Increasing numbers of us are eating fast food on a regular basis. Put simply, fast food is convenience food that is often prepared, cooked, and served in a matter of minutes via a chain restaurant. Some people choose socially distanced dining inside fast food restaurants, while others opt to use the drive thru. Still others order fast food to be delivered to their home.
Not every risk of eating fast food is to your health. One uncommon risk people face when choosing fast food is using the drive thru. Every year, more than 1,000 are injured picking up fast food through drive thru windows. Be extremely careful when picking up food at a drive thru window. Don’t exit your vehicle unless absolutely necessary, and drive through the line of vehicles slowly and carefully.
Excess Salt
A common health risk associated with fast food is excess levels of salt. Many fast food restaurants add way too much salt to their food. This means their meals can contain your entire recommended daily allowance of salt -- or even exceed your daily allowance -- depending on what you’re ordering. Excess dietary salt can result in the following health issues:
Increased blood pressure
Increased risk of heart failure
Increased risk of stroke
Increased risk of kidney disease
Increased risk of stomach cancer
Many fast food meals contain way more calories than a standard meal. If you’re not careful, you can easily exceed your daily recommended amount of calories when incorporating fast food into your daily meals. Even if you don’t exceed your daily calorie count, chances are you’re eating empty calories that would have been better spent on healthier foods -- like fruit; vegetables; or complex carbohydrates like brown rice, sweet potatoes; or whole wheat pasta. Instead, aim to follow the calorie recommendations below to ensure your meals are balanced:
- Children aged 2 to 8: 1000 to 1400 calories
- Girls aged 9 to 13: 1400 to 1600 calories
- Boys aged 9 to 13: 1600 to 2000 calories
- Active women aged 14 to 30: 2400 calories
- Sedentary women aged 14 to 30: 1800 to 2000 calories
Active men aged 14 to 30: 2800 to 3200 calories
Sedentary men aged 14 to 30: 2000 to 2600 calories
Active adults over 30: 2000 to 3000 calories
Sedentary adults over 30: 1600 to 2400 calories
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