Fast food evaluation

Fast food evaluation
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Abstract
In the last few years, various fast food restaurants have emerged. Such restaurants usually offer quick services when serving meals. Their meals range from burgers, fries, chicken, beef and even vegetables. People love to visit the places, but many experts have raised concerns about the health implications of the meals that they offer. Many dieticians have shown that most of the meals provided have high levels of fat and sodium that endanger the health of the customers. However, due to competition many of the restaurants have responded by trying to incorporate some foods that appeal to the health-conscious public. A close analysis of the meals offered at McDonald’s, Arby’s and Burger King will highlight some of the healthier options available at the restaurants. Hence, in this paper, I will show some of the meals that contain lower levels of fats, calories, and sodium. The analysis will show that individuals should not be so fascinated with fast food restaurants as the bulk of the food consists of unhealthy components.
Keywords: Fast food, sodium, fats, calories, healthy.
First impression on the menu of McDonald’s, Burger King and Arby’s
McDonald is now one of the most prominent fast food joints in the world. According to Aldana (2010), the giant company is not only a big influence on the economy but also on the health of the people. The firm sells food that contains over seventy cancer promoting ingredients and butane-based preservatives that endanger the health of the public.

Most of their meals such as fries and chicken contain high levels of fats and calories that cause obesity.
The American Heart Association recommends that a typical adult should consume about 2,300 mg of sodium within twenty-four hours while a child should intake a maximum of 1,500 mg per day. Aldana (2010) states that almost half of the foods listed in the McDonalds menu contain more than the recommended levels of sodium. However, due to health concerns, the company introduced some items such as fruits and salads that have some nutritional value. Still, a majority of their menu contains significant amounts of fats, calories, and sodium.
The typical meals found in Burger King comprise of fries, sandwiches, soft drinks and additional meat patties and cheese. Such options contain considerable amounts of fat and calories that endanger the health of the people. Those customers that choose Burger King’s Whopper combo consume more than 1,000 calories plus almost 1,500mg of sodium. Although, selections that involve chicken sandwiches, fish and chicken nuggets lower the total calorie count (Aldana, 2010). Additionally, the breakfast menu offered at the restaurant consists of foods like sausage, oatmeal, egg croissants and juice that provide less than 1,000 calories.
Lastly, Arby’s restaurant contains foods with significant levels of calories. According to Aldana (2010), typical meals at the fast food comprise of Roast Beef Classic sandwich, a chocolate milkshake and a medium-sized order of curly fries that consist of almost 1,500 calories. Sandwiches offered at the joint represent the smallest calorie content in the menu. However, the restaurant provides some meals such as fruits, coleslaw, sweet potatoes, and poppy salads to appease health-conscious customers.
Analysis
Arby’s mostly serves meat-hardy sandwiches in their branches. Although the company offers high calorie and fat meals, the customers have access to a variety of other options that provide lower levels of calories. The restaurant has a bacon sandwich and roast turkey ranch that contain lower levels of sodium, fats, and calories (Aldana, 2010). The chefs prepare the meals in such a way that makes them healthier for people who wish to maintain their health.
I would pick the Smoked Turkey Classic from Arby’s that contains 279 calories. The option provides low amounts of fats compared to most fast-food meat. As stated earlier, sandwiches offered at the restaurant give a perfect opportunity to individuals that observe their diets. As a result, I would settle on the JR Ham and Swiss which contain 265 calories. The sandwiches represent some of the lowest caloric content in the menu (Aldana, 2010). Sandwiches often include some vegetable which makes them ideal for a healthy meal.
At Arby’s I would select roast beef. Their Roast Beef Classic sandwich has only about 360 calories. The roast beef contains only about 950 milligrams of sodium and 12 grams of fat which is lower than most beef options. Placing the sandwich with a Chopped Side Salad will lower the impact of the calories. They have a Chopped Farmhouse Salad that can complement with Roast Turkey on Jr. Ham and Cheddar Melt (Aldana, 2010). The latter will act to keep a lid on the available calories.
Health conscious individuals also have the option of Cravin’ chicken (roast). The meal contains 380 calories, 1,000 milligrams of sodium and 12 grams of fat. Cravin’ chicken provides lower calorie content than most selections. The sodium content of 1,000 milligrams is lower than what health experts recommend. Lastly, the restaurant has a variety of vegetables and fruits to complement their signature dishes and accommodate vegetarians (Aldana, 2010). They have sweet potatoes, coleslaw, poppy salads, and fruits.
