Audrey Reed
A&E Editor
Fast food is the epitome of America. It’s fast, it’s cheap. Most of all, it tastes good and a vast majority of people like it, a lot.
But despite fast food’s popularity, health gurus, nutritionists and even ordinary people are outraged at the fast food industry for making us one of the fattest nation in the world.
Pulling up to a drive-through window at a fast-food restaurant has changed. Now, instead of hamburgers and fries, customers have more options, and healthier ones. Pitas, salads and grilled chicken appeal to those watching fat, calories and carbohydrates.
This is a step in the right direction for these restaurants. McDonald’s flagship sandwich, the Big Mac, contains 600 calories. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the average person should consume about 2,000 calories each day. So eating one BigMac, not including french fries or a drink, is a little more than one-third of someone’s calorie allotment for the day.
But why did these companies make the switch to serving healthier menu items?
On their Web site, McDonald’s has nutritional information for all food they sell and even a calculator to add up all the nutritional information of combo meals. This is another step in the right direction. They also have a statement that says nutritionists believe McDonald’s can be part of a balanced diet if used in moderation and in variety.
Judging by some of recent advertising by fast food companies, these moves have no basis in the interest of health, as McDonald’s may have you believe. I recently spotted a billboard sign for McDonald’s that said, “I’m always hungry. Exit #103.” I must say this worked, and I thought to myself, “Sign, you’re right, I am hungry!” and I stopped for a meal. But this advertisement does not go along with the statements on the Web site of moderation.
Another fast food restaurant, Arby’s, has a sign inside the restaurant that says, “See you again tomorrow.” This advertising contradicts the statements on the company’s Web site about nutrition. The Web site says Arby’s can be part of a balanced diet. Eating at the same place everyday as the sign implied, no matter what is being eaten, is not a good step towards a balanced diet.
The Arby’s nutritional Web site also features all the salads they offer. No other food is featured, just the salads the public considers are healthy.
Instead of calling McDonald’s and Arby’s evil and saying they have no conscience, we should learn from this that the only person who will look out for health are those who aren’t selling food.
For example, no one looks to a car salesmann to inform him of the most reliable or safest car on the market, because of course he would choose the car he was selling. He would also try to sell you an extra set of tires, leather seats and a sunroof, sort of like more french fries, a shake and extra cheese.
We can’t forget these restaurants are open to make a profit for themselves and their shareholders. The only reason they have these nutrition calculators and statements saying you can be healthy and eat McDonald’s is to sell more of their products.
At this time when health and diet are increasingly becoming public concerns, fast food restaurants may sell products that are indeed healthy.
However, when nutrition awareness goes down or when low-carbohydrate diets are out of style, restaurants will change their menus again to mirror what the public craves.
08-30-2004