Choosing better on the go
If there is one thing I have learned after over 30 years of studying health and nutrition in and out of school, it is that the field of human nutrition is just that: About humans.
Humans are full of contradictions, addictions, errant assumptions, and traditions which are all either positively impossible to change, or so deeply rooted that they will likely take at least as long to change as they took to form.
Eating habits are rooted in every one of these areas, and so these can only be changed with the will of the individual whose mind is open, in combination with the means and accessibility of better choices. All the evidence in the world will not convince a stubborn, closed-minded person, but even a well-informed and well-intentioned individual cannot eat better if he or she cannot afford or has limited access to better foods. I have heard from numerous people who struggle on low to moderate incomes that they would choose pesticide-free (organic) foods, but they find them to be too costly, especially if feeding a family.
My thought was to meet real people where they are, and help them see that even in less-than-ideal circumstances, such as fast food establishments, there are better and worse choices. Caution is advised because sometimes an item is marketed as healthy, but in fact it is anything but.
We will therefore examine some common options at popular fast food chains. Keep in mind that this is not only an issue of poverty: plenty of well-to-do people stop at fast food drive-thrus because of the convenience, and often because of habit and addiction. No one is above the temptation of convenience that panders to us just the same as any drug pusher. Make no mistake: Food is an addictive drug, no less so than heroin or cocaine.
In this author蘑菇视频 opinion, sugar and sodium are the two biggest offenders at fast food chains. Refined sugar is in the soft drinks, the white bread, the fried potatoes, the dessert cakes and pies, and in many of the sauces including ketchup and the often fake maple syrup. Sodium is heavy in practically all choices, but some are better than others.
When we think fast food, I would bet the majority think McDonalds. One article recently cited Kim Lyons, former trainer on 鈥淭he Biggest Loser,鈥� as choosing as follows at McDonalds:
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich (customized with extra lettuce, tomato ), fruit and walnuts, black coffee (unsweetened). She recommends we 鈥渄itch the top half of the bun to cut back nearly 165 milligrams of sodium, and almost 20 grams of useless carbs.鈥�
I share this practice. Whenever I get a useless white bread encased sandwich at one of these places (which I try to keep to a minimum anyway), I eat it on only one side of the bun. I would still caution that unless and until McDonalds advertises free-range, hormone-free chicken as do places such as Panera Bread and Chipotle, this is not really a 鈥渉ealth鈥� food; it is just a less damaging choice than a farm-raised, fried until it is basically Styrofoam fish sandwich, for instance. You will note that Kim does not get the pasteurized, commercial-farm produced cheese either. That also saves on sodium.
Perhaps a close second in recognizability is Subway. Ingrid Hoffmann, host of 鈥淪imply Delicioso鈥� on the Cooking Channel, chooses a six-inch (not 12-inch) turkey breast sandwich on nine-grain wheat bread. She loads it with 鈥渨ith veggies, avocado and some mustard.鈥�
I like the avocado particularly because it is purely healthy fat. I try to add avocado to my salads or healthy sandwiches whenever possible. The fat in the avocado also helps make the meal more satisfying to fend off cravings longer.
I also choose unsweetened iced or hot tea as often as I can when eating out. If I feel the need for sweetness, I use Stevia, which has no affect on insulin. I don鈥檛 agree with the mashed potatoes because of the simple starch, but I do like that Mike says he 鈥渄ips the fork in the gravy rather than dumping it on鈥 still get a hit of flavor.鈥� That will save on sodium, and possibly sugar as well. Mike removes the skin to save on fat, and this is a very controversial area. Much modern research and literature says that fat is not the enemy. Dr. Eric Berg points out that fat is 鈥渋nsulin neutral.鈥� It is only when combined with sugar which spikes our insulin that fat becomes a concern. In the presence of insulin, we store fat. In the lack of it, we naturally burn it for fuel, and use it to repair and build. So, my version would be to spare the potatoes and eat the skin. Whenever I eat low-carb, I help myself to all the fat my appetite desires.
You can begin to extrapolate some principles here that can be applied to most other fast food choices:
Avoid fried items; avoid or minimize sugars 鈥搕his includes ketchup, white bread, white potatoes, sweetened soft drinks and sweetened desserts; choose smaller portion sizes 鈥� six-inch over 12-inch; small over super-sized, etc.; for meat, choose grilled and baked over fried; choose free-range, hormone-free over typical commercial whenever the option is available; salads are always among the best choices, and many of the chains have kicked up their salad choices 鈥� beware of sugary dressings and white-bread based toppings such as croutons; and minimize bread, especially white breads 鈥� eat open face where possible, thus halving the bread.
In a phrase, its sugar, sodium and useless white carbs, followed by pesticides and hormones.
I really hope these ideas will help people take some difficult to change habits to at least one level better. Be well and go easy on yourself. We were born into a world we did not create.