The relationship between diet and health is one of the most curious and researched subjects. With modern life and intense work tempo, there have been serious changes in our eating habits. The most obvious of these changes is the increase in the rate of meals eaten away from home. When it comes to eating out, fast-food places and restaurants come to mind. As a result of research on eating habits so far, the meaning of the word “fast food” has become “bad eating habits”. So, how innocent is the habit of eating in restaurants?
Calorie intake and food quality depend on the quality of the food and where it is consumed. The study, published July 1 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared restaurant and fast-food meals in terms of daily energy and nutrients.
Within the scope of the study, 18 098 Americans aged 18 and over were followed in terms of daily total calories and 24 essential nutrients. Eating habits away from home (fast-food or restaurant) versus consumption of food/beverage at home were examined.
According to the results of the study, it was found that consuming food/beverage in fast-food and restaurant significantly increased the total amount of energy taken daily. In addition, a significant increase was found in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and salt intake.
As a result, options other than eating at home seem similarly unhealthy. For this reason, not only fast food consumption should be targeted for healthy nutrition, but also policies should be developed for restaurants to improve food quality and content.
Actually, as we all know, it is the healthiest to eat at home. Let’s spend more time at home, let our children get used to eating at home, and let’s make the mother’s taste as indispensable as we can.
