American Fast Food

The most popular American fast food products are hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and French fries. Fast food has become an important part of the for a long time. In fact, America is called a fast food country due to its strong fast food habits. According to some surveys, Americans spend more money on fast food than on education, new cars and computer software buying; 200 millions of Americans visit fast food restaurants weekly; nearly 90 percents of American children visit McDonald’s every month.

There are several reasons why this is happening. Firstly, as the industrialization and technology keep developing, Americans seem to be much busier with their life. As a result, they pay much less attention and less time for their meals. People need foods which require short time to get but still taste good. And those are exactly the characteristics that fast food has. Secondly, American culture is very individualistic. This individualism results in many people living alone at a very young age.

And those who are single or living alone are more likely to rely on fast food, because they think it is simply a waste of time to spend 45 minutes cooking and cleaning for one or at most two meals for one person. Many in the average households of two, three, or four feel the same way about cooking. Thirdly, fast food is very convenient. They can be packaged and carried everywhere. In addition, you can easily find fast food chains even at mid-night.

Moreover, fast food companies have even simplified the buying process by creating the drive-through restaurants, which allow customers to purchase products without leaving their cars. Next, fast food is usually cheap. It’s affordable for the consumers, especially when the economy is having a difficult time like these days. However, fast food is not good for our health. Fast food nutritional information shows that most meals contain high numbers of calories, saturated and trans-fats. In fact, you can eat all the calories your body needs for the day in one meal.

Furthermore, you will actually receive very little nutrients from all of these calories. The white breads, sugars and animal fats that are packed into most fast foods contain very few vitamins and minerals. Eating these foods with tons of calories and fat on a regular basis leads to obesity. Obesity has become a big problem in America. Americans are heavier and unhealthier than ever before. This has led to millions of people suffering from threatening conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, reduced bone strength and many other health elated problems. For someone who consumes these too much, it may lead to liver failure due to the high amount of fat, salts and oil in it. Too much of fast food on a regular basis can make a person overweight due to the extra calories given in those foods. It affects the concentration levels in studies and other activities too. Although fast food has a lot of bad sides, Americans can not eliminate them due to its conveniences. In short, fast food is an important part of the Food Culture; it has become a way of life for many Americans.