Fast Food the Unhealthy Road Taken - Essay Example

? Fast Food the Unhealthy Road Taken Due Fast food refers to foods that are easily prepared and quickly served. However, some people may tend to think that all the foods that take a short time to prepare are the only first foods. In this case, first foods are those prepared and sold in stores or restaurants with precooked and preheated ingredients. In most cases, such foods are packaged to customers to take-away or take them out (Myriam and Pearce, 2008). In addition, most of the outlets dealing with fast foods include kiosks and stands that do not provide a shelter or place for customers to seat and enjoy their foods. Furthermore, there are restaurants that only deal with fast foods. It is worth noting that, for franchise operations, restaurants that form part of the chain get standardized foodstuffs shipped to every restaurant from a central place. Despite the fact, that fast foods are beneficial because they ensure that an individual saves time that he or she could waste while cooking and then afterwards eating. They have a significant impact on an individual’s life. As a result, this paper aims at outlining the hazards associated with fast food. In most cases, when people try to identify a meal that is easy and quick, fast food becomes the option or the solution. This is because they are cheap and have become the casual atmosphere even among the majority of Americans. In fact, over 25% of Americans consume fast foods daily. It is not a guarantee that fast foods have to be unhealthy, however, in most cases, they become unhealthy because customers consume those with more fats; sugars; sodium, and calories with little minerals and vitamins. In America, consumption of fast foods is extremely high. This due to the many or over 50,000 chains of fast foods meant to serve the ever-growing number of customers. Out of the many fast food chains in America, McDonalds has the highest number of chains. This is not an American crisis but global since all over the world there are over 500,000 places of fast foods. According to studies, children of age between 6 and 14 years consume fast foods up to 157,000,000 times in a month. In addition, in America alone, people spend up to $100 billion on fast foods every year. This is a clear indication that most people consume fast foods (Knechtges 2011). Currently, it is true that most people are busy due to commitment with many responsibilities. As a result, time spent while cooking food has reduced drastically. Therefore, the only option that is convenient to the majority is the use of fast foods. This has enabled t fast food industry to be successful in recent years. Moreover, the industry’s ability to deliver a consistent quality of food in a large geographical area, and at a fair price has contributed significantly to its growth. Frequent users, of fast foods state that they like taking them because of limited time that does not allow them to move long distances in search for alternatives. However, one of the most essential issues that most people forget concerning fast foods is their lack of nutrition value. Considering there are families, who depend entirely on fast foods throughout the day without worrying about the nutritional value or the long-term impacts of fast foods on an individual’s health. One of the main impacts related with fast foods is that it makes one overweight i.e. obese. This is so because fast foods have low fiber concentration, high concentration of carbohydrates, and high level of fat concentration. These are the elements or characteristics making people consuming fast foods to put on weight. According to research, it is clear that, most countries where fast foods are highly consumed, majority of the population are overweight or obese. In addition, most of the young population ends up becoming obese or overweight. Over time, obesity or overweight leads to other health problems especially of the heart. The main reason as, to why fast foods are not suitable for people’s health is that they are cooked using oils subjected to extremely high temperatures. Therefore, nutritional value or benefits of fast foods are low although they help eliminate hunger (Watson, 2008). Apart from the health risk associated with fast foods, the industry has a significant negative impact on the supply chains. In the attempt to lower costs incurred, the suppliers are forced to escape some necessary processes that can lead to large negative environmental impacts in the end. As a result, this leads to poor environment, which may not be favorable for the survival of animals. In most cases, fast foods are loaded with calories resulting from refined fats and sugars. Such calories usually have a high concentration of sodium from the common salts and related additives. However, most of the fast foods are deficient in dietary fiber and other vital nutrients such as minerals and vitamins. In addition, in most cases, fast foods are heaped in gallons that have calories rich in sugar served free as an incentive. This may lead to piled empty, unused calories in the body and as fats. In the end, this leads to obesity or overweight. In most cases, obese people do not like