Fast food †Hamburger Essay

Fast food can be defined as any food that contributes little or no nutrient value to the diet, but instead provides excess calories and fat. Nowadays, there are millions of fast food restaurants in the world that offers their costumers plenty of different meals with a special price. Fast food can be a good way to save time ,but it is not the proper way for nutrition. Researchers found that eating fast food meals more than twice a week was associated with double the risk of abnormal glucose metabolism. Also, those products cause a great gain in weight and may cause many heart diseases. Burgers, French-fries, soft drinks are just a few examples of junk food. Fast food refer to any poor nutrition food that is easily prepared. Fast food may includes chips, hot pies ,pasties, sandwiches, burgers, croissants, kebabs, pizzas, chicken, soups, and salads. It also includes drinks, for instance, milkshakes, and soft drinks. ORIGIN OF FAST-FOOD The ‘fast’ in fast food is there for a reason. It is designed to serve the customer as quickly as possible. In order to do this, fast foods are highly processed with standardized ingredients, cooking and production methods. History Indian fast food The fast food industry in India has evolved with the changing lifestyles of the young Indian population. The sheer variety of gastronomic preferences across the regions, hereditary or acquired, has brought about different modules across the country. Popular formats of fast food business in India have the following features in common: * Wide opening on the road side * Easy to maintain and durable decor * A cash counter where food coupons are sold * A food delivery counter which invariably is granite topped. Additional counters for Ice Creams, Chaats, Beverages etc. * A well fitted kitchen located so as to be visible to the customers * Tall tables, usually of stainless steel, where one can eat while standing * A drinking water fountain adorned with a water filter * Rust-proof and non-breakable crockery Food courts Another concept of fast food that is becoming popular is that of Food Courts. It is like putting together a number of Darshinis serving different cuisines under one roof. Here also one has to purchase coupons and collect the food from one of the several counters. Each one of these counters serves specific variety of food and may be owned by different individuals or caterers. Food Courts are normally located on much bigger premises and may provide seating facility in addition to the stand and eat arrangement. Typically one entrepreneur owns or takes on lease the entire premises and promotes the place under one name. He then lets out individual counters to different independent operators to offer different menu. Internal competition is avoided by not allowing more than one counter to offer similar food. Several international fast food chains like Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s and Barista Coffee have their outlets in major cities. Cafe Coffee Day, again a brainchild of Bangalore based businessman, is the only Indian chain which boasts of hundreds of outlets and is present across India. But then it is classified more as a coffee shop than a fast food place. Varieties of food offered The kind of food they offer as of date could be just anything and everything. Preference of the local population and the location of the outlet influence the menu more than anything else. Some of the popular dishes offered at Indian fast food outlets are: (Most preferred in Mumbai city) 1] vada pav 2] dosa 3]samosa 4] pav bhaji 5] chat: pani puri, ragda pattice, bhel etc. 6] sandwich 7] pizza 8] burger & chips 9]Frankie & rolls 10] hot dogs etc.. Disadvantages of Fast Food Although it is convenient, fast and tasty, the many disadvantages of fast food should discourage people from indulging in eating this type of fare on a regular basis. Unfortunately, marketers target the youngest of the population, enticing our next generation to eat unhealthy with dire consequences ahead of them. Fast food is a relatively new interference in our dietary habits, having only been popular for about the past 60 years. Coinciding with the rising popularity of the automobile, fast food restaurants are believed to have originated in California to take advantage of a growing population of mobile individuals. The preface of the industry was a sound one, and a plethora of businesses offering a diverse assortment of foods served quickly and with few frills soon emerged across the United States. The main principle behind fast food is that the food is served fast, hence the name. Eating on the run has become a familiar and all too convenient course in the busy lives of people in the United States. Whether the food is hamburgers, chicken, pizza, Mexican fare, fish or salads, there is generally something on the menu for each member of the family for a fraction of the cost of preparing it homemade. Added to these attributes is the fact that this food does indeed taste delicious. The disadvantages of fast food, however, greatly outnumber the convenience, availability and speed of the fare; especially when the indulgence for the food occurs on a regular basis. Fat is probably the number one issue with fast food products. Considering the fact that the average human should have no more than 65 grams of fat each day, choosing a value meal at a fast food restaurant that includes a large hamburger, a large order of French fries and a beverage which combined contains at least 63 grams of fat is an obviously unhealthy choice for a meal. Unless each of the remaining two meals consumed that day were totally lacking in fat, these numbers would soon add up to extra unwanted pounds. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a fish or chicken sandwich would be a better choice, even though these foods are touted as being healthy. Many of the fish and chicken offerings at a fast food restaurant have a higher fat content than is found in a hamburger purchased at the same joint when breaded and fried. The calories consumed in a fast food meal are equally as damaging to our health. Unless our energy output is greater than the calories we take in, our weight begins to edge up the scale. As excess fat accumulates on our frames, it begins to take a toll on our heart, blood pressure and blood sugar. Most kids need only 2,000 calories per day, while adults require even less. Yet just one fast food hamburger can carry up to 750 calories, not to mention the French fries which carry at least another 350 calories. More and more children are beginning their lives obese because of poor food choices and lack of exercise. Another disadvantage of fast food is the breakdown of family life. A family together in the kitchen, preparing dinner, is an opportunity to bond and communicate. Eating on the run means less time spent around the dinner table, where the day’s experiences are shared with other members of the family. Fast food is certainly an occasional fun treat, and there are healthy menu choices. Sadly, too many people visit too often, with unwholesome results and bad habits setting the stage for health disasters for our young people. What is fast food and why is it so popular? Fast food is any food that is quick, convenient, and usually inexpensive. You can buy fast food just about anywhere that sells food and snacks. Vending machines, drive-thru restaurants, and 24 hour convenience stores are probably the most common places to find fast food. It’s so popular because for under $5. 00 you can usually get a filling meal. However, fast food is inexpensive because it is usually made with cheaper ingredients such as high fat meat, refined grains, and added sugar and fats, instead of nutritious foods such as lean meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables.