When in a rush, hungry and need to grab a quick bite to eat, going to a fast food establishment can seem like the best solution. Sound like a familiar situation? When hangry and in a hurry, we don’t have time to sit and question the ins-and-outs of the food we order. Well, the Center for Food Safety did that for us… and the results are eye opening.
The Center for Food Safety analyzed the beef used in burgers at the top fast food burger joints. Out of 25 restaurants, 23 did not claim to use beef that was raised without the use of antibiotics.
Why is this bad?
An antibiotic is a drug used to fight and kill off dangerous microorganisms that cause infection. Like humans, animals who are exposed to antibiotics repeatedly, can build an antibiotic resistance, making the drug useless and ineffective. Exposure to antibiotics, even small, over time leaves an animal unable to fight off infections. This is then carried on to you, the consumer. Now not only are you building up your own antibiotic resistance, but could contract whatever infection the animal extracted along the way.
Antibiotics, despite being easily accessible, should not be taken unless completely necessary. They work to kill or prevent the growth of all bacteria in the gut. This means all good and bad bacteria get completely wiped out in hopes to kill off that one strain that may be causing you to be sick. Your gut is its own ecosystem and it is always important to keep replenishing the good bacteria by taking probiotics, and especially crucial after consuming antibiotics. Have you ever experienced abnormal constipation after taking antibiotics for just a couple days? The imbalance in gut microbiota that antibiotics cause directly affects how you digest food, ultimately slowing it down. This is also happening when unknowingly consuming small amounts of antibiotics over a long period of time. Always be sure to take a daily high quality probiotic, and especially after finishing physician prescribed antibiotics.
The list of fast food establishments that failed include…
McDonald’s
Burger King
Sonic
Jack in the Box
Hardee’s
Whataburger
Carl’s Jr
Five Guys
Culver’s
Steak ‘n Shake
In-N-Out Burger
White Castle
Checkers
Crystal
Smashburger
So what do you do?
The biggest thing you can do is avoid restaurants and products that refuse to disclose whether or not their beef is sourced from cows raised without antibiotics. Whether you are out to eat or at the grocery store this is something to keep in mind when making betr decisions! When in doubt, substitute beef for grilled chicken or veggies in it’s place!
This is where meal planning really comes into play. Avoid resorting to fast food all together by having your meals and snacks planned out in advance and leave little to question. Always have a snack on deck, like fruit and nut mix, when out and about to easily eat on the go!
Price, A. (2018, October 17). SCORECARD: Only 2 of 25 Burger Chains Get ‘A’ For Antibiotic Policy. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/antibiotics-in-beef/?rs_oid_rd=740654230689779&utm_campaign=20181017_week42_morningkit_curated&utm_source=smart blast&utm_medium=email
This Post Has 7 Comments
Very good information.
Before I become associated with Betrhealth- I had no plans.
Now I would rather take the right snacks with me, to hold me over , until I can get where I know the fuel/ food is really good for me.
Thank you.
Sheesh…..🤐
Excellent info, now to not feed my son this as well..
I do not eat at fast food restaurants. However, there is a restaurant called “Super Duper”. I believe that they are located mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area. For breakfast they offer an organic egg sandwiche until 11:30 am, and you can use lettuce as a bun. If you want more protein, you can add a sausage patty, bacon, and avocado. Their hamburger’s are amazing. The beef used comes from sustainably farmed vegetarian fed cows, and is ground daily. You can get the hamburger in a lettuce wrap, instead of a bun. The lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado’s I believe are organic. They even make organic shakes, and soft serve soft serve cones. Besides being healthier, their burgers taste better than In-N-Out. They even have a drive through. So if you are pushed for time, this is a reasonable place to find a healthy alternative to the restaurants listed in this article.
I do not eat at fast food restaurants. However, there is a restaurant called “Super Duper”. I believe that they are located mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area. For breakfast they offer an organic egg sandwiche until 11:30 am, and you can use lettuce as a bun. If you want more protein, you can add a sausage patty, bacon, and avocado. Their hamburger’s are amazing. The beef used comes from sustainably farmed vegetarian fed cows, and is ground daily. You can get the hamburger in a lettuce wrap, instead of a bun. The lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado’s I believe are organic. They even make organic shakes, and soft serve soft serve cones. Besides being healthier, their burgers taste better than In-N-Out. They even have a drive through. So if you are pushed for time, this is a reasonable place to find a healthy alternative to the restaurants listed in this article.
Haven’t been to any of these fast food places I’ve n years. Very good info.
Thanks that is good to know!