5 Fast Food Myths Most Americans Still Believe (And the Truth)

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5 Fast Food Myths Most Americans Still Believe (And the Truth)

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Image Credits: Wikimedia; licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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Myth 1: McDonald’s Salads Were Actually Healthy Options

Myth 1: McDonald's Salads Were Actually Healthy Options (image credits: flickr)
Myth 1: McDonald’s Salads Were Actually Healthy Options (image credits: flickr)

Here’s something that might shock you – those McDonald’s salads you thought were the healthy choice? They weren’t exactly the nutritional powerhouses people believed them to be. McDonald’s removed salads from national menus in 2020 to help simplify restaurant operations, and in 2022, the chain gave its franchise operators the option of serving pre-made salads but many decided not to. But here’s the real kicker: many of those salads packed just as many calories as a Big Mac.

The Southwest Salad with Chicken, for instance, often contained more than 500 calories when you added the dressing and toppings. For others, it may have been more of a way to feel like they were eating healthy, even if they weren’t. The reality is that fast food salads were often loaded with high-calorie dressings, fried chicken, cheese, and croutons that completely negated any health benefits from the lettuce and vegetables.

The chain has concluded that when people go to McDonald’s, they mostly want a burger and fries, and what their experience has proven is that’s not what the consumer’s looking for from McDonald’s. So when you were ordering that salad thinking you were making a healthier choice, you were often consuming just as many calories as if you’d ordered a regular burger.

Myth 2: People Can Accurately Estimate Fast Food Calories

Myth 2: People Can Accurately Estimate Fast Food Calories (image credits: stocksnap)
Myth 2: People Can Accurately Estimate Fast Food Calories (image credits: stocksnap)

Think you know how many calories are in your favorite fast food meal? Think again. Two thirds of all participants underestimated the calorie content of their meals with approximately one quarter underestimating the calorie content by at least 500 calories, with participants consuming high calorie meals underestimating by a greater amount than small calorie meals. That’s not a small miscalculation – that’s being off by nearly a quarter of your entire daily caloric needs!

The research gets even more interesting when you break it down by restaurant. Underestimation was greater among Subway diners than at any other chain, with adults and adolescents eating at Subway underestimating by 20% and 25% more than those at McDonald’s. This phenomenon is known as the “health halo” effect, where restaurants perceived as healthier lead people to drastically underestimate calories.

Compared to the actual nutritional content, all groups underestimated calories in these meals by at least 170, with adolescents missing the mark the most, estimating over 250 fewer calories than the actual number. So the next time you think you’re being careful about calories, remember that your brain is probably playing tricks on you.

Myth 3: Fast Food Chains Use Corn Syrup Just Because It’s Cheaper

Myth 3: Fast Food Chains Use Corn Syrup Just Because It's Cheaper (image credits: unsplash)
Myth 3: Fast Food Chains Use Corn Syrup Just Because It’s Cheaper (image credits: unsplash)

You’ve probably heard that fast food restaurants use high-fructose corn syrup because it’s dirt cheap, and while that’s partially true, there’s a more calculated reason behind it. Most soft drinks contain a high level of high-fructose corn syrup, which is not only bad for your teeth, but also leaves you wanting more, with the blood sugar spikes that follow these drinks making you feel dehydrated, ironically making you want another drink.

It’s like a perfectly designed cycle of craving and consumption. Research shows that excess availability of corn syrup led to a significant drop in prices, which meant fast food chains could save money by switching to corn-based ingredients. But the side effect – creating a product that literally makes you crave more – was likely not lost on these companies.

This isn’t just about saving money; it’s about creating repeat customers who physically crave their products. The next time you find yourself inexplicably thirsty after a fast food meal, remember that it’s not just the salt making you reach for another drink.

Myth 4: Eating Fast Food Only Affects Your Weight

Myth 4: Eating Fast Food Only Affects Your Weight (image credits: pixabay)
Myth 4: Eating Fast Food Only Affects Your Weight (image credits: pixabay)

Most people think fast food’s biggest crime is making you gain weight, but the damage goes way deeper than your waistline. One study found that about 90% of adults underestimated how much sodium was in their fast food meals, with their guesses being lower than the actual sodium content by more than 1,000 mg. That’s nearly half your daily recommended sodium intake in estimation error alone!

