Off-Campus Fast-Food Ingredients to Avoid

Fast food and junk food are delicious and crave-able, but it's no surprise these snacks and meals aren't the first things that come to mind when looking at which foods should be part of your next healthy meal. You can most likely take a look at the ingredients label of just about any food in your kitchen and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll spot a food additive. They are used to enhance the flavor, texture, or appearance of a product, or even to extend its shelf life. Some of these substances have been associated with unfavorable health effects and should be avoided, while others are safe and can be consumed with little risk. Reports of toxins have been found in the foods we love to grab on the go, and the decision gets more complicated. Two years ago, Ami Zota studied fast food consumption within the United States and found out that millions of people are eating fast food outside their homes which causes them to ingest harmful chemicals. 

One of the main chemicals you would find is called phthalates, this class of chemicals is linked to pregnancy complications, infertility, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. They’re found in plastics, personal care products, cosmetics, lotions, vinyl flooring, and other common household items. But they’re also found in the boxes, gloves, and plastic wrap used to prepare food. Researchers sampled the most popular fast food chains in three categories: hamburgers, Tex-Mex, and pizza in selected restaurants in San Antonio, Texas. They sampled hamburgers, chicken burritos, fries, chicken nuggets, and cheese pizzas, ordering each with standard toppings. It showed that foods containing meat were more likely to have higher chemical concentrations than non-meat items. Hamburgers sampled had the highest levels of phthalates, followed by burritos. Cheese pizza and fries had the lowest concentration of all chemicals. Researchers also tested the plastic gloves worn by fast food workers and they found traces of chemicals on those too.

How to Balance Your Diet

Nutrients in food, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, give our bodies energy to keep us alive and usually work. Finding the right balance between these different nutrients is essential to get the most health benefits. Four other food groups make up a balanced diet: protein foods, fruit and vegetables, milk and dairy, and starchy foods. Another food group is Fatty and sugary foods, but this should only be a small part of your diet.

Protein

This food group includes meat, eggs, fish, and plant sources of protein like beans or nuts. Your body needs you to consume a certain amount of protein to keep healthy. Protein is a crucial part of muscle repair and growth in your body. Some of these high-protein foods contain iron and vitamins B & D. One issue is that some meats are high in fat. Good alternatives for this issue are chicken or lean beef. Some research says eating oily fish can help against heart disease due to the omega-3 fatty acids included in fish. It is ideal to have two portions of fish every week. 

Fruit and Vegetables

When trying to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet, as I stated before, eating at least five portions of vegetables and two parts of fruit daily reduces the risks of many diseases. As previously mentioned, Jessica C Allender also talked about how this food group has more health benefits, including containing plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Milk and Dairy

This food group is responsible for keeping your bones and teeth healthy, which includes milk, yogurt, cheese, and other similar products. Foods like butter and cream are not part of this food group because they are high in fat. For you to have enough calcium in your diet, you need about three savings a day, around two and a half cups of milk or a little less than two cups of yogurt.

Starchy Foods

Also known as carbohydrates, this food group is responsible for most of your body's energy creation. There are two different types of carbohydrates which are complex and simple. Complex Carbohydrates are starchy foods such as pasta, bread, potatoes, and rice. At the same time, Simple Carbohydrates are sweet sugary foods. In total, Carbohydrates should take up about one-third of our plates, with most of them being complex carbohydrates.

Fatty and Sugary Foods

Sugary foods and drinks contain lots of calories, and if you have too much in your diet, it will cause weight gain. Sugar also has some adverse effects when it comes to your teeth as well. Along with sugary foods, fats have also been blamed for obesity and other health issues since fat contains twice as many calories as a carbohydrate or a protein gram. However, recent research suggests that carbohydrates cause weight gain more than fat. This has also shown that Polyunsaturated fats, generally found in vegetable oils, are more harmful than fat in meat and butter, called saturated fats. The final kind of fat is called trans fat or unsaturated fatty acids. These fats are found in small amounts of tons of different foods. Mostly, these fats come from baking products, friends, and processed foods. 

Conclusion

Food plays a significant role in our lives. The nutrients in the foods you eat give you energy for the activities that you do every day. A healthy diet is vital for good health and nutrition. Whether going off to college for the first year or returning after the summer, I hope you can maintain a healthy diet. With all the stress that school brings along with homework and exams, it is even more crucial to stay on a healthy diet. In this article, I hope I was able to pass along information that will be beneficial to get on a healthy diet.