Fast Food Analysis

Fast Food Analysis

        Fast food is a convenience for everyone. Whether you are in a rush, don’t want to cook, or just are craving some greasy, fatty foods, fast food is a convenience that nearly everyone takes part in. Although most of know that it isn’t usually a healthy choice, it is something we all do time from time. One of the most popular chains of fast food is McDonalds. McDonalds has recently opened their menu up to a variety of healthy options, but mostly, the options are very bad for you. One of these includes the McDonalds 10-piece Chicken McNugget Meal, with medium fries, and a medium Sweet tea. I am going to analyze this meal and see if it fits into an average daily diet, look at the fat levels and see if they fit a healthy diet, and see if this an overall nutritional meal.

        When looking at the nutritional facts of a McDonalds 10-piece Chicken McNugget Meal, with medium fries, and a medium Sweet tea, the facts are clear. There are 1,030 calories, 48 grams of fat, 8 of those being saturated, 65 milligrams of cholesterol 1,180 milligrams of sodium, 123 grams of carbs, 6 grams of dietary fiber, 45 grams of sugar, and 27 grams of protein.

        When trying to decide whether or not this meal would fit well into someone’s daily diet, it was easy to see that it was a definite no. While there are no trans fats in this meal, the amount of fat in it is astounding. 48 grams of fat in a single meal is far above what is recommended for the average 2,000 calorie-a-day diet. 55 grams of fat is about what is recommended a day for a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet. Therefore, this meal alone would nearly take up all of the fat that one person should consume in one day, which can destroy the health of one person.  Although saturated fats are not all that bad for your health, having 8 grams of them in one meal may hurt your health, because you are very likely to intake much more of them throughout the day. But it is also said by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 that “Population based studies of American diets show that the intake of saturated fat is more excessive than intake of trans fats and cholesterol. Therefore, it is more important for Americans to decrease their intake of saturated fat” (pg 30). This meal is also bad because it is advertised to children, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 states that “Keep total fat intake between 30 to 35 percent of calories for children 2 to 3 years of age and between 25 to 35 percent of calories for children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils” (pg 30). Since the majority of fats recommended are anything but saturated, it is easy to see that this meal is harmful, not only to adults, but to children who need to eat more healthy fats. Also, Eating too much saturated fat can raise your level of LDL, which is bad cholesterol, and increase your risk for heart disease. LDL cholesterol plays several important roles in the body, but particles of it can build up in the blood and attach to the walls of arteries. This overtime can lead to serious health issues such as clogged arteries and heart disease. Also, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that total fat intake alone is associated with an increased risk of cancer, which is something everyone wants to avoid.