Fast Food is not the Villain

Varun Ramakrishnan
AP English
Speech to Persuade
We exist in a society that bases itself on appearance. The clothes that we wear, the haircuts we have, and even the whiteness of our teeth all contribute to how we are received by others. A predominant means of judging a person is through their weight. The overbearing feeling an extra pound can have on a person is one that I am all too familiar with. The fear that you are being analyzed, criticized, and ridiculed for being overweight is one that constantly lingered in the back of my mind. Entering my junior year, I weighed slightly over two hundred and thirty pounds. Since then, I have taken it upon myself to change my habits, and as a result, have lost forty two pounds. However, it is through this sobering experience that I came to a rather harsh realization. Majority of us have been raised with the notion that the cause for obesity within our country stems directly from the improper nutrition that is so widely available (fast food). While there is no denying that such food has definitely exacerbated the obesity epidemic, it is unfair to blame it for the issue. You see, fast food is not the problem. In actuality, the problem lies in our society constantly making poor choices in regards to health.
The typical day for the average American is fairly hectic. Between work and dropping your children off at soccer practice, there isn’t an abundance of time available to prepare a quality, home-cooked meal. It is on this basis that eating at fast food restaurant can only be considered reasonable. That being said, it is vital that when eating at such establishments, we take it upon ourselves to configure a decent, nutritious meal. And believe me, it’s entirely possible. Take for example McDonalds, a restaurant chain that has been under heavy scrutiny for its menu options since the beginning of the decade. Most will argue that the company only offers unhealthy food choices such as the infamous Big Mac or the Double Quarter Pounder. Yet, they fail to recognize the plethora of healthier options that exist such as the Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap or the Caesar Salad, both which are less than three hundred calories. It is this ignorance towards the better menu options at fast food restaurants that is ultimately hurting us and unfairly painting fast food as the culprit.
In addition to disregarding the variety of decent food choices available, we also have forgotten that we are capable of exercising control over the foods we eat. Suppose you are craving that Big Mac, but are still worried about the enormous amount of calories you are about to consume. Don’t fret; just remove the condiments you don’t enjoy. By simply ordering a Big Mac without the sauce, you can save over one hundred calories. Or, if you still wish to have some sauce on your burger, order it on the side. This allows you to control the nutrition of your meal, while still ensuring that it is enjoyable.
One of the greatest criticisms people generally have for fast food is that it is extremely high in fats, and therefore is responsible for the numerous ailments associated with obesity. However, this criticism, unbeknownst to most, was developed from the lipid hypothesis, which states that a diet high in fats will cause health problems. Unfortunately, it appears critiques of fast food have been operating on false information, as the lipid hypothesis was proved to be incorrect in the late 2000s. In actuality, obesity related ailments are caused by an existence of high blood sugar that is generally brought on by a heavy consumption of carbohydrates, not fats. Knowing this, a person could technically live a fairly healthy life even if their diet consisted primarily of fast food.
The obesity epidemic is our child. In other words, it is our Frankenstein. We created it, nurtured it, and allowed it to expand because of our reckless habits. Nevertheless, we are still capable of rectifying this problem. If we can effectively manage to practice control over our food and take advantage of the more nutritious options available at the restaurants we eat at, we will be greatly benefitting ourselves.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1.) "Healthy Fast Food: Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices." Helpguide.org: Expert, Ad-free Articles Help Empower You with Knowledge, Support & Hope. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. .
2.) "Calories in McDonald's Big Mac Sauce - Nutrition Facts & Other Nutritional Information | LIVESTRONG.COM." LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition & Fitness Tools | LIVESTRONG.COM. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. .
3.) Fat Head. Dir. Tom Naughton. Perf. Tom Naughton. 2009. DVD.