Eating Healthy in the Fast Food Lane
Reviewed by Staff of Diabetes Digest
What comes to mind when you think of fast food? Restaurants that serve up cheeseburgers, fried fish sandwiches, French fries and shakes? Does fast food really have to mean a not-so-healthy meal? Fast food has become a regular part of our fast-paced lives and culture. Luckily, even with diabetes, you can keep fast food spots on your list of restaurant options. Fast food can fit in to a healthy eating plan. Believe it or not, the good things about fast food might even help as you try to be more healthy. The secret is learning how to choose. Read on to learn the upside and downside of fast food and tips for making healthier choices at your local fast food restaurant. Before you know it, you'll eat healthier in fast food restaurants.
THE FAST FOOD UPSIDE
- It's easy to practice portion control: Choose small, regular, junior or single sizes.
- You can walk in, order and eat without delayed meals or waiting at the table for food.
- No hard-to-resist, high-calorie nibbles greet you at the table.
- You can make special requests to avoid hidden calories, such as holding the mayo or the special sauces.
- You can split and share with no extra charges.
- Dessert is not a focal point of the menu.
- Nutrition information is often available, though you may have to ask for it or find it on the internet.
THE FAST FOOD DOWNSIDE
- The "more-food-for-less-money" pitch encourages you to overeat.
- Large, extra large, big, jumbo and double. portions are common.
- High-fat ingredients are plentiful and include. cheese, fried chicken or fish, bacon, French fries, mayonnaise and special sauces, which are usually made from mayonnaise.
- Vegetables other than salads are hard to find besides a few leaves of lettuce on a sandwich or fried vegetables, such as potatoes or onion rings.
- You can reach your daily sodium intake (2,300 mg) in just one meal and that's without using the salt shaker.
A HEALTHIER MEAL
|
Food Choice
|
Calories
|
Carbs (g)
|
Protein (g)
|
Fat (g)
|
Cholesterol (mg)
|
Sodium (mg)
|
|
Cheeseburger
|
310
|
35
|
15
|
12
|
40
|
740
|
|
French Fries (small)
|
250
|
30
|
2
|
13
|
0
|
140
|
|
Fruit and Walnut Salad (1/2)
|
155
|
22
|
3
|
6
|
3
|
43
|
|
Totals
|
715
|
87
|
20
|
31
|
43
|
923
|
A NOT SO HEALTHY MEAL
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese |
510 |
43 |
29 |
25 |
95 |
1,150 |
| French Fries (large) |
570 |
70 |
6 |
30 |
0 |
330 |
| Baked Apple Pie |
250 |
34 |
2 |
11 |
0 |
150 |
| Totals |
1,330 |
147 |
37 |
66 |
95 |
1,630 |
*The nutrition information for these meals is based on exact nutritional information from McDonald's Corporation.
TIPS FOR EATING HEALTHY FAST FOOD MEALS
- Order a single, regular or junior hamburger or cheeseburger.
- Ask for a single, regular or junior roast beef sandwich.
- Skip the fried chicken and fried fish sandwiches. Try a grilled chicken sandwich.
- Choose 6-inch sub sandwiches without added cheese, oil or mayonnaise.
- Choose an entree salad with grilled chicken. Go light on the noodles, nuts and salad dressing.
- Order a kid's meal. There's no age requirement. Now that's portion control at work.
- "You want fries with that?" If you just can't say "no," order the smallest size or split a larger order.
- Eat a bowl of chili, along with crackers and a garden salad.
- Baked potatoes are healthy. Choose them plain or stuffed with broccoli or chili. Hold the butter and the cheese sauce.
- Get a side or garden salad to go with a sandwich. Pour the salad dressing sparingly, and try a low-fat or fat-free salad dressing.
- When possible, use lower-fat and lower calorie sauces to add flavor to foods. You usually can find mustard, honey mustard, barbecue sauce and ketchup.
- Avoid regular soda, fruit punch or lemonade. Drink low-fat or fat-free milk, orange juice, unsweetened iced or regular tea, coffee, water or diet soda.
- If you opt for dessert, try one of the new fruit options or choose a small frozen yogurt or ice cream.
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