Fast-food

We live fast, we move in alert rhythms, we hurry, we run through the “speed century” and we don’t have time to do what we want. Alimentation is a subject that raises questions which disturb us. Until recently, it was based on food from a person’s own garden, with meat from animals near his house and with only a few products bought from universal stores. However, today, the eating habits are very different. People, especially children, eat hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries and drink a lot of soda. We are scared because we don’t have time and we have to do more and more things each day. Fast-food is one of the expressions of our hurry. We don’t have time to enjoy a cooked meal. Fast-food is the solution to those who say: “I eat because I need to, it doesn’t matter what, as long as it is fast”. Moreover, fast-food is consistent, so it gives you the impression of having had enough.
What is fast-food after all? It could be described as food prepared fast that must not go bad quickly, must have a good taste and be consistent, with many calories and nutritive additives. You won’t die if you eat one hamburger per week but you will if you eat three daily because this kind of food is characterized by empty calories, which means that they only fatten you, not feed you.
Adriana Beldie, nutritionist, says that fast-food creates digestive problems, high cholesterol levels or blood pressure problems. Obesity is another major issue because it causes heart diseases, diabetes or respiratory pains.

            Fast-food products aren’t even fresh. Before we eat them they are dehydrated, frozen or bottled. They also contain various sorts of chemicals that are very bad for our health.   For example, hamburgers contain 48% water and salads are treated with 11 different types of chemicals in order to look green and fresh for a long time. One of the most dangerous flavors is E621. It attacks our nervous system, eyes, it generates cerebral injures, migraines, cramps or worse, infarct.
            Eggs from fast-food have sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid, monosodium phosphate (all added to preserve color) and nisin, a preservative. To top it off, they are prepared with liquid margarine: liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils (trans fats), salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil (trans fat), soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, and beta carotene (color).
            Coffee has the same list of ingredients: sodium phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, Di-Acetyl Tartrate Ester of Monoglyceride, sodium stearoyl lactylate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, and carrageenan.
            While propylene glycol is considered "GRAS" (Generally Recognized As Safe) for human consumption, it is not legal for use in cat food because its safety hasn't been proven yet. Propylene glycol is also used "As the killing and preserving agent in pitfall traps, usually used to capture ground beetles".
After a careful analysis of the menus from fast-food restaurants, the doctors noticed that the food contains as much salt as sea water. According to Telegraph Daily, the lab tests showed that most of the fast-food contains a double quantity of salt than the one recommended for an adult and four times bigger than admitted for a child.
            E. coli 0157:H7 is one of the worst forms of food poisoning. Usually spread through undercooked hamburgers, it's difficult to treat. Although antibiotics kill the bacteria, they release a toxin that produces dreadful complications. About 4% of people infected with E. coli 0157:H7 develop hemolytic uremic syndrome and about 5% of the children who develop the syndrome die. E. coli 0157:H7 has become the leading cause of renal failure among American kids.
            About one of six American children and teenagers and one of five European children are overweight. We are speaking about 14 million cases. Every year almost 400.000 children develop weight problems. In the past few years, the number of obese children has grown in our country too. 15% of the children with ages between 5 and 11 years are overweight and 5% of them are obese.

            “The younger the child, the more affected he is by this alimentation. Besides the growing weight, a pathology given scarcely by this thing will appear. This way we will have a heart attack at 18 or 20 years old”, says the doctor Constantin Dumitrache.
            Nowadays, children live in a world where it is very easy to buy junk-food instead of fresh fruit, and at school they are encouraged by classmates to eat a fast-food meals and to drink alcoholic beverages underhand. The school plays an important role in children’s life.
            The biggest international trademarks of fast-food from Romania are KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Gregory’s, Pita fun, Snack Attack, Spring Time, Everest, Sheriff’s and Tip Top.

“Bigger doesn’t mean better”- never an extra large portion. If you are very hungry order a simple portion and a big glass of water or ice tea.
“I don’t want cheese”- the cheese is non-organic, it has bad effects on arteries and brings a surplus of calories.
“I want a salad”- instead of French fries, why wouldn’t you have a salad? They are present in every fast-food but be careful for them not to have mayonnaise because then you overcome your purpose.
“Say NO mayonnaise”- many of the foods are served with mayonnaise. It is very rich in fat, cholesterol and calories.
“Without salt”- NO salt and do not add ketchup. Fast food already contains a lot of salt, guilty of retaining water in our body.
“Rice is good”- pick a portion of rice instead of French fries; better a salad with the rice.
“Drink water”- drink two glasses of water 30 minutes before having your meal. You will eat less.
“Without sweets”- skip the dessert and buy a fruit instead. Leave the delicious dessert only for weekends.
“Make your own meal”- a ton salad, a chicken sandwich and integral bread will be perfect for the next day at work. What we can prepare at home has less fat and is healthier.