McDonald offers a variety of options for their customers to pick. One of the healthiest meals available at the restaurant is Greek salad with grilled chicken. The food has 770 milligrams of sugar, 12 grams of sodium and 3 grams of sodium (Aldana, 2010). The selection has the lowest levels of sodium and fat in all the foods offered at McDonald’s.
The restaurant provides hamburgers that equally have low levels of fat and sodium. Hamburgers offered at the restaurant have 510 milligrams of sugar, 11 grams of Expert, 8 grams of sodium and 240 total fat. The food offers one of the lowest levels of sodium and fat an individual can find in a fast food restaurant. Alternatively, a cheeseburger accompanied with a mini fry, side garden salad, and apple slices could act as another option for hamburger lovers. The food contains 11grams of sodium, 290 total fat contents, 7 grams protein and 720 milligrams sugar. Choosing mini fries and a cheeseburger offers better health benefits than a Double Big Max sandwich which contains around 680 calories (Aldana, 2010). The addition of the garden salad and apple bolsters the nutrient density of the meal.
Under the chicken dishes, I would consider taking a sweet chili signature McWrap with grilled chicken or a chicken snack wrap with side garden salad and apple slices. The first option contains 1250 milligrams sugar, 24 grams of sodium, 530 total fat and 13 grams of protein. The meal includes double the protein found in the Mediterranean McWrap and half its fat together with a whole wheat wrap. Whereas, chicken snack wrap with side garden salad and apple slices consists of 2 grams of protein, 290 total fat, 640 milligrams of sugar and 13 grams of sodium (Aldana, 2010). Most other meals contain relatively higher levels of sodium and fat, and therefore the two selections will provide a more balanced diet.
Lastly, the Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait with Apple slices provides the ultimate healthy meal. The selection has 100 milligrams of sugar, 2 grams of sodium, 200 total fats and 28 grams of protein. It contains significantly low levels of sodium and fat contents, and the restaurant provides an option of almonds. Thus, an individual can ditch the granola offered and replace them with the almonds and request for peanut butter to dip the apples in (Aldana, 2010). Such improvisation significantly reduces the sugar and fat contents.
At first glance, many individuals would think that Burger King offers one of the unhealthiest meals. Although, a closer look at the menu will reveal some moderately healthy selections. The first notable meal is the Whooper Jr. Sandwich without mayo which has 9 grams of total fat, 260 calories, 450 grams of sodium, 14 grams of protein and 32 grams of carbs. When an individual gets rid of the mayo, the meal becomes even healthier (Aldana, 2010). The ordinary Whooper doubles on both the sodium and calorie count thus the selection provides a healthier option.
Burger King’s hamburger provides another option for diet conscious individuals. The meal packs about 460 milligrams of sodium, 240 calories, 31 grams of carbs and 8 grams of total fat. Alternatively, the veggie burger without mayo and cheese provide another option. The meal packs 43 grams of carbs, 1 gram of saturated fat, 320 calories, and 7 grams of total fat (Aldana, 2010). The premium Alaskan Fish Sandwich without tartar sauce has higher levels of sodium (1,140 milligrams) but provides lower levels of fat (9 grams), protein (5 grams) and 360 calories.
For the chicken selections, the spicy CHICK’N CRISP sandwich without mayo presents a healthier prospect. The meal packs 12 grams of total fat, 300 calories, 38 grams of carbs, 670 milligrams of sodium. Getting rid of the mayo cuts down the fat content by eleven grams and the sodium levels by more than 200 milligrams. Burger King’s TENDERGRILL chicken salad contains 780 milligrams of sodium, 210 calories, 3 grams of saturated fat, 29 grams of protein and 7 grams of total fat (Aldana, 2010). Despite the higher levels of sodium, the low levels of total fat and calories make it an attractive prospect.
Final summary
From the research and analysis conducted I noted that most fast food restaurants offer meals with high contents of sodium and fats. Health practitioners discourage the intake of foods with such high levels. More specifically, experts recommend that a child should intake a maximum of 1,500 mg per day and a typical adult should consume about 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Also, it is hard to find fast food meals that offer foods that have at least half of the recommended 2,000 calories and 65 grams of fat (Aldana, 2010). The project increased my understanding of the health risks associated with dining in fast food restaurants. Knowledge acquired from the study will enable me to give appropriate diet advice to children that regularly visit fast food restaurants.
References
Aldana, S. G. (2010). The Stop & Go Fast Food Nutrition Guide. Mapleton, UT: Maple Mountain Press.