Fast Food: Are You Making the Right Choice?

If you've noticed the recent introduction of rolls, salads and wraps at your favourite fast food outlet - or you've seen their advertising (hard to miss if you watch TV!) - you've quite possibly assumed that these 'non-burger' menu items are healthy and suitable for people trying to control their weight.

But did you know that some of these supposedly 'healthy' items contain more than 20g of fat and over 500 calories? That's as much as a Big Mac!

Read on to learn more about making wise choices.

Read more :

• Fast food know-how
• McDonald's
• Hungry Jack's – Baguettes and Salads
• Subway – Fresh Fit 6" Subs, and Carb-Conscious items
• Red Rooster
• Moral of the story

Fast food know-how

Our tips will help you keep your calorie intake under control without sacrificing your fast food experience:

• Don't be fooled by words like 'fresh' or 'flame-grilled'. Flame-grilled food may be drowned in fat before grilling. And fresh...well that can mean anything! The food could be 'fresh' looking, 'freshly' cooked (in fat!), and so on
  
  
• Skip the mayonnaise, tartare sauce, cheese and other special extras. Add a little mustard or tomato sauce instead if you need a flavour enhancer
  
  
• Most fast food servings are oversized. Boris Kazakov, CalorieKing.com.au dietitian, recommends choosing the smallest serving size. "You can always order more food if you are genuinely still hungry," he reminds us
  
  
• Skip the high-fat side dishes (such as fries, onion rings, or garlic bread), have a garden salad instead, with reduced-fat or non-fat dressing
  
  
• If you must have fries, order the smallest serving size and share them with a friend
  
  
• Order the smallest size soft drink and avoid unlimited refills. Choose water or diet drinks
  
  
• Generally fast foods are high in sodium, so drink plenty of extra water to reduce the effects, such as fluid retention and excessive thirst
  
  
• Watch out for battered, crumbed, or fried ("crunchy"/"crispy") menu items, as these will usually be high in fat and calories
  
  
• Take the 'fast' out of fast food and eat your meal slowly. Enjoy what you're eating and stop when your hunger is satisfied

Although home-prepared foods will usually win out nutritionally over fast foods, sometimes you're pushed for time or on the run and fast food is the most convenient option. So if you do choose fast food, it makes sense to be prepared and know which choices are better for you. The next few sections of this article will help you identify smarter choices.