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How to Eat Healthy in a Fast Food World

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How fast food damages body

We all have busy lifestyles and because of this, we tend to eat fast food quite often. It’s actually easier to eat healthy at fast food outlets with a little effort. Here’s how you can eat healthier when you order a fast food meal.

Unhealthy Foods

Many of the meals we buy at a fast-food outlet aren’t very good for us. They are full of fat, sugar, salt, and additives. Some food we should never eat but by modifying the meal it’s possible to cut down on the calories and make the meal healthier.  These foods should only be consumed moderately as they pack too many calories to be consumed on a regular basis.

Drinks

One of the main culprits in an unhealthy meal at a fast-food restaurant is in the soda that comes with the meal. A large soda packs quite a bit of sugar as well as fat too many calories. Consider getting just a small soda or replacing it with water, tea, or coffee. If you drink just plain water you’ll cut out a huge number of calories from your meal and it will be healthier as a result.

Fries

French Fries are loaded in fat and calories and should be avoided most of the time. Most fast-food meals automatically add fries to the meal as the side dish. Consider getting just a small fries or better yet go for a salad as a side instead. Make sure you only use a little dressing and not the entire packet. Other good sides include chili, baked potato, or a soup. Just by making this simple modification to your meal, you’ll cut down on the calories but still be able to enjoy fast food.

Don’t Get Extras or Large Sizes

Don’t buy the larger sizes when you order a fast food meal as you’ll jack up the calories through the roof. No one needs to consume an extra-large fries or a triple-decker hamburger. Don’t add extras to your burgers such as more bacon or extra cheese as this is just more unwanted calories you don’t need with the meal.

Eating Healthy on the Run

If you’re eating healthy on the run consider a stop at your local supermarket. You can buy a small packaged salad and a sandwich in the deli section. Many supermarkets have great pre-packaged food that is much better for you than most fast food meals. Buy a bag of a pre-cut salad and bring that home with you can then put some aside to take to work with you in the morning. You can buy containers of soup to take with you to work as well or some fresh fruit.

Eating Healthy Isn’t Difficult

Sometimes we need to eat fast food because of time but even then it’s possible to eat healthier by making a few modifications.  Learn to make wise choices when eating fast food and consider making your own lunches with the pre-packaged salads, soups, and sandwiches you can buy at the supermarket as these are healthier for you than fast food.

Supplement Where Required

There are some instances where despite your best efforts, the nutritional “total” at the end of the day simply doesn’t add up to what’s required. In these instances supplements. Vitamin and Mineral needs must be met to keep the body functioning optimally. Fermented Cod Liver Oil is a good choice to increase fat-soluble vitamin intake. It would be wise to look particularly at supplementing magnesium, which appears to be depleted from our soils and hard to obtain from the diet alone on the best of days.