In this age, people spend too much money on fast foods and most of them feel/think it is healthy living and a display of wealth but not observing or knowing the consequences. The ugly truth about fast food is that it tastes good but is utterly destructive to your body.
In this article, I will be discussing the effect of fast food for you and your wallet.Fast food is typically high in sugar, salt and saturated or trans fats. A small study in the Journal of Hypertension found that consuming high levels of salt could have an immediate impact on the proper functioning of a persons blood vessels. Fast food is also very low in fresh fruit and vegetables, which makes it hard for people to reach their recommended daily intake of at least 5 servings. It may also be hard for them to reach their ideal fiber intake which is at least 25 grand per day. A low fiber diet is associated with a higher risk of digestive conditions such as constipation and diverticular disease and many fast foods are low in fiber.
The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) suggests that a diet high in salt often increases a person’s blood pressure, which means that a person is more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, kidney disease or heart disease.
THE Obesity Action Coalition points out that typical fast food contains a very high number of calories. If a person eats more calories than they are burning each day, they will put on weight, which may lead to obesity.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), obesity increases a persons risk of developing a range of serious health conditions.
FAST FOOD AFFECTS YOUR LIVER.
• Fast food can be very toxic to your liver.
• It can turn your liver into fat.
• You can change the effects on your liver if you eat a very health diet.
• It results in liver failure.HOW FAST FOOD AFFECTS YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE.
• Fast food doesn’t contain much protein.
• Fast food can cause depression
• Muscle can turn to fat if they are not used properly.
• It cause increase in your blood sugar level or high blood pressure.
• About 50% of Nigeria has high blood pressure.
• High blood pressure is the number 1 cause of stroke.
• 69% of heart attacks are cause by high blood pressure.HEART DISEASE.
• Over 100,000 people die of heart attacks each year in Nigeria.
• Fast food creates a higher risk of heart disease.
• About 45% of Nigerians suffer from heart disease
• Trans fat gives more chance of heart disease than saturated fat.Over time, this perpetuates a dependency on fast food, and people may not learn how to prepare healthful, balanced food in the home. Consuming such meals can support a persons long-term health throughout their lifespan.
Take a look at the nutrition facts for your favourite fast food chain. Let’s paint a complete picture just for fun and eat 3 meals from your favourite fast food chain, shall we?BREAKFAST:
Minute Maid orange juice: Calories(190), fat(0), carbs(0), cholesterol(0), Sodium(39mg)
Egg mcmuffin: Calories(300), fat(12g), carbs(30g), cholesterol(260mg), sodium (820mg).
Hash broom: Calories(150), fat(9g), carbs(15g), cholesterol(0), sodium(310mg).LUNCH:
Big mac: Calories(540), fat(29g), carbs(45g), cholesterol(75mg), sodium(1040).
Large fries: Calories(500), fat(25g), carbs(63g), cholesterol(0mg), sodium(350g).
21 fl oz Diet Coke: Calories(0), fat(0), carbs(0), cholesterol(0), sodium(30mg).DINNER:
Big N’Tasty with cheese: Calories(510), fat(28g), carbs(30g), cholesterol(85mg), sodium(960mg).
Medium French fries: Calories(380), fat(19g), carbs(48g), cholesterol(0), sodium(270mg).
Mcflurry with more cookies: Calories(510), fat(17g), carbs(80g), cholesterol(45mg), sodium(280mg).
21 fl oz Coke: calories(0), fat(0), carbs(58g), cholesterol(0), sodium(15mg).TOTAL.
Breakfast: Calories(640), fat(21g), carbs(45g), cholesterol(260mg), sodium(1169mg).
Lunch: Calories(1040), fat(54g), carbs(108g), cholesterol(75mg), sodium(1420mg).
Dinner: Calories(1400), fat(64g), carbs(224), cholesterol(130mg), sodium(1525mg).FULL DAY TOTAL:
Calories(3080)154%DV
Fat (139g)214%DV
Carbohydrates(377g) 126%DV
Cholesterol(465mg)155%DV
Sodium(4114mg)171%DV.Combine these atrocious numbers with all the artificial additives and preservatives in fast food and it’s easy to understand why it is so unfathomable unhealthy and not worth a single penny!AFFECTS FAST FOOD HAS IN YOUR WALLET.
Fast food comes with a ton of hidden costs that can steal thousands of your hard earned money annually. Which, when you think about it, is far more than you’d spend adding some healthier groceries to your shopping cart. So next time you walk by a fast food, think twice about working inside. Your value meal may not be such a great value after all.
What is the point of eating food that only serves to harm you? Doesn’t it make more sense to spend a little extra cash for the sake of actually eating a nutritional meal, maintaining health, and steering clear of medical bills?
Besides, eating healthy doesn’t have to be more expensive? In fact, with some careful planning, eating healthy and cooking your own meals at home could be even cheaper than your weakly fast food budget.• The average person spends N400,000 on fast food a year.
• There are people who save up to N936,000 by not eating out a year.
• The person who make 28,800 to 32,400 thousand a month are the ones who eat the most fast food.
• The average person spends N2,520 on one trip to a fast food restaurant.
• Every fast food make up to 1.8 billion naira every year if not more.Save up your money by eating less fast food and more healthy meal in the home.