		Project Description State of health Types Factors that influence it Healthy diet Vegetarian diet Fast-food Drugs Alcohol : our favourite drug Tobacco addiction Stress Spare time Computer & TV The importance of sports Sleep Music The impact of literature Spiritual health Conclusions Actual Activities Local awareness National awareness Interviews Botic Narcise Fedoreanu Tiberiu Tibeica Silvia Prof. Vasile I. Schipor Experience Exchanges Interviews Carol Squier Courtney Hagins Surveys England survey Ireland survey Switzerland survey Iraq survey USA survey Italy survey Bibliography The Team
		Fast-food We live fast, we move in alert rhythms, we hurry, we run through the “speed century” and we don’t have time to do what we want. Alimentation is a subject that raises questions which disturb us. Until recently, it was based on food from a person’s own garden, with meat from animals near his house and with only a few products bought from universal stores. However, today, the eating habits are very different. People, especially children, eat hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries and drink a lot of soda. We are scared because we don’t have time and we have to do more and more things each day. Fast-food is one of the expressions of our hurry. We don’t have time to enjoy a cooked meal. Fast-food is the solution to those who say: “I eat because I need to, it doesn’t matter what, as long as it is fast”. Moreover, fast-food is consistent, so it gives you the impression of having had enough. What is fast-food after all? It could be described as food prepared fast that must not go bad quickly, must have a good taste and be consistent, with many calories and nutritive additives. You won’t die if you eat one hamburger per week but you will if you eat three daily because this kind of food is characterized by empty calories, which means that they only fatten you, not feed you. Adriana Beldie, nutritionist, says that fast-food creates digestive problems, high cholesterol levels or blood pressure problems. Obesity is another major issue because it causes heart diseases, diabetes or respiratory pains. The ideal amount of calories to maintain a healthy body is: 30% fats 40% proteins 30% carbohydrates Fast-food is offering you: 80% fats 20% proteins Fast-food products aren’t even fresh. Before we eat them they are dehydrated, frozen or bottled. They also contain various sorts of chemicals that are very bad for our health. For example, hamburgers contain 48% water and salads are treated with 11 different types of chemicals in order to look green and fresh for a long time. One of the most dangerous flavors is E621. It attacks our nervous system, eyes, it generates cerebral injures, migraines, cramps or worse, infarct. Eggs from fast-food have sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid, monosodium phosphate (all added to preserve color) and nisin, a preservative. To top it off, they are prepared with liquid margarine: liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils (trans fats), salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil (trans fat), soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, and beta carotene (color). Coffee has the same list of ingredients: sodium phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, Di-Acetyl Tartrate Ester of Monoglyceride, sodium stearoyl lactylate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, and carrageenan. While propylene glycol is considered "GRAS" (Generally Recognized As Safe) for human consumption, it is not legal for use in cat food because its safety hasn't been proven yet. Propylene glycol is also used "As the killing and preserving agent in pitfall traps, usually used to capture ground beetles". After a careful analysis of the menus from fast-food restaurants, the doctors noticed that the food contains as much salt as sea water. According to Telegraph Daily, the lab tests showed that most of the fast-food contains a double quantity of salt than the one recommended for an adult and four times bigger than admitted for a child. E. coli 0157:H7 is one of the worst forms of food poisoning. Usually spread through undercooked hamburgers, it's difficult to treat. Although antibiotics kill the bacteria, they release a toxin that produces dreadful complications. About 4% of people infected with E. coli 0157:H7 develop hemolytic uremic syndrome and about 5% of the children who develop the syndrome die. E. coli 0157:H7 has become the leading cause of renal failure among American kids. About one of six American children and teenagers and one of five European children are overweight. We are speaking about 14 million cases. Every year almost 400.000 children develop weight problems. In the past few years, the number of obese children has grown in our country too. 15% of the children with ages between 5 and 11 years are overweight and 5% of them are obese. “The younger the child, the more affected he is by this alimentation. Besides the growing weight, a pathology given scarcely by this thing will appear. This way we will have a heart attack at 18 or 20 years old”, says the doctor Constantin Dumitrache. Nowadays, children live in a world where it is very easy to buy junk-food instead of fresh fruit, and at school they are encouraged by classmates to eat a fast-food meals and to drink alcoholic beverages underhand. The school plays an important role in children’s life. The biggest international trademarks of fast-food from Romania are KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Gregory’s, Pita fun, Snack Attack, Spring Time, Everest, Sheriff’s and Tip Top. Some advice to attenuate or even to avoid the devastation of fast-food meals: “Bigger doesn’t mean better”- never an extra large portion. If you are very hungry order a simple portion and a big glass of water or ice tea. “I don’t want cheese”- the cheese is non-organic, it has bad effects on arteries and brings a surplus of calories. “I want a salad”- instead of French fries, why wouldn’t you have a salad? They are present in every fast-food but be careful for them not to have mayonnaise because then you overcome your purpose. “Say NO mayonnaise”- many of the foods are served with mayonnaise. It is very rich in fat, cholesterol and calories. “Without salt”- NO salt and do not add ketchup. Fast food already contains a lot of salt, guilty of retaining water in our body. “Rice is good”- pick a portion of rice instead of French fries; better a salad with the rice. “Drink water”- drink two glasses of water 30 minutes before having your meal. You will eat less. “Without sweets”- skip the dessert and buy a fruit instead. Leave the delicious dessert only for weekends. “Make your own meal”- a ton salad, a chicken sandwich and integral bread will be perfect for the next day at work. What we can prepare at home has less fat and is healthier.