Unpalatable truths about fast food industry

Unpalatable truths about fast food industry

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These facts may make that delicious fast food you eat that little bit harder to swallow.

Unpalatable truths

These facts may make that delicious fast food you eat that little bit harder to swallow.

According to Eric Schlosser’s 2001 book, Fast Food Nation, a typical fast food burger can contain meat from a dozen or even hundreds of cattle, arguably raising the risk of pathogens such as E. coli being passed down the food chain.

What’s in a burger?

According to Eric Schlosser’s 2001 book, Fast Food Nation, a typical fast food burger can contain meat from a dozen or even hundreds of cattle, arguably raising the risk of pathogens such as E. coli being passed down the food chain.

In the US, McDonald’s admit to using genetically modified organisms (GMO) in some dishes – largely items containing “ingredients derived from corn, soy [pictured] and canola.” In the UK, however, the company claims that it doesn’t use GM foods. GM foods are controversial – countries such as France and Russia have banned them altogether. and canola.” In the UK, however, the company claims that it doesn’t use GM foods. GM foods are controversial – countries such as France and Russia have banned them altogether.

McDonald’s use GMO produce

In the US, McDonald’s admit to using genetically modified organisms (GMO) in some dishes – largely items containing “ingredients derived from corn, soy [pictured] and canola.” In the UK, however, the company claims that it doesn’t use GM foods. GM foods are controversial – countries such as France and Russia have banned them altogether. and canola.” In the UK, however, the company claims that it doesn’t use GM foods. GM foods are controversial – countries such as France and Russia have banned them altogether.

In 2012, a former McDonald’s employer posted on Reddit that because healthier items such as the grilled chicken aren’t ordered very often they can remain under a hot steamer for hours. If that doesn’t put you off, it’s worth noting that a ‘wholesome’ grilled chicken fillet is smothered in butter or oil to stop it sticking to the grill, and to make it taste better.

The healthy options aren’t that healthy

In 2012, a former McDonald’s employer posted on Reddit that because healthier items such as the grilled chicken aren’t ordered very often they can remain under a hot steamer for hours. If that doesn’t put you off, it’s worth noting that a ‘wholesome’ grilled chicken fillet is smothered in butter or oil to stop it sticking to the grill, and to make it taste better.

Salads can be as loaded with as many calories as a burger. For example, McDonald’s UK’s crispy chicken & bacon salad contains 302 calories and 15g fat – that’s more than a cheeseburger (301 calories, 12g fat). In the US, a premium bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken contains 310 calories and 14g fat, which is only 40 calories and 1g fat less than a BBQ ranch burger.

Don’t order a salad if you’re on a diet

Salads can be as loaded with as many calories as a burger. For example, McDonald’s UK’s crispy chicken & bacon salad contains 302 calories and 15g fat – that’s more than a cheeseburger (301 calories, 12g fat). In the US, a premium bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken contains 310 calories and 14g fat, which is only 40 calories and 1g fat less than a BBQ ranch burger.

Sandwiches can be as heavy on the calories and saturated fat as burgers and fries combined. In the US, Subway’s six-inch chicken & bacon ranch melt contains 610 calories and 30g fat – around the same amount of calories and fat as Burger King’s hamburger and medium fries (640 cals, 27g fat).

Sandwiches aren’t better than burgers…

Sandwiches can be as heavy on the calories and saturated fat as burgers and fries combined. In the US, Subway’s six-inch chicken & bacon ranch melt contains 610 calories and 30g fat – around the same amount of calories and fat as Burger King’s hamburger and medium fries (640 cals, 27g fat).

In the US, the Pizza Hut meat lover large pan pizza contains a jaw-dropping 450 calories and 26g fat per slice – that’s 3,600 calories and 208g fat per pizza. The same pizza made with a thin ‘n’ crispy base fares better but still adds up to 1,280 calories and 72g fat per pizza.

