That Fast Food is not necessarily healthy as a rule, it is commonly known. Sometimes, apparently, it takes a little longer to understand this in an all-encompassing way – especially if you're part of the industry yourself. 13 years has Harald Sukar Among other things, as executive director of McDonald's Austria worked. And now – even if he does not call it so himself – a Settle published.
In which book "The Fast Food Trap" he reports on his experiences with the fast food company, but also about the industry and the impact on health in general. Tenor: All this is not good at all – actually even worse than expected.
His drastic appeal at the beginning of the book: "Don't go there! Don't go to McDonald's. Not to Burger King. Not to the other fast food giants. Especially not with your children. Not even for once."
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McDonald's criticism: nothing in boulette, which belongs to healthy food
Sukar tells "Der Spiegel" that when he first entered the world of fast food, he knew that burgers and fries make you fat. However, the company lived by the philosophy that it was the quantity that mattered. "Today I know that in a burger boulette is nothing in it, which belongs to a healthy diet."
In the book he even goes so far as to call fast food child abuse. He was inspired by a British politician who chose that word, he reports in the interview with Hamburg magazine. Anyone who once took their offspring to McDonald's and Co. goes, must reckon with the fact that the always and always wants to.
Ex-chief: One meal covers sugar needs of almost five days
To children, fat and sugar seemed like intoxicants. "A meal of Big Mac, medium portion of fries, 0.4 liter of Coke and ice cream for dessert contains 119 grams of sugar, not including ketchup. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum of 25 grams per day for children and adolescents," Sukar says. "With just one meal, a child has covered the sugar needs of almost five days. This can not be healthy."
That nutrients are viewable and calories would be printed on packaging doesn't help anyone, he said – consumers shouldn't have to seek out that information. "And even when they find them, they often can do little with them, they are after all no nutrition experts."
Accordingly, he expressly demanded a license plate requirement, such as a traffic light. And he is very much in favor of a sugar tax – because it is the low-income people who are on the hook every day. Nestle has introduced a traffic light – but nutrition minister Klockner is taking her time with it, which is causing fierce criticism. An animal welfare label is to be introduced – which is also controversial.
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In addition, Sukar reports in the "Spiegel" interview about how McDonald's earns money – mainly with French fries and drinks. So the large size of the drinks was also introduced at some point only so that people would choose the "medium" option. "And just like that, we had brought the sugar bomb to customers."
He himself harbors no ill will toward his former employer, considers McDonalds an incredibly efficient company, but one that could use that efficiency to do good – "providing healthy food," for example.
The book by Harald Sukar, "The Fast Food Trap: How McDonald's and Co. earn billions at the expense of our health", is published by edition a, has 256 pages and costs 22 euros – hardly more than two large menus at the former employer.
– When it takes longer: A woman attacked a McDonald's employee for long wait time. In the fight for customers, the company launched a vegan burger. Burger King is also testing a vegan Whopper.
– Unhealthy eating also goes well in restaurants: Many children's meals are unhealthier than McDonald's, a study found. The Minister Klockner then wanted to work on improving the offer. (ses)