The typical fast food chains contain foods laced with saturated fats, sugar and salt. They market and package their foods in order to trick you, the consumer, into buying them on a daily basis. The goal of large fast food chains and snack brands is to make eating their foods more appealing and habit forming. In order to do this they layer their foods with salt, sugar and fat. One example is the snickers candy bar with high fructose chocolate, caramel and salt covered peanuts. They make it hard to eat just one! Another is the bacon cheeseburger with a soft, white flour bun, sweet pickles and salty ketchup or secret sauce topping. Don't forget the order of salty french fries and large cola for an extra couple of dollars. All perfectly combined into a convenient and easy to eat package of tasty, addictive and artery clogging goodness!
These companies have discovered the key to making us all into food addicts. I purpose that we resist their clever tactics. Put down the takeout menus, erase that big yellow arch from your brains and make a promise to yourself the next time you have lunch or a snack that you are prepared. In the next blog, I will provide you with some helpful heart healthy lunch and snack ideas.