| I have never been a huge fan of eating at fast food | | | | of their consumers just how unhealthy their products |
| restaurants. This is mainly because I have had bad | | | | really were (e.g. having to list the amount of trans-fat |
| experience after bad experience. I used to blame it on | | | | found in their products). Also, with the rise in obesity, |
| my parents. I thought that because they never took | | | | heart disease, type two diabetes, etc., many |
| me to those places they had raised me to have a | | | | consumers were starting to seek healthier fast food |
| weak stomach. Now I was unable to enjoy the | | | | options where available. McDonald’s and many |
| ‘delicious’ taste of a fast food burger and | | | | other fast food chains went back to the drawing |
| fries without having to run to the bathroom soon | | | | board to cook up a solution. |
| afterwards. As I got older I started to become | | | | Introducing the ‘healthy choice’ menus |
| interested in nutrition and I became curious to better | | | | including items such as the ‘healthy’ salad. |
| understand why I suffered so much from eating these | | | | I have always questioned what McDonald’s |
| foods. It’s not as though I was eating candy | | | | intentions were when they developed their salads. |
| bars, desserts, and ice cream. I was eating protein | | | | Was it to create a nutritious salad that would improve |
| (meat), carbohydrates (bread/bun), vegetables | | | | the health of their consumers? Somehow I doubt it. |
| (toppings, potatoes, and ketchup), right? Why was I in | | | | Most likely it was to create a salad that tasted great |
| so much pain? | | | | so consumers would want to eat more of them (mass |
| As I learned more about the ingredients used in these | | | | consumption), minimize costs to maximize revenue |
| fast food products and the products used to prepare | | | | (use inexpensive ingredients where possible), and could |
| them, it was no wonder my stomach reacted the way | | | | be packaged in a way that sounded healthy so |
| it did. The use of cheaper quality meat, preservatives, | | | | consumers would think they were doing something |
| hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans-fats, excess salt | | | | good for their body. They fact is that they are not all |
| and sugar, and bad carbs has lead to low quality | | | | that healthy. |
| unhealthy products. Although these fast food | | | | Many of us now know that eating fast food burgers, |
| companies are making a killing off of their large | | | | fries, soda, fried chicken, etc., is bad for us, and that |
| margins, consumers are harmed through obesity rates, | | | | they should be avoided. The salads however are the |
| and disease such as heart disease, type-two diabetes, | | | | new culprit to the fast food phenomenon and |
| etc. | | | | unfortunately the truth about how unhealthy they really |
| Until recently there was no reason to change. | | | | are is not as well known. The best tip I can provide is |
| Consumers were consuming massive amounts of | | | | to educate yourself about what’s in these |
| these products, many not even realizing the affect it | | | | salads. By better understanding what we are eating, |
| would have on their health. Since companies were | | | | we can make more informed, healthier choices. |
| making so much money, it was unnecessary for them | | | | Don’t be fooled by the fancy messages on the |
| to fix something that ‘wasn’t | | | | outside, it’s what’s inside that counts. |
| broken’. Then something happened... Studies | | | | I recently wrote an article that talks more specifically |
| started to prove the health risks associated with eating | | | | about McDonald’s salads. It puts two |
| these foods, various people/organizations started to | | | | McDonald’s salads up beside a BigMac® to |
| stand up in protest, and governments started to | | | | compare their nutrition specs. I think many would be |
| enforce regulations requiring these companies to tell all | | | | shocked at the facts. Click here to visit that article. |