Heart Healthy Fast Food

With the time pressures facing so many people these days, they are frequently eating on the go. Eating at home is generally healthier than restaurant fare. But it's still possible to make healthy selections if you have to eat fast food. Here are some rules of thumb you should follow as you’re perusing the fast food menu.

A lot of fast food franchises are well aware of the poor reputation that fast food has for clogging up the arteries. To meet the challenge, they have introduced many food choices that are better for you. For instance, many fast food chains now have salads on the menu. All the same, look out for the saturated fat in the dressing. Salads that are garnished with deep fried chicken aren't as heart healthy as the ones containing grilled chicken.

With sandwiches, you need to choose chicken that's grilled instead of deep-fried. Also, asking for lots of veggies on your sandwich is always a good idea. Rather than using mayonnaise for a dressing, choose ketchup or mustard, which are low in saturated fat.

Choose fruit or salad as a side dish rather than fries. So your lunch will be packed full of fiber and vitamins instead of saturated fat. Instead of soda, pick juice or milk to drink with your meal. This will assist in keeping your blood sugar stable and will boost your intake of vitamins and minerals.

When you’re genuinely hungry for a hamburger and French fries, it’s alright to eat them now and then. But be aware of the portion size you're ordering. A lot of fast food restaurants provide servings that are big enough for more than one meal. To reduce the amount of saturated fat in your meal, choose a small hamburger and small fries, or even a kid's meal.

If you’re giving your kids fast food, don't forget that there are often healthy choices like apple slices and mandarin oranges available. Instead of soda, order milk or fruit juice.

If you're dining Mexican, a generally healthy choice is a basic burrito or taco. By loading it up with lots of veggies, you'll be able to raise the fiber content. You might think a taco salad is a good choice, but frequently it's high in calories as well as saturated fat.

If you mostly eat fast food, and you're not choosing the healthier menu options, you're putting your heart health at risk. Your best option is to eat at home. However, if that’s not feasible, why not try the "better for you" choices that are out there.