries and wash it down with a can of soda pop, also known as liquid candy. By knowing the calories and the nutritional facts of fast food and soft drinks, making the right choice of food and beverage will almost come naturally.
This is not to say you can't have any fast food or soda pops. There are some healthy choices and we'll discuss these further in this article. So have this in mind- fast food can be placed in two categories: Healthy fast food and Unhealthy fast food. Another important thing to know is the food pyramid diagram. It will help you balance out your meals appropriately and proportionately.
Fast Food Nutrition Facts law- In July 2009, a law in California was passed which stated that restaurants with at least 20 outlets were required to put up their menu's nutritional data. That is to say, they provide nutrition information which lists calories, milligrams of sodium, grams of saturated fat and grams of carbohydrates on all menu items.
This a great advantage for consumers because we can use this information to make better food choices. An informed decision is always a better one. It's interesting to know that over the past twenty years there has been a significant increase in the number of meals that are eaten outside the home and one can only imagine the calories that come with it. That's why it's great to have such a law in place, hopefully it will spread right across the globe so we can nip the rise of obesity in the bud.
It's quite encouraging to note that throughout the globe, fast food outlets are trying to improve on their menus, introducing healthier options. This is because they have realized that sooner or later more and more people will be migrating to healthy eating lifestyles. And so it is wise to start capitalizing on it now. In order for you to know just how many calories you are taking in from your fast food read the article fast food calorie count, and calculate those calories!
Fast Food Nutrition Facts Comparison and Chart
Here is a chart which shows calories in certain fast foods and the amount of activity which you will have to do in order to offset those calories.
So you see just how much work you'll have to do to burn off those calories from fast food? Either you work off the calories or you don't exercise and put on the weight or you just stay clear of those foods that are high in calories. Once again, the choice is yours!
Fast Food Nutrition Facts, KFC, McDonald's, Taco Bell and Chipotle
McDonalds has tried to reduce the trans fat in its cooking. They have reformulated their Chicken McNuggets and a few other products to have a little less trans fat, but its fried foods are still very high in trans fats. For example, a McDonald's five-piece Chicken Selects Breast Strips and medium french fries meal has about 9.5 grams of trans fat. A piece of McDonald's baked apple pie has 5 grams. It's funny though, because, McDonald's outlets in Denmark, Israel and Australia all use trans-fat-free oil but the Americans still use trans fats. Okay, maybe not so funny, it's baffling. You may read more in the article McDonald's nutrition facts. Other related articles include:
- Applebees Nutrition Facts
- Chipotle Nutrition Facts
- KFC Nutrition Facts
- Starbucks Nutrition Facts
- Subway Nutrition Facts
- Taco Bell Nutrition Facts and
- Wendy's Nutrition Facts
We are in no wise trying to down play McDonald's or any fast food outlet. Just merely having you and your health at heart, helping you to make informed decisions, and just stating the fast food nutrition facts as they are.
Fast Food Nutrition Facts In Summary
The following are fast food nutrition facts covered in this article;
- Most fast food outlets use trans fats in their cooking and these fats dramatically increase your risk of heart disease because they make blood cholesterol levels worse. It's much better to eat foods cooked from healthy plant oils such as olive oil, soybean oil and peanut oil (if tolerated). These oils are high in mono-unsaturated fats and poly-unsaturated fats. Any fast food that is fried is most likely to be fried in trans fats. Some fast food outlets no longer use it, but most still do. On food labels, trans fats are technically termed as "partially hydrogenated oil", so be on the look out for it.
- Fast food nutrition facts have shown that those who eat fast food consume more dietary fat and saturated fat, as well as having more body fat. They also eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables and eating whole foods which include whole grains are very important to have in your diet.
- Desserts typically offered at fast food outlets and restaurants should be occasional treats, not foods we eat often. This is because facts of the nutrition facts of fast food have shown that they generally contain a lot of calories, refined flour, saturated fat and sugars.
- When it comes to pizza, vegetable pizzas are healthier options. Generally speaking, when considering this fast food in the context of nutrition, pizzas are in the middle of the road. This is because, they don't contain trans fats or processed meats but most of them don't have vegetables or whole grains. So go for the veggie pizzas.
