Increasing Consumption of Fast Food

Increasing Consumption of Fast Food Fifty million people in the U.S. are dependent on fast food. Why do so many people eat fast food? It is because it is tempting. The increasing consumption of fast food is a popular trend today for many reasons. First, buying fast food is fast and convenient. Second, fast food tastes delicious. Last, fast food is extremely inexpensive. It qualifies as a trend because the fast food industry gets bigger and bigger every day; therefore, more people eat the food daily. People eat fast food primarily because it is quick and easy to get to. In today’s society, when people get hungry, they do not want to make something to eat. When they are hungry, they want food immediately. Instead of making a healthy sandwich or a homemade meal, people tend to get in their car and head up to the Golden Arches (McDonalds). Many people want hot and scrumptious food as soon as they get hungry. For example, in the mornings, people do not have time to make themselves a nice breakfast so they stop at a fast food restaurant and pick up something from the breakfast menu. Then, lunch rolls around and they are forced to go to the cafeteria and dwindle away more of their money on unhealthy food again. Also, people will just stop by the closest fast food place near their work when they are on break. However, seventy percent of Americans regularly eat at their work desks. Still, thirty percent, or over nine million people, leave work to snag a quick and cheap meal that is delicious and fills their stomachs. People get fast food because it’s quick and easy to get to; but that is not the only reason. Fast food is increasing in popularity because it tastes very good. “Some people get addicted to the taste of popular fast food because it contains just the right mixture of fat, sugar and salt to set off the pleasure chemicals in the brain. Experiments carried out on lab rats showed that when they were fed a diet that consisted of 25% sugar- and then the sugar is removed, the rats become anxious, their teeth start to chatter and they suffer with the shakes-not unlike people going through a nicotine or morphine withdrawal. The researchers also noticed long lasting changes in the brain chemistry of rats fed with food that had a combination of sweet, salt and fat, which led them to conclude that there was a possibility that people, too, could see brain changes-and become physically addicted to eating fast foods,” (Horn). Some people say that fast food items are nasty and aren’t even real food; but when your hungry and in a hurry, it warms your soul and fills your tummy. This is why the fast food business it is so attractive. This is a scary fact: “researchers found that every day, nearly one-third of U.S. children aged 4 to 19 eat fast food, which likely packs on about six extra pounds per child every year,” (Fast Food Families: Why You Can’t Afford the Drive Thru). Although many people choose fast food because it tastes good, there is still another main reason. Fast food visitors come to restaurants because the items on the menu are cheap. You can fill yourself up by scrapping together $2.20 in change to get two Double Cheeseburgers. However, for that $2.20 spent, you quickly gained 880 calories. This may not seem like a big deal, but eating the garbage fast food restaurants offer more than three days a week can make your cholesterol go through the roof. Studies at Harvard Medical proved that you can eat two times more calories of a homemade turkey sandwich then a burger from McDonalds; and still burn the turkey sandwich calories three times faster because of all the fat and salt products in the burger. The food is cheap and delicious, so why not eat it? Most fast food restaurants have value menus or some kind of very cheap list of food to entice people to buy them. Furthermore, many restaurants are adding healthy items such as salads. One can be careful and make healthy decisions when at the drive thru. For example, order items with more vegetables and choose leaner meats, drink water with your meal, “undress” your food (like taking off the mayonnaise on a chicken sandwich), and avoid super sized portions, bacon, salt, and even buffets. In summary, the cheap, convenient, and delicious temptation can often be hard to resist. As an informed customer, though, you can make healthier choices and still enjoy the price and convenience of fast food restaurants. How about trying to make all of your food at home for 2 weeks and I bet you couldn’t. Many Americans eat fast food 3 times a week. It is okay to treat yourself to a chocolate shake every once in awhile, but the Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon Sandwiches and those Double Quarter Pounder® with Cheese Sandwiches are killing you.
Works Cited
"Fast Food Families: Why You Can’t Afford the Drive Thru." FASTFOOD STATISTICS. Web. 01 May 2011.
"Healthy Fast Food: Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices." Helpguide.org: Expert, Ad- free Articles Help Empower You with Knowledge, Support & Hope. Web. 02 May 2011.
"Homefoodsafety.org - Home Food Safety Statistics, Information about Food Borne Illness - Food Poisoning, Safe Food Handling Tips." Homefoodsafety.org - Home Food Safety Statistics, Information about Foodborne Illness - Food Poisoning, Safe Food Handling Tips. Web. 01 May 2011.
"Nutrition :: McDonalds.com." Home :: McDonalds.com. Web. 01 May 2011.
Size, Font. "Top 11 Reasons For Fast Food 's Popularity - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. Web. 01 May 2011.
"Why Does Fast Food Taste Good?" Mike Horn Young Explorers Community. Web. 01 May 2011.

Cited: "Fast Food Families: Why You Can’t Afford the Drive Thru." FASTFOOD STATISTICS. Web. 01 May 2011. "Healthy Fast Food: Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices." Helpguide.org: Expert, Ad- free Articles Help Empower You with Knowledge, Support & Hope. Web. 02 May 2011. "Homefoodsafety.org - Home Food Safety Statistics, Information about Food Borne Illness - Food Poisoning, Safe Food Handling Tips." Homefoodsafety.org - Home Food Safety Statistics, Information about Foodborne Illness - Food Poisoning, Safe Food Handling Tips. Web. 01 May 2011. "Nutrition :: McDonalds.com." Home :: McDonalds.com. Web. 01 May 2011. Size, Font. "Top 11 Reasons For Fast Food 's Popularity - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. Web. 01 May 2011. "Why Does Fast Food Taste Good?" Mike Horn Young Explorers Community. Web. 01 May 2011.