Big Macs Will Not Kill You!!! (Even If They’re Nasty)

This is why I hate the internet.

People can post whatever they’d like and get away with it.

Lol – “How can you hate freedom of speech?”

No, I believe our forefathers who set the Constitution didn’t have in mind that people would abuse their rights for their own agenda and to scare the world instead of actually educating it.

Recently we had this posted about the effects of Coca-Cola and it’s atomic-bomb properties that was soon debunked…by science.

See here – Oh, and check out the update.

OH!!!!

Remember a while back when we had the whole “oreos are as addictive as cocaine“?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yea, and then that was debunked, too.

Today, we have this:

Now, I am NO Big Mac fan.

I hate cheese…like I really hate it. And when I hear “special sauce”, it’s usually mayo-based…and I really hate mayo.

That said, people like Big Macs and while living daily off of a Big Mac is not ideal from a health sense (yes, because it is a high calorie food which ultimately matters because people need to lose weight so they have to start taking in less), to use this type of fear mongering is only going to scare people instead of educate them.

So, let’s look at the claims and then we will look at the truth.

First 10 Minutes

Claim: We become adept to choosing high-calorie foods.

Fact: We choose foods we actually like. A meat patty in and of itself is not high in calories nor is the slice of cheese, nor is the bread. It’s when the combination of food is put together that creates a “likeness” in the brain.

You know what else equals 1 Big Mac?

2 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches:

Claim: Works on the reward system in our brain triggering dopamine which has the effects like cocaine.

Fact: Please refer to the oreo debunk article as this has been debunked.

After 20 minutes

Claim: Addictive sugars.

Fact: First and foremost, sugar isn’t addictive. Sugar, in and of itself, is a carbohydrate…as is fruit, pasta, rice, potatoes, jelly beans, milk, quinoa, etc. What makes fruit more pleasing is it’s sweet and palatable and easy to overeat. An addiction is behavioral and biological. You like to eat sugar. So? This doesn’t make it an addiction.

Your body doesn’t crave more for it, you just like it. Simple.

Overeating ANYTHING which puts you in to a caloric surplus will cause you to gain weight and perhaps become obese (this dependent on other factors like genes and lifestyle which go far beyond my scope. (See Dr. Spencer Nadolsky for his work on obesity and further explanations).

Here’s quick, practical information to battle obesity, heart disease, and diabetes: Exercise especially resistance training.

After 30 Minutes

Claim: Sodium attack and dehyrdration

Fact: There is no proof of this as studies on how much sodium needed for a person varies and has been inconsistent.

“Results of these clinical trials have been inconsistent. This has led to a sequence of meta-analyses designed to determine the most likely overall effect of dietary salt for a population. All meta-analyses are limited by the character of the studies included. Unfortunately, the well-designed and well-conducted studies involved considerable variation in sodium consumption, and many were of short duration; nevertheless, the most rigorous meta-analyses are in general agreement…Thus, a large reduction in sodium intake will produce a detectable decline in blood pressure. However, individual responses to the sodium reduction has varied widely in these studies.  ”

The claim doesn’t give in to account the person’s water weight/retention as well as intake/daily.

After 40 Minutes

Claim: You crave more!!!

Fact: This claim of High Fructose Corn Syrup being the evil sugar, here is an excerpt from James Kreiger by way of Joy Victoria

“The bottom line is that there is no valid reason for HFCS to be any different than sucrose (table sugar, glucose+fructose) in the way that it affects your body.  They are both nearly identical in their composition, containing roughly half fructose and half glucose.  They are both nearly identical in the way they are metabolized by your body.  There is no practical difference between the two as far as your body is concerned.  Now, I’m not saying that you should go out and consume all the HFCS that you want.  The point is that there is nothing uniquely “bad” about HFCS compared to regular sugar.  HFCS is not uniquely responsible for weight gain as some people would have you believe.”

HFCS is not different than any sugar than table sugar. Oh, and to give you some more boom for your pow, people love to quote the Glycemic Index as the end all be all in regards to carbohydrates. Potatoes…yes, beloved potatoes, have a higher sugar content than table sugar. Let that sink in.

Everyone wants to condemn sugar but not potatoes. There’s no need to. The main thing that separates them is that fact that potatoes have micronutients and table sugar doesn’t.

After 60 Minutes

Claim: Takes soooooo long to digest

Fact: First, let’s be clear on digestion and excretion. They are not interchangeable and can scare many people if they don’t know. It takes 6-8 hours for your body to digest (pass from the stomach to the colon) food. Every individual is is different and in general, from the looks of things, it take 2-3 days from ingestion to excretion of red meat (via poop).

“If you want to enjoy a Big mac, keep it occasional” – this is obvious. You should be striving daily to eat nutritious food, high protein, carbs, and fat. This means being wise in your food choices. However, do not be scared by some info-graphic meme and do not use it as a source of info. When something this demonizing comes along, you have to put your thinking cap on and truly ask questions.

Besides, Shake Shack has better burgers than McDonalds, in my opinion, of course.

Now…go have a burger in peace!!!!!

 

 

References:

Alderman, M. H. ‘Salt, Blood Pressure, And Human Health’. Hypertension 36.5 (2000): 890-893. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

BuzzFeed,. ‘Here’s What’s Wrong With That Viral Coca-Cola Graphic’. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Joy Victoria,. ‘Your Problem With Sugar Is THE Problem With Sugar – Joy Victoria’. N.p., 2013. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Krieger, James. ‘Is High Fructose Corn Syrup Worse Than Regular Sugar?’. Weightology Weekly. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

LiveScience.com,. ‘Is Sugar A Drug? Addiction Explained’. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Mail Online,. ‘What A Can Of Coca-Cola REALLY Does To Your Body In Just An Hour’. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Mayoclinic.org,. ‘Digestion: How Long Does It Take? – Mayo Clinic’. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

Smith, Dana. ‘Are Oreos Really As Addictive As Cocaine?’. the Guardian. N.p., 2013. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.

The Huffington Post,. ‘Oreos May Be More Addictive Than Cocaine: Study’. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.