Healthier Fast Food?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 10, 2006

Some of this is a common sense thing. First off, if it's fried, there's a good chance it's not good for you.

If i eat any fast food anymore, it's either the veggie sub from Subway, or side salads from other places.

mandana · Jun 10, 2006

Glad to hear it. There's no reason FF restaurants shouldn't use better oils. Of course, no matter how you cut it, it's still a little piece of deep fried potato and I'll never believe that it's "good" for you. Don't get me wrong, I eat them now and will continue to do so, but I really wish there were even better fast food alternatives out there. It wouldn't be that tough to do, it's just not likely to be that profitable, even in really health-conscious towns. A neat little fast food place opened up here that had all sorts of great things - lots of good grilled chicken type things, beatiful salads with lettuce other than iceberg, really good stuff - it was out of business in two months.

Still, every little bit is a step in the right direction.

Amanda

ms mimi · Jun 10, 2006

i read food labels on everything and even the ones that say no trans fat still have the ingredient partially hydogenated soybean oil. this is confusing because hydrogenated oil is trans fat. i think what is happening is that a minimal amount of trans fat can be in there but just enough for the label to be able to claim "no trans fat". its kind of like when you buy "fat free" foods (yogurt, cookies), you think you are getting a healthier/lower calorie food. when you look at the label they might be 10 calories less than a non-fat free and they are loaded with sugar and salt to make them taste good as good. its funny the games that the food makers play just to tap in to our obsession with dieting or health. but the sad part is that we do need to eat healthier, so i find that eating the old stand-bys, like vegis, fruits and legumes adds wonders to my diet.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 10, 2006

You can have 0.5 trans fat in something and it can still be labeled "0 trans fats"

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 10, 2006

you think you are getting a healthier/lower calorie food. when you look at the label they might be 10 calories less than a non-fat free and they are loaded with sugar and salt to make them taste good as good.

Salad dressings are awful about this. That new salad spritz that Wish Bone came out with is one of the worst (not to mention it tastes like NOTHING on salad. But the spritz bottle will be nice for my usual vinegar/olive oil combo)

mandana · Jun 10, 2006

you think you are getting a healthier/lower calorie food. when you look at the label they might be 10 calories less than a non-fat free and they are loaded with sugar and salt to make them taste good as good.

You are so right. It's also like those "100 Calorie Snack Packs" they have now. Sure, you can eat 30 little flavorless cookie bits, or you can eat just TWO regular cookies and it's the same calorie count. Yet, those little snack packs are flying off the shelves and people think they are doing themselves some big favor.

Amanda

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 10, 2006

And those snack pack things really don't taste that great to me.

indigo girl · Jun 10, 2006

i read food labels on everything and even the ones that say no trans fat still have the ingredient partially hydogenated soybean oil. this is confusing because hydrogenated oil is trans fat. i think what is happening is that a minimal amount of trans fat can be in there but just enough for the label to be able to claim "no trans fat". its kind of like when you buy "fat free" foods (yogurt, cookies), you think you are getting a healthier/lower calorie food. when you look at the label they might be 10 calories less than a non-fat free and they are loaded with sugar and salt to make them taste good as good. its funny the games that the food makers play just to tap in to our obsession with dieting or health. but the sad part is that we do need to eat healthier, so i find that eating the old stand-bys, like vegis, fruits and legumes adds wonders to my diet.

You are right about the ingredient list still saying that they contain partially hydrogenated oils. Why can't they just take them out, one wonders? Of course, the product might just look fresher (but isn't) with them in there.

We are all part of a giant experiment that we didn't volunteer for. I don't think they meant to experiment on us, just that it's just a matter of dollars and cents for the food industry.

BBQvegan · Jun 10, 2006

I refuse to eat hydrogenated oils. Not only because of the health repurcussions, but because it is a political statement. I can't believe they pump that garbage into our society and try to pass it off as food. They market to us and brainwash our kids! Our consumer dollars are the most impactful "vote" we can make. I don't eat or purchase meat, I try to buy organic when it's affordable, and I quit eating trans fats over a year ago. When our spending habits change, the supply and demand fluctuates, then companies and the US govt might begin to pay attention.

mandana · Jun 10, 2006

And those snack pack things really don't taste that great to me.

No, they are terrible. That's why if I'm going to splurge, I'll take the real oreos over the snack pack kind.

Amanda

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2006

Quite frankly, I think the problem is "fast" food.

Not the food in itself (well, not quite).

Eating "on the go" can and will never ever be 'healthy' or 'safe'.