With all the growing concerns about the fast food industry causing the public to be overweight, fast food chains are now being more conscious in what they serve. There has been a significant shift as an increasing amount of fast food chains are making the necessary adjustments to create healthier meals for their diners.
But how can you tell whether your favorite fast food is taking steps towards providing healthier menu items? Well, for one, most states now require eateries to include the calorie count on every item in their menus. Some experts might not see it as a useful ruling as people can still choose to ignore the numbers, but it is already a big step. With a growing health trend, fast foods are also trying to entice those who are eating better. To do this, they need to cut down the calories, sugar, carb, and sodium content of their food. They won’t be inviting if their menu items have four digit calorie count, would they?
A growing number of cities are also outlawing trans fats. Philadelphia, New York City, Stamford, and the whole state of California have enforced bans on these bad fats so people will consume less and eat healthier. These legislative efforts are being lauded by most experts as it is a big step in combating obesity.
Chains have also made the move to substitute cheap ingredients with healthier ones. McDonald’s Happy Meals are now serving less french fries and comes with a serving of fruits. They have also replaced soda with milk in order to help curb the obesity crisis among young children. Papa John’s have ditched high fructose corn syrup altogether and are making steps towards removing all artificial ingredients in their menu. Work is still underway, but things are looking up in turning this fast food brand into an all-natural one.
Of course, there’s also the growing trend of fast food chains having a healthy section in their menus. Pizza parlors have done this for the longest time with their vegetarian options, but now other places are following suit. Hardee’s have their “better for you” section while other places will allow you to ask for grilled meats instead of fried ones.
There’s still lot to be desired for fast food chains to be healthy. It might also sacrifice the cheap costs everyone gets to enjoy now, as fresh produce is just costlier by all means. But with the public health on the line, it’s safe to say that things are looking up if you’re looking for an accessible, fast, and affordable place to get food that’s not bad for you.