Fast food is not good for you.  It is usually filled with fat, refined sugars, gross amounts of sodium and countless carbohydrates, but most Americans seem to enjoy having fast food despite the bad ingredients.  Besides eating a balanced diet, exercising, and taking vitamins and supplements, maintaining or improving your health is about making daily choices. 

If you have Diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or are going to have a high sodium meal, make sure that whatever you eat the rest of the day balances with your goals.  The best diet for your overall health is one rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grains that supply a lot of nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber.

Even though I’m giving you my recommendations on what to eat at fast food restaurants, I’m not endorsing that you should eat there.  I will say, however, that many of your favorite chains have done a better job recently of considering your nutrition and have provided you with some good alternatives. 

The one thing to remember is that just because something is low in sodium or cholesterol doesn’t mean it is healthy.  Almost everything a fast-food restaurant offers is saturated in fat and has a high caloric count.  Even salads, which appear to be healthy, are not healthy once you add the calorie and fat laden dressing. 

Be aware!  Many of these chains have different tricks or standards for calculating sodium and cholesterol, or any of their nutritional facts for that matter.  Some base it on a 2,000 calorie per day diet, others on a 1,500 calorie per day diet.  Also, serving sizes might differ between chains.

You can make healthy fast-food choices at fast-food restaurants.  All you need to do is know exactly what you are ordering. Many fast-food restaurants still use beef tallow (fat from cows) to make their burgers, fish, chicken, and French fries.  These fried foods are high in cholesterol and by cooking these foods in this kind of fat, it produces toxic trans-fatty acids, which raise blood cholesterol levels and act like saturated fats; this is no good for your Diabetes.

Keep the ground rules of good nutrition in mind.  Eat a variety of foods in moderate amounts, limit the amount of fat you eat, and watch the amount of salt in food.  Follow the guidelines you've worked out with your health team (dietitian, nutritionist, or doctor).

It's easy to eat an entire day's worth of fat, sugar, salt, and calories in just one fast-food meal.  Here are some steps to help you choose well

• Know that an average fast-food meal can run as high as 1000 calories or more, and raise your blood sugar above your target range.
• Know the nutritional value of the foods you order.  Remember that every diabetic has a different eating plan.  You need to know your plan. 
• If you're having fast-food for one meal, make sure your other meals that day contain healthier foods, like raw fruits and vegetables.
• Think about how your food will be cooked. Chicken and fish can be good choices but not if they are breaded and deep-fried.  Grilled without any sauce is probably your best choice

If breakfast is your fast-food meal, choose a plain bagel, toast, or English muffin.  Regular muffins may be loaded with sugar and fat. Add fruit juice or low-fat or fat-free milk.  Order cold cereal, preferably whole-grain cereal -- with fat-free milk, pancakes without butter, or plain scrambled eggs.  Limit bacon and sausage because they are high in fat.

If you click on your favorite fast-food chain, it will take you directly to the nutritional facts section of their website and you can put together your own choices for a Diabetic diet.

In this section, we do not focus on beverages.  If you have diabetes, all sodas are bad for you.  Try to drink water.

Usually in every melslife section, we offer recommendations on what to eat at your favorite fast food chain.  However, with Diabetes, almost everyone has a slightly different game plan.  Some Diabetics are seeking menu items with the highest percentage of protein; others are avoiding sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and high-glycemic foods.  There are some diabetics searching for high carbs and some searching for low carbs.  Whatever your needs are, we have provided the links for you to make your own determination on what to eat

This is a southern California chain that has an alternative bagel, which many Diabetics and health conscious people enjoy.