When the people at the dry cleaner know your name, that's healthy community building. But when they know you at the drive-throught? Not good.
A study of 3,000 young men and women revealed that people who chose fast food two or more times per week gained the most weight over time and were more likely to suffer insulin resistance, a precursor of diabetes.
No wonder: When it comes to fast food, it's not always obvious which items turn you into an Orca lookalike and which leave you thinner than a guppy. Take, for instance, the fact that a reduced-fat blueberry muffin holds 400 calories at Dunkin' Donuts; a glazed doughnut contains 230 ,not that either of them is a good breakfast choice, of course. And would you know that two slices of a large Domino's pizza delivers 360 calories, a Southwest salad with crispy chicken at McDonald's brings you 430, without dressing?
True, these companies have added healthier items to their menus. And New York City, the state of California and the Cleveland Clinic are helping you make good choices by requiring chain restaurants to post their nutrition data.
But it's not that hard to make your own meals at home that taste far better than even the best options at the drive-thru ,and you don't have to breathe the exhaust from the car in front of you. Example: Spread some tomato paste, stir-fried vegetables, olive relish and sun-dried tomato bits on a prepared 100 percent whole-wheat pizza crust. Top with herbs and a touch of shaved smoked mozzarella. Bake at 450 F for 10 to 15 minutes, light a candle and pretend you're at a gourmet restaurant.
