Does our favorite meal have the worst health profile (skin, healthy, ingredients)

[Sand&Salt]

Down where we retired, the go-to meal is rice and fried plantains with either tough chicken, gristly meat, or unappealing warm-water fish. Bakeries everywhere but it's all sweet stuff, no real bread to sell. People like sweet drinks---you see varieties of "pop" all over.

Consequently, the populace is all chubby and overweight, but not grossly so. No morbid obesity. Diabetes is becoming the big threat with "Don't amputate---save your limbs" posters.

[MKTwet]

It all comes down to the portion and frequency. Too many Americans just live this sedentary lifestyle, where they drive to work. Have a large breakfast then sit for a few hours before hoping on to the car and going to have a burger meal for lunch, then sit for another 3-4 hours then go home and having a large dinner meal.

Anyone who eats an avg American size portion x3 meals that's easily 1200 calories x 3. How can you be healthy after eating 3000 calories a day while sitting most of the time?

[LittleDolphin]

Originally Posted by MKTwet

It all comes down to the portion and frequency. Too many Americans just live this sedentary lifestyle, where they drive to work. Have a large breakfast then sit for a few hours before hoping on to the car and going to have a burger meal for lunch, then sit for another 3-4 hours then go home and having a large dinner meal.

Anyone who eats an avg American size portion x3 meals that's easily 1200 calories x 3. How can you be healthy after eating 3000 calories a day while sitting most of the time?

You're right.

But not only too many calories but too many calories made up of bad stuff.

--How many fresh vegetables, fruits, salads do you eat every day?

--How much water do you drink?

--How many whole grains per day?

--How much fat from healthy sources?

--And how much exercise?

[bpollen]

Originally Posted by LittleDolphin

Just idle curiosity...but my question is whether one of our national favorite meals--cheeseburger, French fries, soda--has the worst health/nutritional outcomes for our well-being?

I wonder how this meal compares with other nations' favorite meals??

That's not my favorite meal. Who says it's "our" favorite meal?

[LittleDolphin]

I think one indication is the large growth & success of fast food burger joints...there must be a population of us who are buying all those burger & fries, yes?

[huitrecouture]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Well that blames it on cooking oil. So if you eliminate the cooking oil it wouldn't be a problem.

Yeah potatoes are a starchy vegetable and not a serious "problem" unless you're diabetic.

In which case they spike blood sugar VERY VERY high and should be avoided until the person loses weight and their insulin resistance improves.

The thing people measure about food is the glycemic index- potatoes are the HIGHEST - can be almost as high as pure glucose - index 100 and potatoes 80's or 90's. Certain ways of cooking and eating can decrease it slightly (like chilled)

Contrast an apple - it's a 36.

Some sugar spikes can last more than a whole day to recover from. So all your several blood tests you're doing are HIGH.

Every spike negatively impacts the A1C test that diabetics take to see "how they're doing" because it's an average of the past three months. So if the goal is an average reading of 100 and you spike up in 140 - 600 it's a high price to pay for a potato LOL.

Sweet potatoes are a slightly better choice.

[KaraG]

Originally Posted by LittleDolphin

I think one indication is the large growth & success of fast food burger joints...there must be a population of us who are buying all those burger & fries, yes?

Since most people here have disagreed with you that it's "our favorite meal" I'll assume that people who intentionally post on a health and wellness forum are interested in healthy meals and aren't part of your "us".

[LittleDolphin]

Originally Posted by KaraG

Since most people here have disagreed with you that it's "our favorite meal" I'll assume that people who intentionally post on a health and wellness forum are interested in healthy meals and aren't part of your "us".

Seems a reasonable assumption! I've appreciated the many thoughtful comments and observations here.

[bpollen]

Originally Posted by LittleDolphin

I think one indication is the large growth & success of fast food burger joints...there must be a population of us who are buying all those burger & fries, yes?

I found the following...the six most popular meals in the U.S., per healthline.com. It's based on 30 Million people in all the states. Not all the states agreed on every meal, but the article provides which states agreed on which meal.

1. Rice + chicken + salad
2. Potato + cheese + beans
3. Bread + egg + bell peppers
4. Fries + beef + tomato
5. Quinoa + turkey + broccoli
6. Couscous + pork + spinach

Some of these seem odd to me. But ates least it's based on actual people. How these meals are cooked depends on the state.

I think the cheese burger assumption is more like "What's the most popular meal in America ordered from a fast food place?"

McDonald's is the most popular fast food place in America. I think it's a safe assumption (& there's some evidence) that the meals most often bought there are burgers & fries. (not necessarily cheese burgers) But that's not the main meal that Americans eat. The American family eats fast food 1 - 3 times a week, usu. for lunch. For dinner at home, chicken is more often eaten than beef or pork.

[LittleDolphin]

Originally Posted by bpollen

I found the following...the six most popular meals in the U.S., per healthline.com. It's based on 30 Million people in all the states. Not all the states agreed on every meal, but the article provides which states agreed on which meal.

1. Rice + chicken + salad
2. Potato + cheese + beans
3. Bread + egg + bell peppers
4. Fries + beef + tomato
5. Quinoa + turkey + broccoli
6. Couscous + pork + spinach

Some of these seem odd to me. But ates least it's based on actual people. How these meals are cooked depends on the state.

I think the cheese burger assumption is more like "What's the most popular meal in America ordered from a fast food place?"

McDonald's is the most popular fast food place in America. I think it's a safe assumption (& there's some evidence) that the meals most often bought there are burgers & fries. (not necessarily cheese burgers) But that's not the main meal that Americans eat. The American family eats fast food 1 - 3 times a week, usu. for lunch. For dinner at home, chicken is more often eaten than beef or pork.

What a cool survey of popular meals. I, too, found some kind of unusual...couscous & quinoa popular choices?? Hmmm... that's very surprising. And potato + cheese + beans seems peculiar...but who am I to quibble? Sounds filling for sure....