Fast food: Is it good for you?

We'll grab fried chicken for lunch, a burrito before driving home, hot dogs while watching TV, a burger and fries for dinner. Can you survive without fast food? Not any more.

With their capacity to supply good-tasting, cheap meals in a rush, fast-food restaurants changed the eating habits of millions of Americans. But most of the foods were high caloric, high fat as well as super sized, while being low in nutrition. The world has finally woken up to the fact that bingeing out on fast food is not healthy.

So is fast-food bad for you?

Some experts say fast food is one of the reasons why America is in the middle of an obesity crisis. It’s high in calories, fat, and sugar, and low in fiber and important nutrients resulting in obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and a range of other diseases. But it’s difficult to completely stop eating something, which smells and tastes so good.

Marketing hype?

Fast food chains are also jumping on the health food bandwagon to lure customers. Take a look at what fast food chains are willing to do to draw consumers,

· McDonald's adult version of the Happy Meal is equipped with a salad, an exercise booklet, and a pedometer to encourage walking. McDonald's also announced that it would also begin working with Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer, Bob Greene, to help give diners a waistline-friendly option.

· Applebee's and Weight Watchers have tied up, in which the popular restaurant chain will offer a menu of leaner fare.

· PepsiCo alerted the media when it removed Trans fats from its Fritos and launched a new line of organic chips.

· Campbell Soup's reminders to "eat smart" with its 31 soups containing fewer than 100 calories per serving.

Do these low fat alternatives work?

Not really, most consumers considered low fat and healthy food as tasteless. This resulted in slumping sales of the healthier alternatives offered by most food chains. Although the perception has now changed, sales of healthy alternatives are still down.

The bottom line

The truth is fast food is popular and here to stay. Food chains have the right to offer both high calories food as well healthier alternatives. After all, for them it’s a question of profit. But the food you put in your mouth is entirely your choice.

So choose: Low fat or high calorie

Do you feel that fast food is the reason for the current obesity epidemic? Are consumers right in suing food companies like McDonalds, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken for the health problems they face because of fast food consumption? What do you think? Share your opinion.