Fast food is cheap, convenient, very tasty, and, unfortunately, extremely unhealthy because of its synthetic ingredients. This can leave many fast food meals to be calorically dense, highly flavored, and nutritionally barren. Thankfully, it is still possible to make healthy fast-food choices. However, there are still many unhealthy choices (particularly two kinds of fast food sides) that could negatively impact your metabolism and ability to maintain a healthy weight so they should be avoided
In order to help you out the next time you’re not sure what to eat at McDonald’s or Burger King, we reached out to registered dietitian and nutritionist Susan Kelly and nutritionist Lisa Richards about the side dishes you should avoid. They said that loaded french fries and fried cheese curds are both battered, fried, and full of cheese that is high in saturated fats and trans fat. Read on to learn how eating these sides too frequently can actually be detrimental to your overall health.
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Loaded French Fries
Loaded fries, cheese fries, or cheesy chips, is a popular fast food side that consists of French fries covered in cheese for a highly caloric and sodium-filled dish. Some dishes also add various other toppings like bacon (which can ruin your metabolism!). In general, the term "loaded" on a menu word is a total red flag.
Side orders that contain both potatoes and cheese are undeniably delicious, but they won't benefit your overall health, heart health, or weight. Both Kelly and Richards note that popular dishes like loaded cheese fries and chili cheese fries at your favorite fast food spots should be avoided as much as possible.
Sodium-heavy foods like these, Kelly says, "can deter your weight loss by increasing fat weight and water weight since high sodium causes water retention in the body, making your body look bloated." Specifically, she notes that Wendy's chili cheese fries are "loaded with more than 500 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat and 1100 [milligrams] of sodium," which isn't good for your heart or healthy metabolism.
Fried Cheese Curds
Similarly, you don't want to choose fried cheese curds either. One large size from Dairy Queen is 1,000 calories. That's half of the total number of calories you should be eating in an entire day. Yikes! It really should come as no surprise as these cheese curds are battered and golden-fried. And, an order of these cheese bites has more than a day's worth of sodium. This can be especially harmful to your heart health and can put you at risk of cardiovascular issues like heart disease, stroke, and more.
Richards also notes that just one (large) serving of DQ's cheese curds equates to 67 grams of fat. "This amount of calories is over half the recommended intake for a day in just one side dish," she continues. She also points out that even if you were to order a small instead, cheese curds are still at least a quarter of your daily calorie needs. "When combined with a calorie-dense hamburger and soft drink, you are looking at nearly 2,000 calories in just one meal," she warns. "This fried cheese side item is calorie-dense and high in fat and carbohydrates. If consumed on a regular basis, they are likely to lead to weight gain and inflammation."
Of course, eating loaded fries and fried cheese curds in moderation is always an option. However, she points out that these fast food sides can be especially tempting—and can be even worse when added to a fast food meal like fried chicken or a cheeseburger. At the end of the day, though, indulging in these sides every once in a while won't kill you. However, limiting your consumption of processed cheese and fried foods as much as possible is always the best way to go for weight loss—and for your all-around wellness.