…and pizzas are possibly the worst

In the US, the Pizza Hut meat lover large pan pizza contains a jaw-dropping 450 calories and 26g fat per slice – that’s 3,600 calories and 208g fat per pizza. The same pizza made with a thin ‘n’ crispy base fares better but still adds up to 1,280 calories and 72g fat per pizza.

The best time to order from a fast food restaurant is between 11am-1pm or between 6pm-8pm. These are the busy times when turnover is high so food doesn’t sit around for very long or get reheated.

If it’s busy the food is more likely to be freshly-cooked

The best time to order from a fast food restaurant is between 11am-1pm or between 6pm-8pm. These are the busy times when turnover is high so food doesn’t sit around for very long or get reheated.

Ever bought a flame-grilled burger but saw it being cooked on a clam grill or hot plates? According to the Food Republic website, the grill marks on meat aren’t authentic – they’re branded on (or sometimes painted on with food dye) prior to cooking.

The grill marks on meat aren’t necessarily real

Ever bought a flame-grilled burger but saw it being cooked on a clam grill or hot plates? According to the Food Republic website, the grill marks on meat aren’t authentic – they’re branded on (or sometimes painted on with food dye) prior to cooking.

If you like super-fresh hot fries that haven’t been sitting around, ask for some with no salt. Because fries are usually salted straight after cooking staff will have to cook a new batch. You can then add your own seasoning.

Hold the salt for fresh French fries

If you like super-fresh hot fries that haven’t been sitting around, ask for some with no salt. Because fries are usually salted straight after cooking staff will have to cook a new batch. You can then add your own seasoning.

Those tempting photos of juicy stacked burgers are purely for advertising purposes. To look so good food stylists use certain tricks of the trade, including cocktail sticks at the back of the burger to prop it up, and sesame seeds strategically glued on using tweezers.

What you see isn’t necessarily what you get

Those tempting photos of juicy stacked burgers are purely for advertising purposes. To look so good food stylists use certain tricks of the trade, including cocktail sticks at the back of the burger to prop it up, and sesame seeds strategically glued on using tweezers.

According to QSR magazine, McDonald’s gets as much as 70% of sales from drive-thru customers, so staff are expected to turn these orders around very quickly – usually within two minutes.

Drive thru for quicker food

According to QSR magazine, McDonald’s gets as much as 70% of sales from drive-thru customers, so staff are expected to turn these orders around very quickly – usually within two minutes.

In 2013, the Guardian newspaper in the UK reported that 90% of McDonald’s employees in the UK are on zero hour contracts – contentious because while they offer flexibility they don’t provide employee security. In the US, a study published by Fast Food Forward stated that, in April 2013, around 84% of fast food workers in New York were paid less than their legal wages.

Zero hour contracts and low wages are prevalent

In 2013, the Guardian newspaper in the UK reported that 90% of McDonald’s employees in the UK are on zero hour contracts – contentious because while they offer flexibility they don’t provide employee security. In the US, a study published by Fast Food Forward stated that, in April 2013, around 84% of fast food workers in New York were paid less than their legal wages.

An article in Forbes stated that numerous fast food outlets add a host of additives to the simplest of ingredients. When it comes to the humble egg the worst offender is Subway, which alongside whole eggs uses a ‘premium egg blend’ containing a plethora of colorings, flavorings and preservatives including propylene glycol, which is also used in anti-freeze and deodorant.

The ingredients aren’t what they seem

An article in Forbes stated that numerous fast food outlets add a host of additives to the simplest of ingredients. When it comes to the humble egg the worst offender is Subway, which alongside whole eggs uses a ‘premium egg blend’ containing a plethora of colorings, flavorings and preservatives including propylene glycol, which is also used in anti-freeze and deodorant.

You may think you’re getting value for money when you ‘go large’ but supersizing doesn’t cost fast food companies much. It costs us, though, in terms of our health. According to the Organic Authority website, in the past 40 years fast food soft drink servings have quadrupled in size from 7 to 32 ounces, and French fries tripled to 5.4 ounces. In the same period, diabetes and heart disease have become epidemics.

Super sizes are not super

You may think you’re getting value for money when you ‘go large’ but supersizing doesn’t cost fast food companies much. It costs us, though, in terms of our health. According to the Organic Authority website, in the past 40 years fast food soft drink servings have quadrupled in size from 7 to 32 ounces, and French fries tripled to 5.4 ounces. In the same period, diabetes and heart disease have become epidemics.

In 2013, the Dr Oz Show in the US claimed that soda fountains are the dirtiest places in fast food joints. This was backed up by Dr Sean O’Keefe who agreed that bacteria, germs and mold grow in environments rich in sugar, ice and air. This makes hard-to-clean soda fountains veritable breeding grounds for food poisoning.

Beware soda fountains

In 2013, the Dr Oz Show in the US claimed that soda fountains are the dirtiest places in fast food joints. This was backed up by Dr Sean O’Keefe who agreed that bacteria, germs and mold grow in environments rich in sugar, ice and air. This makes hard-to-clean soda fountains veritable breeding grounds for food poisoning.
In 2013, the Dr Oz Show also relayed that the machines in fast food restaurants are cleaned daily with strong chemicals that tend to linger at first, potentially making your breakfast and morning coffee slightly less palatable.

Don’t be first through the doors

In 2013, the Dr Oz Show also relayed that the machines in fast food restaurants are cleaned daily with strong chemicals that tend to linger at first, potentially making your breakfast and morning coffee slightly less palatable.

Wrong, says CNBC. The news website says that there are actually 19 ingredients, including an anti-foaming chemical to stop oil from splattering, dextrose (a type of sugar) which gives fries a uniform color, and sodium acid pyrophosphate which is known to cause inflammation in the body.

McDonald’s fries are just made from potatoes, right?

Wrong, says CNBC. The news website says that there are actually 19 ingredients, including an anti-foaming chemical to stop oil from splattering, dextrose (a type of sugar) which gives fries a uniform color, and sodium acid pyrophosphate which is known to cause inflammation in the body.
A 2013 study published in the British Medical Journal showed that the average adult fast food meal contains around 836 calories. That’s 175 more calories than adults thought their meal contained. Teenagers underestimate even further, believing that their meals have 259 fewer calories than they do. Men should eat no more than 2,500 calories a day, women no more than 2,000.

Every calorie counts

A 2013 study published in the British Medical Journal showed that the average adult fast food meal contains around 836 calories. That’s 175 more calories than adults thought their meal contained. Teenagers underestimate even further, believing that their meals have 259 fewer calories than they do. Men should eat no more than 2,500 calories a day, women no more than 2,000.
A 2010 Men’s Health US article reported that Leprino Foods, which supplies cheese to Pizza Hut and Domino’s, “must buy an astonishing 5 to 7 percent of the total available US milk in order to supply mozzarella” to these companies, meaning that “one out of every 20 American milk cows must be dedicated to the production of Leprino's mozzarella”. It claims this demand “has driven dairy farmers to the wall”.

The top pizza chains are jeopardizing US dairy farmers

A 2010 Men’s Health US article reported that Leprino Foods, which supplies cheese to Pizza Hut and Domino’s, “must buy an astonishing 5 to 7 percent of the total available US milk in order to supply mozzarella” to these companies, meaning that “one out of every 20 American milk cows must be dedicated to the production of Leprino’s mozzarella”. It claims this demand “has driven dairy farmers to the wall”.

In the US, the average daily sugar allowance for adults is 37.5g (around 9 teaspoons) for men and 25g (6 teaspoons) for women (30g or 7.5 teaspoons in the UK). In America, a McDonald’s strawberry milkshake contains 79g sugar – that’s nearly 20 teaspoons and more than twice the recommended daily amount.

The sugar count is colossal…

In the US, the average daily sugar allowance for adults is 37.5g (around 9 teaspoons) for men and 25g (6 teaspoons) for women (30g or 7.5 teaspoons in the UK). In America, a McDonald’s strawberry milkshake contains 79g sugar – that’s nearly 20 teaspoons and more than twice the recommended daily amount.

Savory options contain hidden sugar. A McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese has 10g (2.5 teaspoons), the premium Asian salad with crispy chicken (pictured) has 12g (3 teaspoons). And for breakfast, if you go for a 'healthy option' such fruit & maple oatmeal, expect to consume a whopping 32g (8 teaspoons) of sugar

…and even the savory stuff has sugar in

Savory options contain hidden sugar. A McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese has 10g (2.5 teaspoons), the premium Asian salad with crispy chicken (pictured) has 12g (3 teaspoons). And for breakfast, if you go for a ‘healthy option’ such fruit & maple oatmeal, expect to consume a whopping 32g (8 teaspoons) of sugar

Research shows that eating habits start in childhood and that kids are bombarded with fast food advertising from a young age, despite campaigns to prevent this. In the US, McDonald’s Happy Meals account for 10% of business and the company benefits from parents’ orders too. A 2009 Technomic report found that between 80-87% of kids enjoy getting a toy with their food – proving the success of this enduring gimmick.

Fast food restaurants target kids…

Research shows that eating habits start in childhood and that kids are bombarded with fast food advertising from a young age, despite campaigns to prevent this. In the US, McDonald’s Happy Meals account for 10% of business and the company benefits from parents’ orders too. A 2009 Technomic report found that between 80-87% of kids enjoy getting a toy with their food – proving the success of this enduring gimmick.

In the US and the UK the maximum amount of sugar children should consume daily is 3-6 teaspoons; for teens it’s 8 teaspoons. Yet a Happy Meal cheeseburger with small fries and a small Coke comes to 11.5 teaspoons of sugar (8.5 teaspoons in the UK). Swap the soda for low-fat milk and the combo still provides nearly 5 teaspoons of sugar. A small chocolate milkshake on its own is well over the RDA of sugar for children.

…and feed them too much sugar

In the US and the UK the maximum amount of sugar children should consume daily is 3-6 teaspoons; for teens it’s 8 teaspoons. Yet a Happy Meal cheeseburger with small fries and a small Coke comes to 11.5 teaspoons of sugar (8.5 teaspoons in the UK). Swap the soda for low-fat milk and the combo still provides nearly 5 teaspoons of sugar. A small chocolate milkshake on its own is well over the RDA of sugar for children.

According to a 2015 BBC documentary called The Billion Dollar Chicken Shop, KFC was allowing pieces of five-day-old chicken in its gravy. After the rapeseed oil used to fry chicken is recycled up to five times, the chicken scraps left in the fryer are mixed into the gravy.

At KFC? Hold the gravy

According to a 2015 BBC documentary called The Billion Dollar Chicken Shop, KFC was allowing pieces of five-day-old chicken in its gravy. After the rapeseed oil used to fry chicken is recycled up to five times, the chicken scraps left in the fryer are mixed into the gravy.

Most fast food chains are franchises, which means they vary wildly in the quality of staff and cleanliness. If you visit a restaurant that’s got dirty bathrooms the chances are the kitchen isn’t all that clean either, says the author of Dirty Restaurant Secrets the Kitchen Crew Won’t Tell You, on RD.com.

Dirty up front usually means dirty out back

Most fast food chains are franchises, which means they vary wildly in the quality of staff and cleanliness. If you visit a restaurant that’s got dirty bathrooms the chances are the kitchen isn’t all that clean either, says the author of Dirty Restaurant Secrets the Kitchen Crew Won’t Tell You, on RD.com.

A 2005 study by the University of Arizona found that fast food restaurants throw out 9.55% of the total food used, as opposed to regular eateries which discard 3.11%. The End Food Waste Now website reports that a total of 85,063,390lbs of food waste is generated by US fast food joints every day.

Fast food joints are more wasteful than other restaurants

A 2005 study by the University of Arizona found that fast food restaurants throw out 9.55% of the total food used, as opposed to regular eateries which discard 3.11%. The End Food Waste Now website reports that a total of 85,063,390lbs of food waste is generated by US fast food joints every day.

courtesy msn.com