background preloader

Why is takeaways bad for you?

Facebook Twitter

We rate takeaways: The best and the worse. Nutritionist Brigid Chunn investigates fast-food outlets and discovers which takeaway choices pass the healthy test – and which fail.

We rate takeaways: The best and the worse

McDonald’s Best: Seared chicken tandoori wrap Made with a chicken fillet with tomato, cucumber and lettuce topped with a mint yoghurt and tandoori sauce in a warm tortilla wrap, this meets Healthy Food Guide recipe guidelines (which are pretty strict) per serve for energy, fat, saturated fat and sodium. Other good choices: The Seared Chicken Salad, Seared Chicken Snack Wrap™ and Seared Chicken Sweet Chilli Wrap are all good choices, as are the Weight Watchers options. A McDonald’s Hamburger (without cheese) is also okay, and adding a Garden Salad will boost the fibre and the nutrient content of your meal. Worst: Double quarter pounder This burger, available on the night menu, has 3300kJ and more than 1600mg sodium, which is the suggested daily intake of sodium for an adult.

Burger King Best: Hamburger Worst: Double Whopper Subway Worst: Wicked Wings® 3 Pack Kebabs. Center for Young Women's Health. Key Facts Fast food is food from a take-out restaurant that is quick, convenient, and usually cheap.Fast food is usually high in fat, calories, cholesterol, and sodium.Too much fast food can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.

Center for Young Women's Health

Fast food refers to food that can be prepared and served quickly. Fast food restaurants usually have a walk up counter and/or drive-thru window where you order and pick up your food without having to wait long. They’re popular because they serve filling foods that taste good and don’t cost a lot of money. However, the food is often made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat, refined grains, and added sugar and fats, instead of nutritious ingredients such as lean meats, whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Is fast food bad? There is no such thing as a “bad” food, but there are some foods you should try not to have on a regular basis. Takeaways. The fact is that nearly all of us eat takeaways at different times.

Takeaways

So what can we do to make our takeaway choices a little healthier? At times we all get tired of cooking and thinking about what to feed the family. In fact the trend for eating out is certainly rising. We are faced with so many options for fast food that it can be hard to know how to make a good choice. There is no doubt that home cooked meals tend to be healthier – they are generally lower in fat and salt as well as being higher in fruit and vegetables. There are many reasons people choose to eat takeaways – to enjoy a night off cooking, traveling away from home or for social occasions.

Consider some of these points about takeaways: A treat or routine? Takeaway meals or fast food outlets should be considered a treat, not your normal meal routine. Fat content of takeaways Some takeaways do not have as much fat as others so try to choose wisely – see the table below. Eating takeaways at home? What's really in your takeaway? What is really lurking in your fast food?

What's really in your takeaway?

In a recent poll, Australians seem to be more inclined to indulge in fast food than any other country in the world. Unfortunately, this is now the norm for many busy families, who feel that getting takeaway is the easiest 'feeding' option after a hard day at work. There is no wonder that we are one of the most overweight countries in the world. When you actually step back and take a look at what takeaway foods can do to your family's health, you will probably think twice about ordering certain 'take-out' again in the future. Most popular takeaway foods are extremely high in fats, sugars and sodium, and are low in healthy vitamins and minerals and fibre.

Here are some unhealthy ingredients to watch out for: Trans-fats These harmful fats are the number one cause of heart disease. High sodium content Takeaway foods are commonly very high in sodium. Look out for products that contain High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Junk Foods, Obesity, Psychetruth Weight Loss Corrina.