Cooper City High School students have been eating foods from local restaurants that could potentially be causing future health risks. Photo Credit: ROBYN BONFIGLIO
BY JESSICA WEAVER
On their off time, Cooper City High School students often gather together at the most popular restaurants in the local plazas. The most famous fast food restaurants Cooper City has come to love have not only given residents a place to interact during their spare time, but have also provided fast, cheap and tasty food. But what is convenient isn’t always the best choice; these fun places for residents to get a quick bite to eat are potentially putting people’s health at risk.
As the 5 Guys located in Pembroke Pines has learned, news of good food travels fast. The popular restaurant has attracted most of Cooper’s population despite their food’s greasy appearance and unhealthy fat and caloric intake. “Just one hamburger” you say? Well, that one hamburger from 5 Guys contains 700 calories. And if you are craving a cheeseburger, just add on an additional 140 calories. Some understand that fast food is not good for your body, but most have not truly grasped that too much fast food can lead to laziness, obesity and heart problems in the future.
Chipotle, a place worshipped among Cooper City residents, had their burritos placed on the “20 Worst Foods in America” because of their high caloric content and high sodium. What people don’t realize is that the high calories in 5 Guy’s hamburgers or Chipotles burritos can cause long and short-term health effects. Fast food doesn’t contain enough protein and good carbohydrates; therefore, causing your blood sugar levels to drop after eating, leaving you feeling grumpy and craving more sugar. Fast food can also contribute to long-term heart disease by raising blood cholesterol levels and causing plaque buildup in the liver.
Fast food restaurants have also been adding to the obesity epidemic in the U.S by getting people to eat more calories than they need through persistent advertising. For example, McDonald’s tactic for persuading costumers to eat the new Big Mac (with extra bacon) is by offering it for a small price and upping the portions, making it seem like a great deal teenagers can’t refuse.
Not only does fast food affect your body, but it also has a negative effect on your daily performance. Greasy fast food doesn’t contain the nutrients needed for your body to stay healthy, which can result in a lack of energy needed to complete everyday tasks such as school or work. High levels of sugar put your metabolism under stress, causing you to feel tired shortly after eating because your body is devoid of oxygen. That means eating at places like 5 Guys or Beef O’ Brady’s after school could take away your motivation in school the next day.
You might think one quick bite every few weeks won’t harm you, but it’s not only the food, it’s the choices you make. Let’s say you go to Beef o’ Brady’s after school and order a healthy salad and later decided to get ice cream down the street at Coldstone’s. What started off as a healthy evening will quickly change once you order the ‘Like it’ sized Milk and Cookies shake, which tops the charts at 1,090 calories. That is half the recommended dietary allowance. Over time, the high levels of sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes. The average person would never think of a simple milkshake being so dangerous.
Don’t worry; you don’t have to give up hamburgers and fries forever. Eating fast food only becomes a danger when you are eating it every day, oblivious to all of the calories and chemical products. Now that we’ve come to terms with the harm our favorite restaurants have on our heath, we can focus on finding a balance. Some restaurants, for example, Wendy’s, have begun placing menus with the calories near the cashier to keep people informed. Creating awareness about how too much fast food can negatively affect your body will help you in the future to stay healthy.
