Patricia Thompson - NUTRITION TALKRECENTLY, SOME consumers in America were suing popular fast food outlets for causing their obesity problem. It is understandable why fast food have earned a bad name; on average, 35 to 60 per cent of a fast food meal comes from fat, which compares unfavourably with the recommendation of not more than 30 per cent daily of total calories. Moreover, this fat is predominantly the saturated fat of animals, which is known to increase the risk of heart disease. In addition, the excessive salt added to these foods is associated with hypertension and fast foods are notably high in calories.
COMPARING FAST FOOD TO
HOME-COOKED FOOD
Fast foods, however, are not the sole culprit. Much of the frying of foods takes place right in the home. Typical home-fried chicken may be just as fatty and salty as that purchased from the fast food outlet. Compare the following values for chicken:
Fast foods are not devoid of nutritional value. In addition to calories, fat and sodium, fast food meats contribute protein, the mineral iron and B vitamins. Pizza may also be a source of calcium and other nutrients, depending on the toppings.
MAKING WISE CHOICES
The lack of dietary fibre, vitamins A and C and other nutrients and phytochemicals, only means that these shortfalls should be corrected by the judicious selection of other foods to accompany them and to balance the rest of the day's intake. This basic principle applies equally to home-cooked foods as it does to fast foods. No single food or meal can be expected to meet all of a person's nutritional needs and food combining and cooking methods should be considered in the context of the total diet.
Complex carbohydrate will be provided by staple foods. Because the fat contribution of the meat is already high, the staple food selected should preferably be baked, boiled or roasted rather than fried as would be the case with French fries. Vegetables, without the fatty salad dressing, would provide the missing vitamins and phytochemicals and complete the meal.
The use of the term 'junk foods' to describe 'fast foods' is a misnomer. This implies that they are devoid of nutrients and supply only calories from fat and salt; this is not the case. In fact, it is the food preparation methods used and not the individual foods that are really the culprit. Compare the values for one serving of the same food accompaniment but prepared differently.
Sound knowledge of nutrition will allow for healthy eating that can include the occasional use of fast foods. You cannot expect to eat a diet that consists totally of high fat, high calorie foods morning, noon and night, every day of your life, whether prepared at home or bought from fast food outlets. If one meal is already high in fat and salt/sodium, then the others for the day should preferably be low in these nutrients or even without them. Registered nutrition personnel can assist you in planning healthy diets.
Patricia Thompson M.Sc., Registered Nutritionist, Nutrition and Diet Services.