admitting or acknowledging their obesity. Obesity, contributes towards many deadly diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, and diabetes. According to the latest research, most of the fast foods have a high content of calorie, fats, refined sugar, and salts. These make an individual’s hormones configured and one craves for such foods from time to time. This means that fast foods are addictive, and when individuals become hooked to it, they consume from time to time. As a result, even if somebody knows that the foods are unhealthy, they end up consuming. When one continues to consume these foods for a long time, they have trouble when they try to consume or switch to health foods. This situation becomes critical in children who become hooked or addicted at a tender age. In an attempt to encourage them to change their eating habits from consuming foods full of sugar and fats to eating of vegetables and fruits, it becomes a challenge (Jakle and Sculle, 2002). According to children, change of eating habit is easy to say than to do. Addiction that results due to consumption of fast foods is a disease harmful to an individual’s life because; somebody may end up committing crimes in order to have money to purchase fast foods needed. In the end, the foods will lead to deterioration of the health of a consumer. Just like any other drug, fast foods are addictive. Most people are aware that coffins are addictive; therefore, it is also necessary to bear in, mind that fast foods are addictive and hard to eliminate. According to the latest statistics, for the past 10 years, children with obesity have been on a rise. It is worth noting that, research indicates that improved diets with a high level of vegetables, a lot of grains, and fresh fruits are capable of improving health in both adults and children. Despite the fact that people are aware that fast foods affect their health in the end, addiction does not allow them to consider alternatives. In addition, most of the fast foods have artificial flavor, preservatives, and colors that are not suitable for human health. Such flavors, preservatives, and food colors are not convincing especially for children whose bodies are not able to handle chemicals. In most cases, fast foods such as sodas and soft drinks have a high concentration of sugars. It is worth noting that this high fructose or sugars in these drinks have high chances of causing diabetes type two and related heart failures. As most people know, diabetes type two results from high concentration of the sugar level in blood. Sodas are among the fast foods consumed by a majority, yet they are aware that continuous consumption of sugars may lead to diabetes (Reiter, 1996). On the other hand, fast foods such as chips that have high levels of fats and carbohydrates. This high-level of fats or cholesterol contributes to high blood pressure. This is so because colostrums have a high content of sodium. High blood pressure can lead to death because, in case of a sudden occurrence, an individual will not be able to withstand the shock. Therefore, individuals become vulnerable to stroke leading to death. Chicken is one of the fast foods served with chips in a majority of restaurants. In most cases, such chicken is pumped, or feed with hormones to enhance their growth. Such hormones according to views of a majority are dangerous because they lead to early onset of puberty in children. This is one of the reasons as to why it is illegal to sell chicken pumped with hormones in Australia and the United States. There have also been claiming that continuous consumption of chicken may lead to their extinction and is inhumane. Therefore, it is true to say that a majority of people ignore a fact they are aware of because, most of them know that fast foods are not healthy, but go ahead to consume them assuming that they are the healthiest option. Although there are other options to eat healthily, even in a fast food restaurant, most people prefer the unhealthy option. For instance, it can be possible to find somebody eating calories the whole day at a fast food restaurant. In most cases, a commonly served vegetable in a fast food restaurant is potatoes prepared in the form of French fries. It is in order to eat fast foods once in a week to avoid taking imbalanced diet. However, this is not the case for some people, due to addiction (Florman and Florman, 1990). As a result, they find themselves being unable to do without fast foods and end up taking them for 7 days in a week. In addition, it is possible to eat health even with the availability of fast foods. For instance, one can order chips, soda, a fruit, and later during the day take some milk. This is an illustration of how it can be possible to eat health even if fast food is the only option. It is essential for people to learn to take fast foods once in a week and ensure that they perform physical exercise accordingly. In most cases, foods become unhealthy if consumed continuously. As mentioned earlier, not all the fast foods are unsuitable; however, this only results from healthy consumption. Over time, there have been numerous critiques of on the hazards associated with fast foods. This led