Since it’s no secret that fast food restaurants are known as a quick and unhealthy option, the idea that big-name-chains (we’re looking at you McDonald’s and Burger King) are making healthy changes in their menus and keeping it a secret from their consumers might sounds completely ridiculous. However, according to several sources, this is true. Here’s a list of our favorite (or not) salty and greasy places that are trying to promote healthier fast food, and trying to be low-key about it.
McDonalds:
An article by David Freedman reveals that McDonald’s has been reducing some fat and salt contents and shrinking portion sizes by more than ten percent in some items. Apparently, there is a 30 percent margin that restaurants can reduce calories by without us even noticing a difference in taste. They can fool us into thinking a food is more unhealthy than it is. Why would they do that? Good question. We have a built in, unconscious belief that if food is healthier, it tastes worse. Or at least some of us do (me).
Burger King:
McDonald’s isn’t the only big chain to make little sneaky changes. Burger King has recently cut soda out from the kiddie menu, following the lead of Wendy’s and McDonald’s who did the same several years ago.
Chick-fil-a:
Chick-fil-a has decided to make their chicken 100 percent antibiotic- free by the year 2019. This is so that consumers don’t form antibiotic resistance, which is when antibiotics no longer work in our bodies when we are sick because our bodies are use to them. Chicken can basically make us more prone to disease and well… death. So thanks for looking out Chick-fil-a!
Subway:
Subway restaurants decided to stop putting Azodicarbonamide into their bread. This huge scary word acts as a whitening agent and texture conditioner for the bread. That same huge scary word is also found in many types of plastics, which is not very appetizing. I think I can handle Subway’s bread being a little bit less cloud-like and bright if it means not eating a word that has more syllables than I can count on one hand, can you?
Dunkin’ Donuts:
Dunkin’ Donuts has also decided to do us a solid and take out titanium dioxide from their powdered sugar. It may sound like it could give you super powers, but this chemical is used in things such as paint, sunscreen, and again, plastic. Yuck.
These restaurants are keeping these subtle but heroic changes under the radar because they fear backlash from their consumers who don’t believe in healthier fast food and may not purchase regular menu items. McDonald’s has it’s own reason to be scared to advertise healthier options. Do you remember something called the McLean Deluxe? Me either, and that’s not point. This sandwich was the supposed healthier version of the quarter-pounder, made with extra lean beef infused with seaweed extract. It was also McDonald’s worst failed product ever.
People don’t expect healthy food when going to fast food places, so the chains are afraid to bring any healthy options to the menu that might be annihilated by their consumer base. They prefer to be silent protectors (like Batman) and make changes to benefit our health without us knowing. Would you prefer to know?
