Why fast needn't mean fattening

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Fast food is part of modern life. We buy it on the run for our lunch or on the way home from work because we are too exhausted to cook. We order it in as a late-night snack or on the way home from the pub after a few drinks and it seems like a good idea.

Think of all those calories we pile on unnecessarily. So much fast food is laden with fats and hidden sugars.

Not all fast food meals are the same. There are choices other than hamburgers and pizzas, curries and Chinese. For example, a meal of fried rice, noodles, spring roll, lemon chicken plus sweet and sour pork has 900 calories. Nearly half a day’s requirement for a woman. Not to mention the dreadful 40g of fat. A serving of Peking duck has 650 calories and an even more horrifying 55g of fat.

Some burgers contain 800 calories or more. Throw in some large fries and a fizzy drink and you have fat overload. In just one meal, you have probably eaten your entire daily requirement of calories.

Fast food restaurants offer cheap meals that are on your tray within minutes. This type of eating is adding to the nation’s obesity epidemic, which has been steadily growing for the past 20 years as the popularity of fast food increases.

These foods, often low in nutrition and high in fat, contribute to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other serious diseases.

Fortunately more and more fast food restaurants are offering healthy alternatives.

Healthy eating at a fast food restaurant is possible. Here are some tips on what options to choose.

Skip the extras on your burger. Don’t go for the sauces, cheese or bacon. Instead choose lettuce, tomato and onion. Your best bet, however, is to not eat hamburgers at all, or eat them only occasionally.

Don’t go super-sized and order foods with the words double, ultimate, big or monster. Fast food restaurants have new products using these terms. Skip them or you’ll be munching a mega dose of calories and fat.

Ask for a salad instead of fries. Use low-calorie or non-fat dressing and don’t add Chinese noodles or tortilla chips.

Choose salads that have lots of greens. A Caesar salad is a good choice and you don’t have to use the dressing that comes with it. Also look for salads with vegetables such as broccoli or tomatoes.

Instead of a burger, get a baked potato. Just don’t load it with sour cream, butter or cheese. Ask for these on the side and use sparingly.

Choose grilled foods. Many restaurants offer grilled chicken either on a salad or as a sandwich. Some even offer deli-style turkey. These can be tasty and a leaner alternative to burgers. Just don’t order them smothered in cheese or creamy sauces.

If you choose a fast food pizza restaurant, opt for thin-crust pizza and eat only one or two slices.

Ask for fruit, which some restaurants offer to go along with meals or in kids’ meals.

Chew your food slowly. It takes 10 to 15 minutes for your brain to register that your body is full. Don’t feel compelled to eat everything.

Ask for nutrition facts information from the restaurant. The store should either have them posted or have a brochure. You can also check the restaurant’s website.

Picture caption: Make a burger healthier by ditching the cheese and bacon toppings for lettuce, tomatoes and onion.