It seems as though every single day offers us new scientific evidence that reveals the true dangers of consuming trans-fats. We now know that even a single gram per day can have absolutely devastating consequences upon your body, including (but certainly not limited to) inflammation, heart disease, the clogging and hardening of arteries, and many different forms of cancer. And all of this in addition to the fat it packs onto our bodies! All of this from a single gram, when a typical fast-food chicken sandwich with a side of fries can contain as much as 10 grams of fat. Add a small piece if pie or a cookie for desert, and you are up to about 13 grams of trans fat in a single meal! Who is going to look out for your health if not you? Fast-food chains certainly aren’t going to do it.
Nonetheless, there are still times when you simply can’t avoid consuming fast food – even if you are as much of a health nut as I am! The good news is that it’s not impossible to eat a reasonably healthy meal on the rare occasion when you are out. The first piece of advice I can give is simple: Avoid the sodas! Fast-food sodas are comprised mostly of high-fructose corn syrup, and heavily processed to boot. Water’s always a good choice, but even a lightly-sweetened (preferably unsweetened) iced tea is also an option if you’re searching for a little flavor in your cup. If you’re eating breakfast, go for egg, ham, and cheese on an English muffin – but not a croissant! For lunch or dinner, a grilled chicken sandwich, chili, a grilled chicken salad (without croutons), or even a plain cheeseburger. In reality, the worst thing you can consume at a fast food restaurant is the soda and the fries.
In the film “Super-Size Me,” the main character—the individual limiting himself to the McDonald’s diet—encounters an older gentleman who has been eating Big Macs every single day for the better part of his life. Why wasn’t he a wreck? Well, if you pay attention, he notes that he only eats the burger – avoiding the fries and cola. This isn’t to say that eating a fast-food burger is a good idea, but it is at least far healthier in the long run – even if you are consuming low-grade beef and refined bread.
As a sidenote, in 2006 McDonald’s was pressured into adding a nutrition label to all of their food wrappers. If you go into the restaurant and remember how potentially destructive a single gram of trans-fat is, you’ll have an idea of what you need to avoid – but also the damage you can do by consuming the wrong sorts of food!
Mike Geary, CPT, CNS, is the author of the internationally Best-Selling Abs program, The Truth About Abs, with readers in 150+ countries. Learn how to burn fat and visit his website now.
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