Why is it time to restrict takeaway and fast foods?

“Life is great these days. We live inside boxes, we even eat out of boxes. Everything is just great!” Did you know that people who consume more fast food tends to be fatter? Well duhh! I’m sure you know that. But do you know what’s lurking in your takeaway?

Trans-fats

Trans-fats are easy to produce, inexpensive and also last longer. They give foods a very desirable taste and texture. But once they’re inside you, they raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. This greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Trans-fats are perhaps the most concerning and deadly substance you can consume through fast foods.

Sodium

Takeaway foods are known to have a notoriously high level of sodium. A standard burger with fries has more than half the recommended daily sodium intake in just one meal. All this sodium that is consumed in the form of salts gets accumulated making it harder for the kidneys and the heart to keep up. All this may lead to a wide range of serious medical problems from high blood pressure and heart disease, to kidney stones and osteoporosis.

Refined sugars and HCFS

Don’t be fooled by the foods in the healthier section of your supermarket. These foods may be low in calories but may contain a whooping amount of added sugar. The problem with these added sugars is that they contain null calories, that is, they have absolutely no nutritional value. Too much consumption of these can lead to excessive weight gain and later heart diseases. Always look out for products that contain HCFS (High Fructose Corn Syrup). HCFS is one major contributor to this obesity epidemic because it’s cheap, extremely sweet and also addictive. It is routinely used in soft drinks and other sweets. Sugar is abundant in fast foods, the more you stay away from it, the better it is for your health.

Harmful additives

Fast foods also contain a lot of additives and artificial flavor enhancers. One of these is MSG (Monosodium glutamate), which is a commonly used flavor enhancer (E621). This, if consumed in large quantities can over stimulate the nervous system and potentially affect behavior. It may also cause health problems such as allergic reactions, asthma attack, and headaches in sensitive people. MSG is often found in crisps, instant noodles and seasoning mixes.

“Everything in moderation…Including moderation.”

But getting fit should not be a punishment. Don’t completely ban fast foods. Just make sure that you enjoy these foods in moderation. Eating well is not about eliminating all these unhealthy foods from your diet. It’s about understanding your food in a way that allows you to make good choices and plan your meals out properly. Find the right equilibrium between its benefits and tribulations.

Join our free 14-day Metabolism Kick Starter Challenge. Take a FREE test drive of our fitness and nutrition coaching program on us. This is a short and condensed version of our program; it will set you up with daily habits you can use to lose the weight and shred the fat. You can do all the exercises at home with no equipment. There are no pills or shakes to buy, all you need is whole nutrition minimally processed single ingredient foods. Click the link and start the challenge today https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZFJ3V6KbuEjUMcElToO3sQ-7GikxmEtfMygeMkBqKclc3qA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Talk to you soon,

Coach Orion