Fast food has been a part of American society for a long time, offering quick and easy meals for busy people. However, new studies and news stories have raised questions about the quality of the foods used in these favorite meals, especially the cheese.
This piece will discuss the scary truths about cheese in some of your favorite fast-food places, so read it before ordering your next burger.
Five Guys
A new study found that the Five Guys hamburger is one of the least healthy choices at fast food chains. Many fans were shocked by this news because they thought Five Guys was a better option.
However, this study raises a bigger issue about fast food products in general, especially the quality of the cheese used by different businesses.
The Cheese Conundrum
Some restaurant chains, like Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, and Chipotle, are known for using real cheese that hasn’t been processed. However, many others don’t meet this standard.
A story from Mashed says that some of the most well-known fast food chains use cheese that has been processed so much that it doesn’t even fit the FDA’s description of real cheese.
McDonald’s
There has been a lot of talk about how healthy McDonald’s is, but their cheese has gotten them into a lot of trouble. There was a story that the cheese on their burgers was “plastic.” Mike Haracz, who used to be a corporate cook at McDonald’s, talked about these claims and proved that the cheese is processed pasteurized American cheese.
On its website, the company lists the cheese’s ingredients: sodium citrate, salt, cheese cultures, citric acid, enzymes, soy lecithin, and the color that was added. Some might think this sounds like cheese, but the FDA doesn’t consider it cheese.
Their rules say that American cheese is “pasteurized process cheese” and needs at least 51% real cheese. This label allows many fillers and additives to be used, making the product much less good.
The Truth About American Cheese
People can get confused when trying to tell the difference between processed and real cheese. For example, the UK website for McDonald’s says that its cheese pieces have 60% real cheddar, which is officially in line with FDA rules. But knowing that a big chunk of that slice isn’t real cheese might make your Big Mac less appealing.
Burger King
Burger King is another company that often uses “cheese products” in its food. This label usually means that any burgers with American cheese on top also use a highly processed type.
They are proud to use real cheese on some items, like the Bacon Swiss Royal Crispy Chicken and their mozzarella sticks, which have both Swiss and mozzarella cheese.
Bojangles
Things get even less clear regarding Bojangles’ mac and cheese. On its website, the business only offers noodles and cheese sauce. Still, not much is known about what’s in that cheese sauce.
A website run by consumers for consumers says the sauce is made of processed liquid cheese mixed with milk, modified food starch, and sodium phosphate. One who used to work at Bojangles even said that the dish is made by thawing frozen mac and serving it with no fresh cheese.
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Processed Ceese Is Hip Right Now
Sonic, Dairy Queen, and Tim Hortons are other big fast-food chains that use processed American cheese. The fact that bad cheese is used in many of these meals makes me wonder about their health value.
These items may be handy, but the fact that many of them don’t have real cheese takes away from their draw.
Figuring out The Effects
Knowing what’s in fast food is very important for people who care about their health. Using a lot of processed cheese changes the taste and feel of these foods and makes people wonder about their nutritional value.
Most processed cheeses have more salt and chemicals than fresh cheese, which can be bad for your health in the long run.
A Change In What People Want
As people learn more about how healthy the chemicals in fast food are, more are looking for better options. In the long term, chains that emphasize real cheese and good products are likely to get more customers.
This change could make other chains rethink where they get their ingredients and how open they are about it.
Making Smart Decisions
If you’re thinking about getting fast food again, you might want to look into what’s in your meal first. If you want a better eating experience, choose companies that emphasize real ingredients, like real cheese.
People often choose fast food because it’s easy, but they shouldn’t have to give up quality for speed.
Conclusion
There is not as much good news about fast-food cheese as one might hope. Customers have difficulty finding what they want because chains use highly processed items that don’t always meet FDA guidelines for real cheese.
If you know what’s in these meals, you can make healthier choices that will help you reach your health goals while still having a fast food treat now and then.
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