Tag Archives: fast food

Fast Food Can Make Us Depressed

Ever suspected that your food may be affecting the way you feel? Namely, your mood? Well new research out of Spain has confirmed a link between fast food consumption and depression. Even though fatty foods can temporarily boost our mood, the longterm affects are doing more harm than good on our mental – and physical – health.

The study observed 8,964 participants over the course of six months, especially taking into account their eating habits. Researchers found that those who consumed fast food were 51 percent more likely to develop depression. And among that group, those who ate more fast food were at even greater risk for suffering from depression.

The study also revealed the type of person who is most likely to be a junk food eater. Researchers found a trend among single, inactive people with poor eating habits, such as eating minimal fruit, nuts, fish, vegetables and olive oil. This demographic, said researchers, also tended to be smokers who worked more than 45 hours a week. (more…)

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Dana

Ask Fast Food Employees for the Inside Scoop on Menu Ingredients and Preparation

When you are in a rush and hungry, we’re all guilty of turning to fast food. It is quick and convenient. However, it’s anything but healthy.

People hear the horror stories about fast food chain employees who tamper with food. Just last week, one diner found a finger at Arby’s. Yet, we rarely get to hear about what is actually in our food. Most employees are preparing food in a harmless fashion for consumers. They get to see all the content that goes into a one-dollar hamburger. This isn’t another article about the terrible things employees do to food, instead it is about how people are blinded by marketing tactics and advertisements.

A recent thread on Reddit asked restaurant employees to share what they know about the preparation, ingredients, and processing of the foods they served. (more…)

Posted on May 22, 2023 by Samantha

Baked Sweet Potatoes at Wendy’s are a Fast Food Must

A commercial for three new sides at Wendy’s caught my attention this weekend. They lead with macaroni and cheese, my “desert island” food of choice; then, chili cheese fries; and rounded out the trio with a baked sweet potato. Now we’re talking!

Baked sweet potatoes are one of my very favorite foods. Particularly, I love them for lunch. In fact, they are a staple around the DietsInReview.com office; someone is always warming one up at noon. I usually bake two or three over the weekend and then take halves to work each day (perfect with my black bean turkey chili). Now, it’s good to know if I forget and really need something healthy and quick, Wendy’s can take care of me.

Leery of even the healthiest foods at a fast food restaurant, I went straight to the restaurant’s web site. There I learned I have nothing to fear, except maybe the cinnamon butter spread.

The potato itself is listed as just a sweet potato, no other additives. They bake this for an hour in each store, and then serve it to you piping hot. It has 260 calories, 0 grams of fat, 9 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, and more than 1000% of your daily need for vitamin A. These are the nutritional stats for any sweet potato. The ten-ounce sweet potato that they serve (or .6 pounds) is a whopper of a potato; it’s a full four ounces heavier than what is considered a large sweet potato. (more…)

Posted on May 8, 2023 by Natalie K

Domino’s Pizza Introduces Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Finally, some news gluten-free dieters – and pizza lovers – can rejoice over. Domino’s – the world’s largest delivery pizza chain – is announcing today that it’s planing to sell a pizza made with gluten-free crust. This decision comes after many customers began requesting a gluten-free option from the pizza giant.

“We are the first national pizza delivery chain to offer this,” said Domino’s CMO Russel Weiner. He does note, however, that while the crust is entirely gluten-free, it is baked in ovens with pizzas containing gluten, so those who are extremely gluten sensitive should be cautious.

The pizza crust is made from rice flour, potato starch, rice starch and olive oil, and costs $12 – which is about $3 more than their regularly priced pies, as most gluten-free products cost more than their gluten-containing counterparts.

Domino’s reportedly worked with the national Foundation for Celiac Awareness to bring the organization’s standards to their kitchens and employees. Alice Bast, president of the foundation, says that gluten free is becoming a selling point, and that the number one request they get from gluten-free customers is for gluten-free pizza and beer. (more…)

Posted on May 7, 2023 by Dana

Pizza Hut Takes Fast Food Too Far With New Cheeseburger Stuffed Crust Pizza

To say Pizza Hut is going a little overboard with their new stuffed-crust trend is a gross understatement. And the gross is implied in more ways than one. 

Still on the wake of rolling out their hot-dog stuffed crust pizza in the U.K., the fast food giant is staying on theme and introducing a entirely new variety of stuffed crust pizza: The Crown Crust, which got its name from its ‘crown-like’ appearance.

This new menu item features the customer’s choice of either mini cheeseburgers or chicken nugget-like ‘gems’ stuffed around the crust. The cheeseburger variety comes with beef, veggies, and Pizza Hut’s special sauce. And the chicken version comes with barbecue sauce and green peppers.

This new pizza is currently only available in the Middle East, and we hope it stays that way. The U.S. doesn’t need another fast food nightmare to fend off. We’re still coming to terms with the hot dog-stuffed pizza and Burger King’s Bacon Sundae – both of which took fast food to new epically disastrous proportions. (more…)

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Dana

Fast Food in the U.S. Contains More Salt Than in Other Countries

Before you eat that chicken nugget, you might want to think first. Because it may just have sky high salt content, especially if it’s produced in the U.S.

A new study has been released that set out to examine the salt levels for products offered at fast food chains, including Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Subway.

