This Online Thread Is Dedicated To Grossly Overrated Fast Food Chains And Here Are 29 Of The Worst Ones

We talked to clinical dietitian Edvardas Grišin and he gave us some amazing insights on this topic. First, we asked him what is his least favorite fast food chain: "There couldn’t be one answer to this question. There are too many of us in the world to be objective at this point. From a nutrition perspective, European-Asian food is the most questionable fast-food chain in Lithuania’s market.

It doesn’t mean that Asian food is somehow unhealthy and bad for people’s health, but in our country, most Asian food lacks authenticity. People associate it only with deep-fried, fructose corn syrup-glazed vegetables, and meat of unknown origin, which is far from reality."

Edvardas Grišin shares if fast food is good or bad: "More than half (or even more) of fast foods served for people are generally nutrient-poor and high in harmful substances for the human body. It is usually calorie-dense, and high in saturated or unsaturated oxidized vegetable fat. The bigger part of its carbohydrate content comes from simple sugars lacking fiber and minerals.

Apart from its nutrient content and quite simple accessibility in whatever part of the world a person is in, fast food drives people to eat this type of food (as the first word of our topic says) very quickly. It is called unconscious eating, when our brain barely realizes the eating process during those 2-3 minutes of hedonic pleasure, which is more or less the time needed to demolish a double patty burger.

All the above-mentioned reasons (nutrient composition and people’s behavior) should at least put a red flag of warning on this type of gastronomic cuisine - high consumption of fast food can have a detrimental negative impact on people’s cardiovascular and metabolic health. Obesity has become the leading chronic disease in the world, which, as we see, is spreading further despite all the government health-promoting policies.

Another question is: Should fast food options always be considered a bad choice? It depends. Nowadays we can find many different new fast-food options around the country. We are delighted to see that they offer more unprocessed, fresh produce for customers. Fast food shouldn’t be always unhealthy. Let’s trade deep-fried vegetables for fresh or lightly pickled ones, mayo for avocado guacamole and we will have a healthy option for ourselves!"

The professional also shares why he thinks fast food is so loved: "The answer is both very simple and complicated. We can say: 'It’s easily accessible and… why not? Because it’s tasty!' On the other hand, what we don’t see is the effects of fast food on our gut and hormone profile.

The newest scientific data shows that poor nutrient-dense food consumption (as fast foods generally are) has a negative impact on gut microflora composition and neurohumoral brain circuits, which are responsible for people's eating behavior. Our brain becomes resistant to stimuli coming from the gastrointestinal tract after nutrients from food get there and, with time, needs even bigger doses of those substances.

In society it’s popular to say 'sugar addiction,' but it's way more than that. Let’s face it - tasty food is a combination of sugars and fats. Pasta isn’t tasty without its sauce, pizza dough is just dough without toppings on it. There will not be one substance to blame, that’s why avoiding sugar and replacing it with sugar substitutes (even calorie-free) won’t give long-term beneficial results.

People have to realize that the food market is growing and sooner or later we will hardly be able to distinguish what is healthy and what is not. That’s why we shout out for people’s education in order to prevent the metabolic disease burden in the world."

Edvardas Grišin also gives some great food and nutrition recommendations for people: "Eat fast food only in critical situations - there are always better food possibilities around us. Even petrol stations nowadays have a wide variety of healthy fast-food ideas, from salads with grilled meat to protein bars or even jerky strips - it will always be a better choice than a hot dog.

Fast food shouldn’t always be bad. Always read the ingredient list of the food that you are heading to buy.If the piece of food that is smaller than your palm has a 20-ingredient list with half of it starting with 'e' - think again whether it is the best option to choose.

Go for quality - not quantity. A family-size pizza with salami and cheese made of vegetable fats won’t be necessarily a better option than a medium one, but with better-quality toppings on it."

"Get your water and fiber in! Even though we eat fast foods, our primary healthy eating habits can’t be forgotten.

Before going to get a fast-food meal, eat a bowl of berries and drink at least 300-400ml of water. Hydration will reduce the sense of hunger and fiber will at least partially prevent digestive disorder risks like bloating which is often a post-meal 'souvenir' in fast food joints.

Don’t forget that more physical activity is the strongest gun we can use to decrease the negative impact of fast food on our well-being. From jogging to weightlifting, skiing or swimming - choose whatever you like and make it happen!"

If you want more tips on healthy eating, visit the Dietology center's Instagram page or contact dietologists Edvardas Grišin or Dalia Petrauskienė directly.