Before you go saying you are a pro at getting your money’s worth when purchasing items, put the McDonald's hamburger down and let’s talk about why you may not be getting the best product you can be for your five dollar meal.
Whether you are convinced that you would rather save time and spend five dollars for a meal than prepare a meal in your own kitchen, convience should never sway your decision when your health is at risk. Some of you reading this may be firm believers that fast food is not that bad and that it’s a cheap and easy way to feed your family, but when is the last time you asked yourself, “Why is fast food so cheap?” I asked myself this question and this is what I discovered.
First off, here are some shocking facts that should help you to understand some of the reasons as to why it is that fast food is so cheap:
These two quotes tell you everything you need to know about consuming these “meats” that fast food restaurants advertise as 100% beef. Only about 12% of the entire patty is actually meat; the rest, water, bone, cartilage, and plant material.
*Misc. includes: bone, cartilage, plant material and pink slime content.
Whether you are convinced that you would rather save time and spend five dollars for a meal than prepare a meal in your own kitchen, convience should never sway your decision when your health is at risk. Some of you reading this may be firm believers that fast food is not that bad and that it’s a cheap and easy way to feed your family, but when is the last time you asked yourself, “Why is fast food so cheap?” I asked myself this question and this is what I discovered.
First off, here are some shocking facts that should help you to understand some of the reasons as to why it is that fast food is so cheap:
- “… Fast food items are cheap and mass produced, so they are pumped full of flavor enhancers and coloring to make this cheap food appealing and edible to consumers” (Cardiff).
- 'Water content by weight ranged from 37.7% to 62.4% (mean, 49%). Meat content in the hamburgers ranged from 2.1% to 14.8% (median, 12.1%). The cost per gram of hamburger ranged from $0.02 to $0.16 (median, $0.03) and did not correlate with meat content…Approximately half of their weight is made up of water. Unexpected tissue types found in some hamburgers included bone, cartilage, and plant material…” (Prayson).
These two quotes tell you everything you need to know about consuming these “meats” that fast food restaurants advertise as 100% beef. Only about 12% of the entire patty is actually meat; the rest, water, bone, cartilage, and plant material.
*Misc. includes: bone, cartilage, plant material and pink slime content.
In an article written in February 2012, researchers revealed:
· “Last week, McDonald’s announced that they would stop using ammonia-treated trimmings in their hamburgers. Dubbed “pink slime” by a USDA microbiologist, ammoniated beef is one of many surprises found in fast food burgers (Greger).”
Ammonia, the gas that’s used in some household and industrial-stength cleanering solutions, when mixed with water, creates ammonium hydroxide, or for lack of better words, a detrimental combination that can cause severe health issues.
*Here’s a look at some pink slime, a mixture of ammonium hydroxide and meat trimmings, something other than meat and water that was in a burger at a McDonalds near you!
This quote explains exactly what is harmful and the effects it has on the consumer after prolonged periods of time, or after continuously consuming these products.
· “Last week, McDonald’s announced that they would stop using ammonia-treated trimmings in their hamburgers. Dubbed “pink slime” by a USDA microbiologist, ammoniated beef is one of many surprises found in fast food burgers (Greger).”
Ammonia, the gas that’s used in some household and industrial-stength cleanering solutions, when mixed with water, creates ammonium hydroxide, or for lack of better words, a detrimental combination that can cause severe health issues.
*Here’s a look at some pink slime, a mixture of ammonium hydroxide and meat trimmings, something other than meat and water that was in a burger at a McDonalds near you!
This quote explains exactly what is harmful and the effects it has on the consumer after prolonged periods of time, or after continuously consuming these products.
- " While human exposure to ammonia gas itself is extremely hazardous to the respiratory tract, it has little effect on digestion since it is a gas. The issue arises when ammonia gas comes in contact with water, like the water within meat. This interaction produces ammonium hydroxide or "ammonia water". Now we have a hazardous gas turned to liquid form that can wreak havoc on the human body… The human digestive system is basically one long mucous membrane from mouth to finish. Repeated or prolonged exposure to ammonium hydroxide can lead to health deterioration through accumulation within human organs (Zagst).”
And what’s even more scary is that ammonia is not the only harmful substance in fast food burgers… Take a look at some other harmful chemicals in fast food such as: sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium disodium, propylene glycol, disodium phosphate, benzoyl peroxide, and ammonium glycyrrhizin.
Not convincing enough for some of you readers? I’ll try a different approach and give you some facts with a simple Pros and Cons list.
There you have it folks! Everything you need to know about what you’re feeding you and your family! Now you may be wondering what to do with ALL the information that has just been presented to you and here is your answer…. EAT LESS FAST FOOD AND MORE HOME COOKED OR ORGANIC FOODS! You may be spending more money BUT you’ll be so much healthier, and that is really all that should matter, right? Of course your diet isnt going to change immediately but it can change gradually if you really want to be healthy…. That’s the real cost of fast food for you.
Now, how much are you willing to pay?!
Now, how much are you willing to pay?!
Cardiff, Emily. “Addictive Ingredients in Fast Food and Their Effect on Your Body.” Onegreenplanet.org. 9 September 2013. Web. 8 March 2014.
Prayson, Brigid. McMahon, James, Prayson Richard. “Fast Food Hamburgers: What are we really eating?” Sciencedirect.com. December 2008. Web. 8 March 2014.
Greger, Michael Dr. “What’s in a fast Food Burger?” care2.com. 3 February 2012. Web. 1 March 2014.
Zagst, Daniel Dr. naturalnews.com. 10 April 2012. Web. 1 March 2014.
Prayson, Brigid. McMahon, James, Prayson Richard. “Fast Food Hamburgers: What are we really eating?” Sciencedirect.com. December 2008. Web. 8 March 2014.
Greger, Michael Dr. “What’s in a fast Food Burger?” care2.com. 3 February 2012. Web. 1 March 2014.
Zagst, Daniel Dr. naturalnews.com. 10 April 2012. Web. 1 March 2014.