to an attempt by fast foods restaurants to offer better and healthier options. As a result, when customers visit fast foods restaurants, they have a menu to choose. Some of the possible strategies to use and avoid health problems associated with fast foods include attempts by customers to order a reasonable size of food. In most cases, when people especially children visit the fast food restaurants, they want to get a substantial share. As a result, they end up ordering foods full of sugar, fat, calories, and sodium of which are harmful to one’s health on excessive consumption. It is better ordering a reasonable share of foods that will not have much negative impact on once health. Most people consider ordering of sodas that are full of calories and sugar that affects an individuals’ health. In order to avoid issues such as diabetes type two that results from consumption of much sugar, an individual can consider ordering low fat milk, water, or fruit juice to be able to remain hydrated (Dalgleish, 2007). In most cases, fried foods may not be the best dishes to eat continuously because of their high fat content, which is harmful to health. Therefore, people should try as much as possible to avoid fried foods and consider alternatives such as stew. Instead of going for a big portion of foods, one should consider kids menu where people eat small quantities of foods, but in a healthy manner. For instance, it can be beneficial to make swaps by considering healthy options while choosing a meal. In some situations, an individual can consider ordering soup or stew rather than fries. At times of desserts, an individual can consider ordering yogurts and fruits instead of cookies or pie slice. According to a majority of scholars, information is essential, as this will enable people to identify strategies of eating healthily. In addition, at times it is necessary to visit fast foods restaurants websites to know the types of foods they are offering and assess their nutritional value. It is worth noting that most people like taking fast foods. This due to low costs incurred to acquire them and their ability to save time that one could spend while cooking. However, as people continue to consume fast foods, they are aware of their hazards associated with it, but they tend to assume. Results show that fast foods are addictive and difficult for an individual to avoid them and consider alternatives. To some extent, it is false to state that all fast foods are unsuitable, because, it depends on the way people choose to consume. If one tries to eat fast foods in a healthy way through consumption of reasonable amounts, it may not significantly affect their health negatively (Schlosser, 2001). However, people who prefer to go for a high proportion that may not be healthy instead of considering a healthy and reasonable amount end up endangering their lives. Recently, there has been negative publicity about fast foods. As a result, people have come up with alternatives to solve negative issues associated with fast foods. In addition, the fast foods restaurants have incorporated fruit juice, fruits, and salads alongside the meals or foods sold in their restaurants. A majority of health foundations has approved this because their intention is to ensure that customers consume a balanced and nutritious diet. However, despite attempts to offer a balanced diet, prices charged are high compared to those charged for the unhealthy options such as fast foods. As a result, majority of customers does not consider buying them, but instead prefer the unhealthy option. In most cases, due to the addictive nature of unhealthy foods, young children are enticed to make unhealthy choices. In conclusion, regular consumption of fast foods leads to significant health hazards. Although people are aware of this fact, incorporating change in their eating habits is not an easy task. Consequently, it is essential to commence change; it is essential to start with basic changes such as a reduction of the frequency of fast food consumption. Instead, people should focus on consumption of home cooked foods that have plenty of vegetables, fruits, and fresh foods. This way, cases of obesity or overweight will reduce. In cases of children, parents should encourage them to take fruits instead of fast foods thus reducing chances of overweight by the under age population. References Dalgleish, S. (2007). Fast Foods. London: Black Rabbit Books. Florman, M. & Florman, M. (1990). Fast foods: eating in and eating out. New York: Consumers Union Publishers. Jakle, J.A. & Sculle, K.A. (2002). Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age. Baltimore: JHU. Knechtges. (2011). Food Safety: Theory and Practice. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Myriam, J. & Pearce, C. (2008). Fast food: The mechanisms of resource discovery in ant communities. Oklahoma: ProQuest. Reiter, E. (1996). Making fast food: from the frying pan into the fryer. New York: McGill- Queen's. Schlosser, E. (2001). Fast food nation: the dark side of the all-American meal. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers. Watson, S. (2008). Fast Food. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. Read More