Everyone knows fast food is bad overall health and well-being. Yet, more and more people are eating it. In fact, 1 in 4 Americans eat fast food daily. They spend around $100 billion on fast food each year. His seems odd, since organic and gluten-free foods are becoming more popular. 

So why do we keep eating so much fast food? Is the taste that addictive? It’s because of food addiction.

Once you start eating fast food regularly, it’s hard to stop. If you want to get healthier, check out this list of 5 of the unhealthiest fast-food items from famous chains. It’s a great start on your journey to better health. 

Subway: Footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki

Subway’s Footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwich has a total of 708 calories. The fat content is 10.8 g, while the saturated fat content is 2.31 g. It has a lot of sodium content at a total of 1390 mg, which isn’t exactly healthy for you.

The Fresh Fit menu at Subway includes a 6-inch whole wheat variety of this sandwich. It is less or equal to 400 calories. However, its foot-long variant comes with more salt.

Despite not being high in caloric values, the sodium content tends to be too high for the footlong version. Eating excessive amounts of salt can lead to several medical conditions.

You should be careful about your total consumption of sodium, as it is present in similar fast foods like this. The healthier alternative to achieve a low-sodium diet would be the six-inch variant instead. 

McDonald's Big Breakfast with Hotcakes

McDonald's Big Breakfast with Hotcakes is a huge meal. It has all the classic breakfast items. You get eggs, hash browns, sausage, pancakes with butter and syrup, and a biscuit. It is a big plate of food, but it comes with a lot of calories and fat.

The meal contains 1340 calories and 63 grams of fat. That includes 24 grams of saturated fat and even 0.5 grams of trans fat. The sodium content is also very high at 2070 milligrams. The carbs are 158 grams with 48 grams of sugar.

Eating this breakfast can make you feel full, but it can also be hard on your body. With so much sodium and fat, you’re getting close to your daily limit in just one meal. This is not a good way to start the day if you're trying to eat healthy.

A healthier choice in the morning might be better for your body compared to the “Big Breakfast." You can go for something lighter and lower in fat and sodium. Making small changes like this can help you feel better and stay healthier in the long run.

Burger King's Double Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit

The Double Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit at Burger King is a tiny sandwich with huge numbers. It packs in 853 calories and contains 66 grams of fat, including 29 grams of saturated fat and 1.8 grams of trans fat.

The sodium count is also too high at an alarming 2526 mg. An additional 34 grams of carbohydrates, 33 grams of protein, 4 grams of sugar, and just 1 gram of fiber complete the whole portion.

But all these are overshadowed by its unhealthy sides. The trouble lies in the two sausage patties used to make it. This means that one patty is bad enough, but the sandwich doubles it! The biscuits also add more fat while contributing to more sodium.

To put it into perspective, this one sandwich has almost as much fat as the entire McDonald’s Big Breakfast platter put together. This doesn't make it one of the health options on the Burger King menu. 

Jack in the Box Jumbo Breakfast Plate with Bacon & Sausage

The Jack in the Box Jumbo Breakfast Platter is a big meal. It includes eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes with syrup, and hashbrowns. But do you really need all of this at once?

This breakfast platter has 620 calories and 39 grams of fat. It also contains 9 grams of saturated fat and 0.5 grams of trans-fat. The World Health Organization advises avoiding trans-fat whenever possible.

Another concern is the sodium content present in the food. This meal has 1270 milligrams of sodium. That’s more than half of your daily limit in just one meal. Eating this much sodium and unhealthful fat can harm your health. It should be avoided.

It is important to think about what you’re putting into your body, especially first thing in the morning. Staring your day with such a heavy meal can leave you feeling sluggish and might not be the best choice for your long-term health.

It’s always better to choose healthier options when you can. Simple meals with less fat, sodium, and no trans-fat are better for you. Making small changes in your diet can lead to better health over time.

Bacon Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl from Panera Bread

The Bacon Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl from Panera Bread is one of the unhealthiest fast-food items in America. It contains 1,180 calories, 38 grams of fat, and an astonishing 2,270 milligrams of sodium, which are way over the daily recommended allowances for these nutrients.

The high calories primarily stem from the combination of macaroni along with cheese and bacon served in a bread bowl. Besides that, there are also 164 grams of carbohydrates together with 19 grams of saturated fat, which make up for approximately 95% of the recommended daily value.

While fast food offers convenience and taste, its high calorie, fat, and sodium content can lead to serious health risks if consumed regularly.

Items like the Subway Footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki, McDonald's Big Breakfast with Hotcakes, Burger King’s Double Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, Jack in the Box's Jumbo Breakfast Platter, and Panera Bread’s Bacon Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl are prime examples of unhealthy fast-food choices. 

Opting for healthier alternatives can significantly benefit your long-term health.