Takeout Is Good For Your Busy Schedule But Not Your Health, And Here's Why
Time is money in today’s society, and often the two run in tandem. Balancing family, work, and daily to-dos can make cooking meals a thing of the past. How could one possibly find the time, energy, or resources to make dinner in an hour, or more? Enter the best invention known to man: takeout. Order with a few taps on your smartphone and have piping hot food in minutes delivered to your doorstep, ready to eat, all while skipping the chopping, cleaning, and annoying grocery store checkout line.
The Health Cost of Convenience
The problem with takeout food is that you never know how much or what type of ingredients have been added. You aren’t there to see how much oil was heated in the pan, how much salt was shaken over the food, or how heavy-handed the chef was with that creamy sauce. Those little decisions add up quickly. They turn what may seem like an innocuous dinner into a calorie-laden meal with a lot of sodium, sugar, and bad fat.
For instance, a chicken sandwich from a national fast-food chain may have over 500 calories before the fries and drink are factored in. And while some restaurants and takeout chains like McDonald’s post their nutrition information online, which can help you make smart choices, even with that knowledge, those calories can still be too many, enough to tip the scales on an otherwise well-balanced day, especially if you get takeout three or four times per week.
The real problem is that most restaurants and takeout places care most about taste. They want their food to be flavorful so you’ll return the next day. That usually means the food is loaded with butter, oil, sugar, and salt. You likely don’t use all those ingredients in your home cooking, and for good reason. The extra butter, oil, and sugar increase the taste and mouthfeel of the food, but also the calories. The more of these types of ingredients used in your cooking, the less healthy the food is. Long-term, a regular diet of high-calorie foods that are low in nutrients can lead to weight gain, heart disease, and fatigue.
While eating takeout food may be good for your busy life, it’s not doing your health any favors.
Finding a Balance
Of course, this isn’t to say that you should swear off takeout for the rest of your life. Balance is always important when it comes to diet and nutrition. A meal or two from your favorite restaurant isn’t going to hurt you. In fact, it might make you that much more excited about your next homemade creation. The key is to be mindful of how often you order takeout and what you order when you do. Swap fried for grilled options, skip the sugary drinks, and ask for sauces or dressings on the side when possible. You might even try adding a homemade element to your meal, like a fresh salad or steamed vegetables.
Takeout is a miraculous invention that can save you valuable time in your hectic life. It provides flexibility, variety, and convenience when you need it most. But that doesn’t mean it always has your health and well-being as a priority. With just a bit of knowledge and some mindfulness, you can make better choices about the foods you order. Then you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a packed schedule and a healthy body.
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