Do you really know what’s in that burger, fries and fountain drink? Beware, if you read these 5 Freaky Fast Food Facts you’ll never look at fast food the same way again.
- Almost 50% of Fountain Drink Dispensers Have Traces of Fecal Bacteria
You’re telling me the same bacteria on the gas station toilet seat is in my soda??!! Are you kidding me? Afraid not, it turns out that a 2010 study found that nearly 50% of fountain drink dispensers tested positive for coliform bacteria, in other words, fecal contamination. Barf! And that’s not all. The study also found traces of antibiotic-resistant microbes and E.coli on the soda fountains. Whelp! We all knew that soda was bad for you. How’s that for some extra motivation to quit drinking the syrupy calorie-packed brew?
- How Much of That Chicken Nugget… is Meat?
Many fast food chains don’t use 100% meat in their meat and substitute cheaper fillers to save a buck. Burger King uses oats in their chicken nuggets and Taco Bell proudly claims their taco meat is a whole 88% meat, leaving us to wonder, what’s in the other 12%? Scary! But what might be even scarier is that the actual meat used is very low quality—one study of fast-food hamburgers found that they contained blood vessels, peripheral nerves, plant material, cartilage, and bone. Zoinks! More oats, please.
- Just Say No To Fake Cheese
Did you know that the processed cheese slices used on many cheeseburgers are only 51% real cheese? What’s the other half made of? Your guess is as good as mine. Before you order anything with sliced cheese on it simply ask the restaurant if their cheese is a “pasteurized process cheese product.” If they say yes, you know it’s fake cheese, then drive away as quickly as you can and find a real restaurant that uses real cheese.
- Would You Like Silly Putty With That?
Dimethylpolysiloxane (a type of silicon that’s used to make silly putty and breast implants) is also used in deep fryers. It allows the oil to last a little longer before needing to be replaced. Save yourself from eating traces of silly putty and skip the fried foods, your tummy will thank you.
- Dirty Counters Reign Supreme In Salt Lake City
The #1 Salt Lake City food inspection violation in 2017 was unclean food and non-food surfaces. The health department defines unclean as having build-up, dust or unclean to the touch and sight. In other words, surfaces so dirty you can see the crusty buildup on them. Mmmm… tasty…
In Salt Lake, restaurants failed to clean up 2529 times. Yuck! How can you ever eat out again knowing that?! Well, you can, but we’d recommend hopping online and checking out the Salt Lake County Health Department’s food inspections first. Woohoo! You can search your favorite restaurant and see how safe they are being with your foods. Knowledge is power! And in this case the power to avoid a case of food poisoning.
All Hope is Not Lost!
After reading this post you’re probably ready to give up on fast food for life. Well, slow down there partner. Not all fast food is bad. You just need to do some research before going through the drive-thru. The fact is that there are plenty of fast food options that are healthy and even diet friendly. In fact, if you’re trying to lose weight but still want to eat out, we’d recommend checking out one of our most popular blog posts, “Getting Fast Food? Stay Slim With These 5 Tips.”