Obesity increases your risk of respiratory problems, including asthma and shortness of breath, with the extra pounds putting pressure on your heart and lungs, and symptoms may show up even with little exertion, including difficulty breathing when walking, climbing stairs, or exercising. Your body becomes a machine working overtime just to perform basic functions.

But it gets worse. Research from 2018 suggested that eating a Western diet high in red meat, takeout, and refined foods was linked to a higher body mass index and inflammation in 14-year-old participants, which was then associated with depressive symptoms and mental health issues when they were 17 years old. Your teenage fast food habits could literally be rewiring your brain for depression years later.

Myth 5: Small Frequent Meals from Fast Food Boost Your Metabolism

Myth 5: Small Frequent Meals from Fast Food Boost Your Metabolism (image credits: By Theipu, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81540616)
Myth 5: Small Frequent Meals from Fast Food Boost Your Metabolism (image credits: By Theipu, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81540616)

Here’s a myth that sounds so logical it’s easy to believe: eating smaller, more frequent meals will rev up your metabolism and help you burn more calories throughout the day. The idea behind this myth is that eating small, frequent meals could boost your metabolism so you burn more calories, however, studies show that splitting the same number of calories into six meals rather than three does not help with daily energy expenditure, weight loss or fat loss.

The research actually shows the opposite might be true. University of Colorado researchers found that those who ate smaller, more frequent meals ended up feeling hungrier than their counterparts who ate less often, and in the real world, if people are told to eat five or six small meals, they are just going to eat more, or eat more of the wrong things. Your body doesn’t magically burn more calories just because you’re eating more often.

This myth is particularly dangerous when applied to fast food because it gives people permission to visit drive-throughs multiple times per day under the guise of “boosting metabolism.” The truth is simpler and less convenient: only a positive energy balance, where an individual consumes more calories than they expend on average, over time, causes weight gain.

Myth 6: Grilled Options Are Always Healthier

Myth 6: Grilled Options Are Always Healthier (image credits: pixabay)
Myth 6: Grilled Options Are Always Healthier (image credits: pixabay)

Walk into any fast food restaurant and you’ll see “grilled” options marketed as the healthy choice. But this assumption can lead you astray faster than you’d think. Many fast food grilled items are pre-marinated in high-sodium, high-sugar sauces that pack on calories and sodium before they even hit the grill. A grilled chicken sandwich might sound virtuous, but it often contains just as much sodium as its fried counterpart.

The real problem lies in portion sizes and preparation methods. One study found that between 1986 and 2016, portion sizes and the number of calories in restaurant entrées and desserts increased significantly. Even when you choose grilled over fried, you’re still dealing with supersized portions that can easily contain a full day’s worth of calories.

Plus, the sides that come with these “healthy” grilled options are often the same calorie-dense fries, onion rings, or loaded mashed potatoes. Grilling the protein doesn’t magically make the entire meal healthy, especially when it’s drowning in creamy sauces or served alongside deep-fried accompaniments.

Myth 7: Fast Food Is Only Bad If You Eat It Every Day

Myth 7: Fast Food Is Only Bad If You Eat It Every Day (image credits: stocksnap)
Myth 7: Fast Food Is Only Bad If You Eat It Every Day (image credits: stocksnap)

Many people operate under the assumption that occasional fast food won’t hurt them – it’s only a problem if you’re eating it constantly. While moderation is generally good advice, the impact of even occasional fast food consumption might surprise you. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 36.6% of adults consumed fast food on any given day between 2013 and 2016, meaning that on any given day, one out of three Americans will choose to eat at a fast food restaurant.

On days when they report eating fast food, adults consume 205 more calories, and children and adolescents consume 155 more calories than on days when they do not eat fast food. That’s not just the fast food meal itself – it’s how fast food changes your eating patterns for the entire day. The high sodium and sugar content can trigger cravings that last for hours.

Fifty excess calories per day, over and above your basic metabolic needs, over a 10-year period, adds about 50 pounds of extra body weight, with the excess weight increasing the risk of multiple chronic illnesses, cancers, and taking many years of life away from the individual. Even that “occasional” fast food meal can have cumulative effects that compound over time.

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