Nutrition is an important issue in my life for many reasons. The most important being my major, dental hygiene.
I’ve taken a couple nutrition courses already. I also simply care for the fact that what we eat is associated with our health and how long we may live. Before I went to the website I didn’t expect to see many healthy benefits to eating McDonalds so I guess I was prepared. It said that McDonalds food is linked to serious diseases because of the high fat and low fiber content. I know from my nutrition classes in the past that a low fiber diet is linked to obesity, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, colon cancer, and many more things. I find it amusing that they can say that their food can be a valuable part of a balanced diet.
I don’t think that they should be allowed to promote that in any way. On the website I found a part on evidence talking about how McDonalds is not being truthful to its customers. They lied about what goes into their Chicken McNuggets. They claimed that it was just chicken breast and thigh meat but it is actually chicken meat mixed with chicken skin and cooked in high-beef lard, which is absorbed into it.
They also lied about being the first fast-food chain to voluntarily give out the ingredients in their food. They didn’t do it voluntarily they were made to but not without a fight of course. So the question is why is McDonalds trying to deceive their customers? I went to McDonalds healthy eating policy on the website and it seemed like they just talked around the subject. They said they support healthy eating and they work with government departments and organizations dedicated to healthy eating. They didn’t talk about how their products are unhealthy but instead they talked about what they’ve done to make them slightly better. They want to reduce the amount of additives in their food.
They added salads, bottled water, orange juice, and diet coke to the menu. However, I found out that some of these things they don’t sell in every store. Just because I read that and it might benefit them by saying those things I still cant see people really thinking that they are healthy. Just because you have a bottle of mineral water doesn’t mean that the double cheeseburger and French fries that you’re eating is good for you. Did you ever see the court case with Pizza Hut and Papa Johns? Well, Pizza Hut took them to court because they advertise the perfect pizza as their logo and they didn’t think that was fair.
Just as McDonalds saying their food can be part of a balanced diet isn’t fair to the uneducated people in the world. That’s why I think that they shouldn’t be allowed to sponsor sports events and promote their products they way they do. They use kids in their commercials because kids will beg their parents to take them to McDonald’s. I know because I use to do it too. Especially when they had a really awesome toy in the kid’s meal.
My personal reaction isn’t very shocking as you can see. I think a lot of people know by now that fast food isn’t the healthy choice but its what is most convenient. The website said that they currently sell to about 30 million people daily, so I don’t think a lot of people are going to change. That’s why I haven’t been involved in any movements against them and I probably wont be.
Its so much work for hardly anything in return. They have a right to sell what they please and people cant make them change that. However, the way they promote their product and a balanced diet may be able to conquer. I’ve always thought of fast food as unhealthy, since I’ve started college I’ve had a hard time getting away from that food too. I bring my lunch 3 or 4 times a week just so I won’t spend the money to clog up my arteries. I do still eat it just not as often.
