If you need a visual aid to understand the dangers of Fast Food, then you should watch Supersize Me - yes, it isn't new, and I hope that many of you have already seen it, I found it devastating. And yes, I know you are going to tell me that you don't eat in fast food restaurants (I use the term loosely) as the subject of the film did, but what happened to him is happening to you, but at a slower rate.
I hope you find the following enlightening:
1. Fast food manufacturers don't list all the ingredients.
Fast foods are prepared at very high temperatures. Grills are set to 750ºF (almost 400ºC) that means your regular burger is cooked in 38 seconds and a quarter pounder is cooked through in 70 seconds! Also strong chemicals are used to clean cooking equipment at the end of the day so quite often if you are the first in in the morning you will probably have residue of these chemicals mixed in with your food, such as solvent residues, pesticides, etc.. The ingredient list will not display all the harmful things that the product contains. Also if you think yo are being healthier by ordering a salad, think again! Some McDonald's salads have about as many calories as a Big Mac. In fact a small order of French Fries has 4g of fat LESS than a packet of ranch dressing.
Billions of dollars are spent on attracting small children into the fast food trap. Estimates as high as $10 billion spent on advertising all types of food and beverages to young people in USA. According to the Federal Trade Commission report, "Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents: A review of Industry Expenditures, Activities, and Self-Regulation," 44 major food and beverage marketers spent $1.6 billion to promote their products to children under 12 and adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years of age in the USA in 2006. The report found that companies use an integrated approach to advertise food to young people that combines traditional media such as television, packaging, in-store advertising, sweepstakes, and the Internet and often involve cros-promotion with a new movie or popular television program. The Kaiser Family Foundation found in its report "Food for Thought: Television Food Advertising to Children in the United States" that children and adolescents see up to 6,100 televised food advertisements a year. Only 5% of which are for foods/beverages perceived as healthy such as dairy produce and fruit juice. None of the advertisements were for fruits and vegetables.
3. Fast food producers tend to minimize health concerns that are associated with their products.
If you compare the results between and industry sponsored health study and one sponsored by a fast food producer, you'll find that the former is more honest and accurate. This is because a study sponsored by a fast food provider usually plays down the harmful aspects of its food. A study that the fast food industry funds is quite likely to be closer to advertising than it is to science. There is also the concept that manufacturers of fast food tend to donate money to scientific nutrition associations. They do this to cover their malpractices. Coca-cola pays money to the American Dietetic Association to publish nutritional fact sheets. This is called food politics, but it is mostly a self-serving act by fast food manufacturers, in a bid to gain positive perception. Right now Coca Cola has launched new advertising that seems to admit it is partly to blame for obesity in young people... or does it?
4. Additives in fast food compromise the endocrine system.
Many fast food companies add Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) to their products. This is a flavor enhancer but it imbalances the endocrine system function making people feel hungrier and enticing them to eat more. MSG contributes directly to nationwide obesity and keeps these fast food companies in business. MSG is hidden in yeast extracts and hydrolyzed vegetable protein.
5. Artificial colorings and refined carbohydrates cause ADHD in children.
This is scientifically proven. In an experiment, several children with ADHD were taken off processed foods. 80% of these ADHD children were found free of ADHD in just 2 weeks. If you believe your children are hyperactive, feed them on whole foods cooked at home for a few weeks and see the difference.
6. Aspartame causes many nervous system problems.
Aspartame poisoning is a well-known fact and yet millions of products come out each year containing aspartame. These products have a printed warning for those allergic to aspartame and nothing more. Aspartame is known to cause seizures, migraines and several issues with the nervous system along with blurred vision.
7. The plastic in which some foods are packaged is hazardous to health.
Plastics leak bisphenol A into food and people eat the food without realizing they're actually absorbing a hormone disruptor. Food heated or stored in hot plastic containers will contain more of this chemical. Bisphenol A is known to facilitate the formation of male breasts and disrupt female hormones. This chemical is also suspected to contribute to prostate, breast and other hormone-related cancers.
8. The less healthy the food... the better the profits.
When foods are highly processed, the profit margin increases, while the nutrition decreases. Processed foods are not wholesome and fresh, to increase profits, food manufacturers add other ingredients to the food to increase the size and weight. It is much better to eat whole foods such as an apple instead of eating applesauce or juice.
Now here I could go on and on and on about childhood obesity and what children are eating nowadays but I am just going to give one bit of information here and let your mind do the rest:
In 2001 Newsweek reported that 6 million children in America were seriously overweight. That number has TRIPLED in a decade and the numbers are now surpassing 20 MILLION.
Social Nutrition:
You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype). Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com
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