Fast Food Vs. Healthy Foods

Overview

Fast foods remain extremely popular, despite their unhealthiness. However, there are many reasons to try to make healthier choices about food instead of being taken in by the allure of quick and convenient fast food restaurants.

Calories

Fast food has more calories on average than healthy foods do, leading to greater weight gain for people who make fast food a major part of their diet.

Fats

Not only does fast food generally contain more fat than healthy foods, but it also contains worse types of fats. Healthy food primarily contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, while fast food is high in saturated fats and trans fats, the kind which contribute to heart disease.

Cost

Fast food is often cheaper than healthy food, which may account for some of its popularity. The inexpensive nature of fast food is partly due to the inferior ingredients used.

Nutrients

Healthy foods are by definition nutrient-rich, with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that benefit the body. Fast food, due to ingredients and preparation techniques, tends to be nutrient-poor even though it is high in calories.

Convenience

One big benefit of fast food is its convenience, since it is quicker to prepare or purchase than healthy foods. By taking shortcuts on healthiness, fast food can often be prepared in minutes, or even seconds.