Americans enjoy foods that can be prepared and served quickly. The benefits associated with junk food are largely related to its convenience. Many people have a busy lifestyle and time constraints. Short lunch breaks or getting the youngsters fed quickly make these food types appealing.
At the same time, eating in sit-down restaurants can be expensive, and individuals prefer the taste of certain fast foods. The glad tidings are that most fast-food restaurants now offer a variety of food choices beyond just burgers and pizza.
Potential Benefits of Best Food on Beale St. in Memphis
1. Availability of Nutrition Info
One benefit of fast food is the availability of nutritional information. The FDA requires that nutritional information must be listed for standard menu items in larger retail food chains. This consists of home elevators calories, total fat, saturated excess fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar and protein.
You can typically find the nutrition info posted on menu boards as well as online on restaurant websites. Knowing the nourishment of the foods you’re about to order can help you make more informed and health-conscious choices.
2. Changes in Cooking Techniques
Another positive change in the fast-food world is the availability of foods prepared using healthier cooking methods. For instance, many fast-food eateries now include grilled chicken breast or broiled fish on their menu, rather than simply deep-fried choicha sido.
3. Nutritious Alternatives
More nutritious items are often on junk food menus. Look for fresh salads, low-fat yogurt, fruit cups and wheat buns to displace many of the higher fat and lower fiber menu options.
Keep in mind that these options still have the ability to require a wrong turn when paired with less-nutritious selections, such as having fried chicken on your whole-wheat bun, high-fat salad dressing on your salad, or high-sugar candies mixed into your yogurt.
4. Children’s Meals
Some restaurants now offer more nutritious, kid-friendly alternatives on their menus. For example, low-fat milk is an option for kids’ meals in place of sugary sodas at some chains. You can even opt for apple slices rather than high-body fat French fries in many cases.
Based on a survey of just one 1,980 participants, researchers concluded that seeing nutritional information encouraged parents to make smarter meal choices for their children, particularly those concerning junk food, per a June 2018 article in Nutrition Research and Practice.
5. They No Longer Have Trans Fats
Not too long ago, the trans fat in junk food was a reason for concern. Trans extra fats are associated with higher levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and an increased threat of chronic disease, per the FDA. But in 2015, the FDA ruled that trans fats produced from partially hydrogenated oil be removed from all foods served in restaurants.
The Bottom Line
With a growing number of fast-food chains offering nutritious options for health-conscious eaters, it’s much easier to take advantage of the convenience of prepared food without the excess calories, saturated fat, salt and sugar that give fast foods a bad rap. Still, you should be careful when making your choices, as even the seemingly healthy fast-food options can be paired with things that aren’t useful to you.