Fast food is often high in calories, sodium, and harmful fat, with one meal frequently providing enough for a whole day. It’s also deficient in nutrients and virtually entirely devoid of fruits, vegetables, and fiber.
That doesn’t mean you have to completely forgo fast food. When you’re hungry and on the go, fast food is a great option. It’s inexpensive, tasty, and most importantly, convenient. While it’s fine to give in to a need now and then, you can’t make it a daily practise if you want to stay healthy. The key is moderation, both in terms of how often you visit fast food joints and what you order when you do.
1. Aim for a total of 500 calories or less for your entire meal.
The average adult consumes 836 calories per fast food meal, which is 175 calories less than what they actually consume. So don’t make any educated guesses! The majority of chains provide nutritional information on their websites as well as at their franchise locations. Make the most of this knowledge.
2. Choose foods that are high in protein and fibre and low in fat.
Search for things with all the more great stuff, similar to fiber, entire grains, and excellent protein. Additionally go for the gold are generally low in soaked fats. What’s more, avoid all things that contain trans fats.
3. If you truly want to improve your health, bring your own add-on goods.
Even if you order carefully, getting enough fibre and other key vitamins and nutrients from a fast food menu might be difficult. Healthy sides and toppings like as dried fruit, nuts and seeds, carrot sticks, apple or pear slices, and cottage cheese or yoghurt can be brought if you plan beforehand.
Fast food ordering criteria that are healthier:
- Keep an eye on the size of your portions.
In the pretence of a single serving, many fast food meals deliver enough nourishment for numerous meals. When it comes to sandwiches, burgers, and sides, avoid supersized and value-sized meals and opt for the smallest size. On the children’s menu, you’ll find more manageable portions.
- Pay attention to the menu’s descriptions.
Deep-fried, pan-fried, basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy, scalloped, or au gratin dishes are typically heavy in calories, bad fats, and sodium. Items in Alfredo or cream sauce are the same way.
- Don’t be afraid to make a particular request.
With a few adjustments and substitutions, many menu items can be made healthier. You can, for example, request that the sauce or dressing be held or served on the side. Alternatively, you can have your hamburger on a wheat bun or your sandwich on whole-grain bread.
Tips for reducing the calories from fast food:
- When it comes to condiments and dressings, be cautious.
When selecting things, keep in mind that salad dressings, spreads, sauces, and sides like sour cream are high in calories and fat. Sauces made with mayonnaise or oil, in particular, are high in calories. Instead of mayo, ask for a packet of ketchup or mustard that you can add yourself, allowing you to control how much you put on your sandwich.
- Stick to calorie-free drinks.
Soda is a big source of calories that go unnoticed. A large Coke contains roughly 300 calories, which can quickly consume a significant percentage of your daily calorie intake. Even worse are shakes, which can contain up to 800 calories and a day’s worth of saturated fat. Don’t be deceived by lemonade or fruit drinks, which are high in calories and sugar but low in nutrients. Instead, choose water, diet Coke, or unsweetened tea.
- Do not eat the French fries.
A sandwich or burger should be sufficient in terms of filling. Alternatively, if your dinner isn’t complete without fries, go for the lowest size (which can be 400 calories less than a large serving).
