The Secret Sabatogers in Fast Food

Fast food has become a part of us because we are so busy all the time.

It’s really nice to have a place to grab something quickly when you’re in a jam or you’re tired and don’t feel like cooking.

However, even if you think you’re choosing healthy options, there are stealthy little sabatogers that will keep you from losing weight.

What do fast food restaurants and packaged foods have in common?

Fat
Preservatives
Additives
Sodium

What’s Up with Fat in Fastfood?

Fat is okay but when consumed in large amounts, like what’s in burgers and fries, it can really add up and contribute to packing on the pounds.

Fat is the most calorie dense micronutrient contributing 9 calories per gram of fat.

What about preservatives in Fastfood?

Preservatives and additives are ingredients that the body doesn’t recognize as food. So when preservatives and additives are consumed, the body puts on more fat to protect the body from these unknown substances and becomes inflamed (retains water).

What about Sodium in Fastfood?

Sodium is salt. Sodium is a flavor enhancer and makes the body retain water making us appear puffy and feel bloated.

Effects of Excessive Sodium on Health & Appearance

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1500 milligrams of sodium a day for the average person. The average person gets more than twice that amount (about 3400 milligrams) and we only really NEED about 500 milligrams.

Note: too much sodium not only leads to water weight and puffiness but also contributes to high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, kidney stones (ouch!!).

The American Heart Association points out that high blood pressure is a leading risk factor for death in women. More than 200,000 female deaths a year are related to high blood pressure. That’s the equivalent of 2 max capacity Dallas Cowboys stadiums.

Quick Tip!

Grocery stores have prepped whole foods meals and snacks that are grab and go. The variety is hard to beat and the food is prepared fresh.

So, when you’re thinking about stopping in for a quick meal, think about getting whole foods, look up the nutrition content before you buy your meal, and look at the sodium content on nutrition labels.