Why did we choose to write about fast food?
It seems that almost all Americans eat fast food. Statistics tell us that about a quarter of American adults eat fast food at least once every single day. I think it's important that those people who eat so much processed food should know what they are eating, and even more importantly to know what their children are eating in that "Happy Meal". I believe that people need to be more informed about their dietary choices and that starts with looking at the menu items at your favorite fast food restaurants. Now in the information age of the Internet it is easy to find out how much sodium and fat there is in your favorite hamburger or french fries.
Why do you think fast food is so popular?
Fast food is popular for 4 reasons: it tastes good, it's convenient, it's inexpensive and it fills you up. Compared to the alternatives, eating at home or eating at a traditional sit-down restaurant, fast food is always the cheap and speedy option.
Think about how convenient fast food is in America. Compared to the other dining options it's nearly instantly available. There's no prep work and usually no waiting involved with fast food. You don't even have to wait to eat it. Burgers, fries, tacos, pizza and chicken are all foods that you can eat with your hands; you don't need a knife and fork - you can just order it to take out and off you go. In the Internet age you don't even have to go out to get your fast food fix. Many fast food restaurants allow you to lookup their menu online and then order from their website. The only wait is for the delivery driver. 30 minutes or it's free??
The second core reason for the popularity of fast food is the price. Imagine taking your family of 4 out to dine at a sit-down restaurant. You'd be lucky to get out for under $15 per person. Heck, if there is wine or beer involved in your meal you can double the bill. In contrast, fast food is always a bargain because the fast food chains aim for a target price of about $6.00 per meal. Even with the super-size meal the average price tag is under ten bucks. If your kids are young enough to get the kiddie-meal, and you have a couple coupons, you could conceivably be able to feed the crew for $20. Unless you are feeding them plain pasta, a meal that cheap at home is barely do-able.
Why does fast food taste so darn good?
We all know that American fast food menus are full of really good tasting items, but why does fast food taste so darn good?
The answer is easy. If you think about how you'd cook a fast food item at home, lets say a hamburger, how would you choose the ingredients? I'd guess that to make the perfect hamburger you would choose some really lean, high quality beef, and then you would carefully add a little salt, because we all know that salt is tasty, but it's also bad for you. You'd also put in some other wholesome ingredients like an egg and some wheat flower and maybe some spices.
Well, that's not how the fast food chains do it. They start out by statistically analyzing the exact amount of fat that makes Americans crave hamburgers. That's in the range of 35% fat vs meat. Then they add salt until the mixture is really yummy. The salt level is typically about 50% of your daily intake per burger. Then, I know you don't do it, but then they add sugar and an assortment of chemicals that either make the burger taste better or to make it behave while cooking.
So, the simple answer to the question of why fast food food tastes so good is that the fast food chains totally disregard your health in exchange for another burger sale.
Why is fast food always so filling?
You know the old saying "If you eat Chinese food you'll be hungry again in an hour"? Well, how can that be true about Chinese food while fast food fills you up for a long time? Here's our take on the takeout food industry.
We figure fast food is so filling and it sticks with you for a long time for two reasons. The first reason is that unlike Chinese food, fast food like burgers, fries and pizza are just loaded with simple carbohydrates and fat. It's the complex carbs (yes folks... the vegetables) in Chinese food that your body feel full for a while but don't hang around in your stomach to keep you feeling full. And the fat in fast food is digested slowly and it makes you feel satisfied for a longer time. Fast food is like comfort food because it has the fat and carbs that make you feel all warm and full for a long time.
The kicker with the fast food is that since it often contains simple sugars your body does process it quickly and you may have a bit of a sugar crash about an hour after eating it. But what the heck, it was tasty!
The second big reason that fast food is so filling is because the portions are so freaking huge. Do you want to super size that? Heck no! Just a hamburger and a soft drink have enough calories and fat to keep a normal person alive for half a day. Unlike dining at home where you can control your portion size, fast food is almost always portioned for you. A hamburger is often sold as a combo urging you to add the fries and upgrade to a larger drink. So no wonder you feel full! You just ate enough food to last a whole day.
Next time: Are Fast Food Companies Ethical?
Please check back soon for the next section of our Fast Food blog!
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