Myths

There are many myths in the field of fast food. In the course of our entire project, we have searched through numerous myths, and uncovered the truth behind these myths, and have decided to show these few myths to enlighten you.

Myths on Fast Food:

• What experts say about healthy eating
  False - Bit and pieces of what seems to be healthy eating is always being spread around the public. Most of them are believed. However, the true facts on healthy eating have not changed. Take the importance of fruits for example. To this day, everyone agrees that fruits are good for us.

"When we do hear contradictory messages about healthy eating, this is often because new scientific findings tend to be reported in the media before they have been fully researched and without the findings being put into context"

• A burger obtained from a fast-food restaurant is healthy because it balances meat, bread and lettuce!
  Partly True - Most burgers and almost everything else served at fast-food restaurants are very high in fats, calories, and sodium as well. In fact, a large burger, medium-package fries and a small vanilla milkshake can contain up to 1200 calories. This can be an acceptable diet for active, sporty people. However, it is not recommended to be eaten daily!

• Eating a candy bar can give you an energy boost for sports because sugar gives you energy. It is good.
  Partly True -Sugars that can be found in chocolate and cakes are absorbed readily into the blood stream in the body. This can make you feel a quick shot of energy in your system. But after that first rush, your blood sugar drops sharply, and you'll suddenly feel like you have less energy than when you started! An example of this would be a dark chocolate candy bar. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants which fight heart disease, and several stimulants, including caffeine and theobromine, which can make your brain be more active for a while.

Myths on Fat:

• If a label says "low fat" or "reduced fat", then the product will be a healthy choice
  False - A product must have 25% less fat then the original product for it to be deemed as having "reduced fat". However these types of products tend to be "high in fat and energy in the first place", therefore the "reduced" version may still have high amounts of fat and energy. For example, a normal butter product may have 20 grams of fat. A "reduced fat" version can contains15 grams! Fat-free foods can contain no more than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Low-fat foods may contain 3 grams of fat or less per serving.

• Fat free is calorie-free
  False - Some people may believe that eating fat-free foods (e.g. cookies and soft drinks) will not make them gain extra weight. However, these foods may have the exact amount or even more calories then the original product! Fat gives taste to many products. Taking fat from the food can take the taste away as well. To make such foods taste better, extra ingredients are usually be added for better taste (e.g. sugar or flour). These ingredients are high in calories and will still lead to weight gain!

Myths on Sugar:

• Carbohydrates (or sugars) cause weight gain
  Partly True - Carbohydrates do not usually cause weight gain if the person has a regular active lifestyle. However, there are some carbohydrates like those found in refined flour and sugars are filled with calories. These types will definitely increase in weight gain. A diet that maintains weight is higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat.