Healthy Fast Food: Is there such a thing?

In todays fast paced lifestyle eating healthy food is often the last thing anybody thinks about. Many people find it difficult to find the time to shop for the ingredients to include in a balanced diet. It is easier to nip into the closest fast food outlet and order a takeaway. It is estimated that one in four Americans eats fast food on a daily basis, so the question that begs to be answered is “Is there such a thing as healthy fast food?” Unfortunately most fast food outlets only play lip service and continue to sell calorie laden fried foods. Some offer side servings of salads which they smother in oily salad dressing. It is only recently that the major fast food outlets started to realize that people are genuinely looking for healthier alternatives, but the old unhealthy fast food items still remain on the menu.

So what are your options when you next visit your local fast food outlet?

1) Choose the smallest burger available. Burgers are normally made from red meat and also contain fat to make the cooking process easier. Red meat on its own contains a high percentage of saturated fat, but the added fat in the burger patty increases the amount significantly.

2) Instead of selecting a burger, rather opt for grilled chicken. Chicken does not contain much fat, however if you go for the fried option it does (chicken nuggets for example). Bear in mind that fried fish also contains a large quantity of fat.

3) Opt for a side serving of salad instead of fries, but make sure the salad does not come with a high fat dressing.

4) Don't choose a sugar laden soft drink which is packed with calories. The healthiest option is to order a diet soft drink or bottled water.

5) Avoid ordering extra cheese and fried onion rings, they are packed with calories and won't make you feel any fuller once you have eaten them.

6) If you do feel the urge to eat fries, rather order a baked potato if they are on the menu.

Your options are fairly limited when it comes to ordering healthy fast food, so your best bet is to be careful what you order when you feel the urge to satisfy your hunger in your favorite fast food outlet.