Fast Food vs. Restaurant Food: A Fair Fight?
While it may seem like sitting down for a meal at a restaurant is better for you than running through the drive-thru or ordering takeout, a recent study is proving otherwise. If you’re thinking about swearing off of fast food for your next diet, you might have to give up eating out altogether.
Should you opt for fast food or your local steakhouse?
This particular study looked at both fast-food and full-service restaurants and compared them to the health benefits of eating at home. Both types of establishments are worse for you than homemade meals due to the increased calories, fat, and sodium. Both types of meals added an average of about 190 calories per day. Fat was equally distributed, as well, at an extra 10 grams per day.
However, researchers were surprised to find that eating at full-service restaurants added more sodium and cholesterol to the participants’ daily intake than a fast food diet. Fast food only added an average of 10 mg of cholesterol each day. Full-service restaurants came in at 58 mg of additional cholesterol. Similarly, restaurants add an additional 412 mg of sodium. Fast food only added 297 mg of sodium per day.
On the other hand, when compared to fast food, restaurant food is associated with an increase in omega-3s, vitamin B6, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, as well as a reduction in sugar—all of which is a good thing.
People tend to indulge on foods they normally wouldn’t eat when they dine at restaurants. Additionally, the portions found in restaurants are generally much larger than you need. One thing that can make eating at restaurants a little healthier is to not eat the entire portion at once. Box up the leftovers, and eat the food the next day.
Why should you care?
Relatively accurate assumptions posit that 3,500 calories cause you to gain one pound of body fat. Consuming 190 calories per day more than you expend will lead to almost 20 extra pounds per year. At that rate, there’s no wonder the United States has one of the highest obesity rates in the world.
Additionally, since restaurant food contains so much excess sodium and cholesterol, it can also contribute to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. However, while fast food may be “better” than restaurant food, it definitely doesn’t mean that it’s good for you. When possible, cook your own meals and eat at home—it’s cheaper and better for your health!
What does all of this mean?
Health.com recently conducted a study to determine the healthiest fast food restaurants. They based their criteria on the use of healthy fats during preparation, healthy sodium counts, and including organic produce. While using “healthy” and “fast food” in the same sentence may seem oxymoronic, there are ways to make your fast food experience healthier. For example, look for fast food restaurants that display calorie counts and other nutritional information to keep yourself in check. When possible, opt for the more heart- and weight-healthy options such as fruit or low-fat milk.