- Fast food nutrition facts have also shown that frequent consumption of fast food can lead to obesity which in turn offsets other health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.
- Facts on fast food in the context of nutrition show us that sweet and sour chicken, cheese pizza and frozen yogurt are some of the other fast food options that are in the middle of the road which you can consume in moderation.
- When considering the nutrition facts of fast food, french fries fried in non-hydrogenated oil are a healthier choice. The problem is, there are only a few outlets who are doing so. Almost all restaurants fry them in trans fats. In any case, fries should also be consumed in moderation.
- Facts on the nutrition of fast foods help us to make the right food choices. Fast foods that contain more than 1 gram of trans fat, have high levels of sodium, cholesterol, saturated fat and or processed meats are not healthy options. Examples of processed meats include bacon, hot dog, pepperoni and bologna, try and stay clear of them. It's not that you can't ever have them, but do it in moderation, according to your daily calorie needs. The American Heart Association recommends that we consume less than 2 grams of trans fat per day. So in the McDonald's five-piece meal mentioned above you would have consumed five days' worth of heart-bursting trans fat.... OUCH (for your heart)!
Now..... Here's to you in making your healthy eating choices! Determination is key, as well as some inspiration and motivation. With these three, you can do it! Don't give up.
Fast Food Nutrition Facts Categories
Applebees is one of the largest casual-dining food chains. Like most fast food outlets, they have spread their wings across the globe. Find out more about the nutrition facts of the food served at this food chain. This article includes Applebees nutrition facts, Oriental Chicken Salad, Chicken Caesar Salad, Buffalo Wings and more...
Chipotle, like Wendy's want to provide fast food to their customers that is made from fresh ingredients that have not been genetically modified or have had hormones added to them. Read more about their fast food nutrition facts in this article. It covers Chipotle Nutrition Facts, Burrito, Salad, Tabasco, Guacamole, Burrito Bowl, and Calories.
KFC is probably one of the main competitors of McDonalds. It has a number of outlets in a number of countries across the globe. People especially love KFC chicken for its unique taste, flavor and aroma. But what are the nutritional benefits? This article includes KFC nutrition facts, Double Down, Grilled Chicken, Doublicious, Coleslaw, Famous Bowl, Popcorn Chicken and a bit more.
Fast food nutrition facts on McDonald's menu items are probably one of the most important to know. This is because McDonalds is the largest fast food restaurant chain in the world. There's a McDonalds in almost every country and just about every kids wants to go there. So what is it about McDonalds? This article covers McDonalds Nutrition facts, Menu, Breakfast, French Fries, Cheeseburger, Chicken Nuggets, Snack Wrap and more...
Starbucks is one of the places that you can go for great tasting coffee and hot and warm beverages. They also pride themselves in providing an environment where people can relax and unwind. This article includes Starbucks nutrition facts, Canada, Coffee, Chocolate, Green Tea Latte, Pumpkin Loaf, Frappuccino and Skinny Vanilla Latte.
Subway is the largest submarine sandwich chain restaurant in the world. One of the good things, as in most fast food outlets is that you can customize your own sub sandwich. This article covers Subway nutrition facts, Meatball Marinara, Tuna, Veggie Patty, Flatbread, Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Terriyaki and Breakfast.
Fast food nutrition facts on Taco Bell food are important to know. Taco Bell serves up Mexican style food. Most popular are their different Tacos and Burritos. This article includes Taco Bell Nutrition Facts, Cantina, Bean Burrito, Crunchwrap, Chicken Flatbread, Chicken Quesadilla, Fresco, Cinnamon Twists and Chalupas.
Wendy's was first established in 1969 and has been growing since. They try by all means to use the freshest of ingredients available and satisfy the customer's needs in every way possible. This article covers Wendy's nutrition facts,Chili, Frosty, Apple Pecan Salad, Breakfast, Double Stack and Chart.
Chinese food, when cooked the Chinese way is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. Find out why. This article covers Chinese food nutrition facts, General Tso's Chicken, Safeway, Shrimp and Broccoli, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Sweet and Sour pork and Fried Rice.
