Jackie's first draft of essay

Does fast food make our life better?
------------the effect on energy, diet and health

Nowadays, the rhythm of a modern life is getting faster and faster, people are trying to figure out a way to save time and make a simpler life, in any fields--such as food! Instead of traditional way of cooking, People today can prepare their food much easier and simpler than has ever been before, just getting clean and ready-to-eat food, spending several minutes in the oven and everything is done, like a time-counting task. It seems to make food preparation entirely different and life as well, however, there are several serious disadvantages of the fast food, some of them are even critical. In my essay, I will talk about the advantages, drawbacks of the fast food and show you whether it is true that the easier-prepared food make our life better.

Fast food like fried chicken, hamburgers, fish and chips, are referred to the foods which are prepared and served easily, quickly (also known as QSR: quick service restaurant). In a survey in 2008 on the number of fast-food restaurant per person, UK got the first title and offered 25% of all categories of fast food in the world. Why fast food is so popular? Obviously, the amazing convenience! All the fast food is designed to be easy-prepared and the outlets are always “take away” or “take out” providers. Normally, there will be a big truck, people can purchase the food from the “drive-through” devices and take them away.

Not only the preparing and purchasing are convenient, fast food is also designed easily for eating. Most of the fast food doesn’t require a traditional tool, like a spoon or a fork, people can take this food at any place even “on the go” just with their fingers. In addition, the easy food liberates many housewives. In a sense, food preparation is no longer a tough work for women, they could have more time to do what they really want to do, for instance, a meaningful job or enjoying the leisure life.

It seems that fast food brings us more leisure time and it does make our life better, however, there is a huge hidden risk in having fast food. I will move on to show you some serious drawbacks. Foods like pizza, French fries, hamburgers are often covered a thick layer of cheese, which is extremely high in salt, fat or calories and very low in fiber or nutrients. What is more, these foods are always served with high-energy beverages like sugar soft drinks or creamy milk. From one counting survey by Department of Agriculture which shows the comparison of mean intake of energy and some other nutrients between children who have fast food and those without fast food (Figure 1), we can clearly find out that children having fast food take more total fat, energy, carbohydrate and more sugar as well. Consumption of fast food among children is proofed to have a very bad effect on dietary quality in ways that could dramatically increase risk for obesity----being too fat, also could contribute to influence health which can lead to a critical disease or even death. As we know these substances are all used to provide energy for our body, when if we overtake too much energy, the part which we can not use up in time will be transferred to fat and stored in our body, that’s the main reason to cause so many children are growing fatter and fatter.

To make matter worse, fast food not only causes obesity, it also plays a major role of causing some health problem. Since the fast food become more and more popular, according to the CDC, unfortunately, it also has become a main factor of a series of serious diseases. It is suggested to cause Heart disease, diabetes, sleep Apnea, liver damage and stroke. All these disease are critical to health, bringing a huge potential risk to people. With taking more and more fast food, people are in danger.

In addition, food preparation is an important family event. What a delightful thing that after a day’s hard working, people go home and have a nice warm food preparation with family. In the modern busy society, people under greater stress spend less time at home. For one couple, maybe the only thing they can do together before going to bed is cooking. They cooperate and help each other which always can bond their moment and relationship. This honey time means a lot to all the member of family and should be treasured. Besides, cooking is also a cultural and traditional thing. The skill of cooking tradition food stands for the spirit and the life style, which is worthy being passed on to next generation instead of having the simple easy-prepared fast food. Otherwise, people in the future could only know how to heat ready-to-eat meals which looks like just a stupid time-consuming task.

To sum up, as I discussed, although fast food has a little positive effect and did bring the convenience, it is still considered as unhealthy junk food for its huge potential risk. We need to care about ourselves and family, friends as well. Not only should people learn to pay more attention to health, but also treasure and protect the culture and tradition, not just try to save time in an inappropriate way. Only with a healthy body and successful time management, we can live a real better life. (total 921 words)