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Click on the picture to get information on the Fast Food Chains |
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What are your eating habits? Do you eat to much fat? Click on the picture to get an answer. |
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Why is Fast Food so popular? |
Because it is convienent, predictable, and fast. Fast food has become a part of the busy American lifestyle. But, nutrition experts point out, fast food is often high in calories, sodium, fat and cholesterol. This does not mean fast food is bad. But it does mean you should fit fast food into a balanced, healthy diet. |
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On the average, to maintain desirable weight, men need about 2,700 calories per day and women need about 2,000 calories per day. It is not well understood why some people can eat much more than others and still maintain a desirable weight. However, one thing is certain -- to lose weight, you must take in fewer calories than you burn. This means that you must either choose foods with fewer calories, or you must increase your physical activity, preferably both. |
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Research shows that eating too many high-fat foods contributes to high blood cholesterol levels. This can cause hardening of the arteries, coronary heart disease and stroke. High-fat diets may also contribute to a greater risk for some types of cancer, particularly cancers of the breast and colon. Percent of Calories from Fat The category in this guide "% of Calories from Fat" is calculated by multiplying the grams of fat by nine (there are nine calories per gram of fat), then dividing the calories of fat by the total number of calories in the food |
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The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. But don't just look at the cholesterol contained in a food item. A product high in total fat or saturated fat can be an even bigger contributor to high blood cholesterol levels. For example, "cholesterol free" potato chips may be high in fat and may contribute to raising your cholesterol level, because high-fat foods cause the formation of cholesterol in the body, even if the food itself contains no cholesterol. |
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Everyone needs some sodium in the diet to replace routine losses. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences/ National Research Council has estimated that an "adequate and safe" intake of sodium for healthy adults is 1,100 to 3,300 milligrams a day, the equivalent of approximately 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Americans, on average, consume at least twice that amount -- 2,300 to 6,900 milligrams of sodium daily, according to estimates by the Food and Nutrition Board. For some people, consuming high amounts of sodium can cause high blood pressure. |
Fast food meals can be high in calories, fat, sodium, and cholesterol. See how easily these items can add up:
1. Burger| This meal: | Recommended daily intake: |
| 1,166 calories | 2,000-2,700 calories |
| 51 g fat | No more than 50-80 g |
| 95 mg cholesterol | No more than 300 mg |
| 1,450 mg sodium | No more than 1,100-3,300 mg |
| This meal: | Recommended daily intake: |
| 1,000 calories | 2,000-2,700 calories |
| 28 g fat | No more than 50-80 g |
| 62 mg cholesterol | No more than 300 mg |
| 2,302 mg sodium | No more than 1,100-3,300 mg |
| This meal: | Recommended daily intake: |
| 1,232 calories | 2,000-2,700 calories |
| 57 g fat | No more than 50-80 g |
| 157 mg cholesterol | No more than 300 mg |
| 2,276 mg sodium | No more than 1,100-3,300 mg |
| This meal: | Recommended daily intake: |
| 1,057 calories | 2,000-2,700 calories |
| 55 g fat | No more than 50-80 g |
| 80 mg cholesterol | No more than 300 mg |
| 1,620 mg sodium | No more than 1,100-3,300 mg |