The objective was formed after several fast food companies made commitments to reduce the salt levels in their food, but later cited ‘technical issues’ as the reason they couldn’t follow through with their promise and make any substantial reductions.

The study – conducted by lead author Elizabeth Dunford, the global database manager for the Australian branch of World Action on Salt and Health – compared the salt content of various food items from fast food restaurants in six countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Canada and New Zealand. Results showed that the U.S. reigned supreme when it came to overly-salty foods. Canada ranked not far after, and France and the U.K. came out on top with the lowest overall rankings. (more…)

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Dana

Burger King Rolls out New Bacon Sundae at Select Locations

As the self proclaimed queen of ice cream in my family, I’ve tried some pretty out there flavors over the course of my life. Cappuccino chocolate chunk, bubblegum, birthday cake, french toast; my adventurous palette has never led me astray!

But I just don’t get the whole bacon in dessert thing – it doesn’t seem right. Bacon belongs on my breakfast plate next to my eggs, toast and and coffee – not on my ice cream sundae. But, if Burger King has anything to say about it, that’s exactly where it belongs.

The fast food giant has introduced a bacon sundae that features vanilla soft serve, chocolate sauce and several pieces of crispy bacon. The over-the-top treat will set customers back about $2.49 and is only available at a handful of locations in Nashville, Tennessee.

Company spokesperson Randi Farynyk told NPR that “The company is currently testing menu items in a small sampling of U.S. restaurants. The brand does not have plans to expand the test to additional markets at this time.” (more…)

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Dana

The AHA Aims to Create a ‘Culture of Health’ in Hospitals

Giving a sick child a cup of vanilla ice cream. That, I get. But greasy hamburger and french fry joints lining the walls of hospital cafeterias? That’s where they lost me. And apparently, others are beginning to see the irony in this set up, too. Including the American Hospital Association (AHA) itself.

In 2024, John Bluford – CEO of Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri – and fellow members of the AHA, announced a call to action that was a bold push for hospital to be leaders in ‘creating a culture of health’ among its communities. And one of those ‘pushes’ included ousting fast food restaurants from their cafeterias, including McDonald’s and Pizza Hut.

According to the full report, one of the top motivators for hospitals to improve their image, as well as their health and wellness program is to be an example of health to their community. Because after all, if anyone should be promoting health, shouldn’t it be them?

The AHA views hospitals and their employees as key players in their communities because of their leadership and mission, saying, “It is paramount for hospital and health system employees to lead the way and serve as role models for healthy living and fitness for their communities.” (more…)

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Dana

Burger King’s New Menu Isn’t Any Healthier

Fast food giant Burger Kingis launching 10 new menu items as an attempt to gain back their place as the number two fast food burger chain after being edged out by Wendy’s last year. This is the first time since opening in 1954 that Burger King has undergone a menu expansion of this size. When you see the new items on Burger King’s menu, you might think you wandered into a McDonald’s. The new items Burger King is offering bear a striking resemblance to items that number one burger chain McDonald’s has introduced over the past few years. Burger King now offers chicken strips, caramel frappe coffees, Caesar salads and strawberry-mango smoothies.

There’s no denying that Burger King’s previous stance to cater to young men in their menu offerings has seen a struggle recently. Between a down economy and people looking for healthier options, Burger King’s focus on big beefy burgers has helped contribute to lax sales. “Consumers wanted more choices,” said Steve Wiborg, president of Burger King’s North America operations. “Not just healthy choices, but choices they could get at the competition.” The new menu items offer consumers those choices as well as some healthier options than the standard Whopper and fries. (more…)

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Descygna

Jack in the Box’s Bacon Shake is a Nutrition Nightmare

It seems everywhere you turn, bacon is showing up from the typical morning fare to the not-so-typical places, like donuts or dipped in chocolate. Wherever you’re finding it, one thing’s for certain, bacon is on the scene.

Many say social media has led to a re-birth of bacon and its popularity. Others call it “hipster food.” Whatever the reason for its popular status, bacon today has outdone itself. Jack in the Box introduced its limited time Bacon Shake and those who don’t much notice fat and calories could not be happier.

The shake is being offered as an un-listed menu item. Those looking to try the meat shake will have to ask for it. Before anxious bacon lovers head to their nearest Jack in the Box they may want to know what their dealing with, though.

According to the Jack in the Box website, the bacon shake is made with real vanilla ice cream, bacon flavored syrup, whipped topping, and of course, a maraschino cherry on top. True bacon lovers may be put off by the fact that the shake is flavored with an artificial bacon syrup and not the real deal, but the syrup and flavor should be the least of any one’s concerns.

(more…)

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Lacy

Freshly Grilled Chicken? Try Factory Charred

grilled chicken sandwichGrilled chicken is a food that’s often recommended as part of weight-loss plans, because it’s low in fat and high in protein, which helps promote satiety. However, that seemingly innocent chicken breast you ordered at Subway or Burger King is not really the healthy item it masquerades as, despite the grill marks on the meat.

That’s because few fast food restaurants are willing to actually grill. Instead, these chicken breasts are cooked with an industrial process and branded with char marks to make it appear as if the meat might have once touched a grill. The only major fast food chains we know of to actually grill its chicken are Chick-fil-A and Chipotle, while McDonald’s, Subway, Wendy’s, Burger King and Taco Bell all opt for fake char marks.

(more…)

Posted on January 27, 2024 by Health Buzz