Would anybody agree that American food is just Junk Food?

Question

Hamburgers, Hotdogs,fried twinkies, frech fries, (yes made in America not France)CornDogs,etc.etc. That is what the whole world thinks of the all American foods. Isn't that bad? No wonder why girls like "Made in the US" look the way they do. Have you seen her? If not, go to my awnsers and check her picture out. Its embarrasing for all of Americans. Better yet for humanity and she has the american flag wrapped around her. YUK............

Sorry "Born it the US" YUK.....

Answer 1

Now that you have me thinking about it, i think I would have to agree. Whenever I go to a fancy restaurant with great food, its always some other ethnicity - Spanish, French, Italian, etc. I don't really know what is considered "American" food. Like the people here, the foods are also somewhat of a melting pot. Only in America do you find people with diverse backgrounds...part French, part Italian, etc. So like out people, who came from other countries and over time changed, our food originated in other places and we made adjustments to them to make them our own.

One funny thing is, I just googled American Food Restaurants and the first thing that popped up was HOOTERS. How classy!!!

If you look up American Cuisine on wikepedia, here are a few things you get. This made me feel a little better:

"The cuisine of the Native Americans was of course the first American cuisine, and it lent a great deal to not only American cooking but food around the world: ingredients such as turkey, corn (maize), and squash. Superimposed on this is the massive contribution of the various immigrant groups, and many dishes considered quintessentially American in fact have their roots in other lands. For example, apple pies, pizza, runzas, chowder, and hamburgers are all either identical to, or derived from, European dishes. "

"Additionally, since a lot of what is considered American Cuisine is rustic rather than elaborate, much of American food culture isn't immediately recognized as being "cuisine". Salt water taffy, clam chowder, baked beans, barbecue, candy bars, and most fast food items are some of the better known examples."

"Given the United States' large size it is not surprising that distinct regional variations have evolved. The cuisine of the East Coast, for example, makes use of fish and seafood to much greater degree than that of the Midwest, where corn and beef are much more readily available. To some degree, easy transportation of perishable foodstuffs has diminished these difference in recent years, but many Americans will still associate certain foods with specific places, such as steak with Omaha and lobster with Maine."



GOOD QUESTION....GOT ME THINKING!!

Answer 2

Actually, some of that food is American. Hamburgers came from Hamburg, Germany, Hot dogs or Frankfurters came from Frankfurt, Germany, and there is a French chef who runs a restauarant dedicated to deep frying anything. America really doesn't have a "food," just a bunch of other people's food. Americans just enjoy them in big portions and with much advertising. In Europe, a steak is the size of half a hand, while here, a child can put down a 1/4 pounder. And it is embarassing, when we try all these different diets and programs when all we need to do is eat less. The French are pastry geniuses, but they are still skinny, the Italians eat gelato (heavy ice cream) and they are skinny too. Even in America, before the golden age of advertising, we too were skinny. Advertising, and a love of TV has made Americans crave these big portions, and with a lack of excercise, Americans get huge. Cyclists, especially racers, can eat whatever they want because they bike the 150+ miles each week. Advertisin has even been bad to trying to lose that weight, with all these different diets and execise videos. The answer is simple, eat less, eat better, and exercise. If you do eat junk food a lot, eat half of it of even 3/4 of it and take the stairs, as a start. Eventually, you will be eating junk food twice a week, then once and finally never. And even eat small portions of healthy food. No one needs a pound of salad. And from taking the stairs, you will progress to hiking and what not. One thing i find about excercise, is that it has to captivate you. Simply running on the treadmill, or at the gym, even on the track, doesnt cut it for me because i get bored and i lose interest. I do something i enjoy, such as cycling, and cross country running in a country park's trails, even running in new york is captivating because so much is going on around you.

Answer 3

That's just ignorance talking. There are literally dozens of "American" foods that are not junk food.

Turkey, Corn, pot roast, chop suey, Barbecued anything, grits, jambalaya, peanut butter, cranberry juice/sauce, fried chicken (yes it's healthy), submarine sandwiches, macaroni & cheese, baked beans, etc. etc.

Sure, the hamburger is the quintessentially "American" food, and McDonalds is not that healthy. But hamburgers themselves are not unhealthy at all. For that matter, the world can't get enough of them. American cuisine (especially in New England and the South/southwest) is some of the best in the world, and is no less healthy than all the rich saucy, buttery French dishes you might name, or the cusine of any other nation.

We've got a great culinary heritage that I'd stand up next to any other nation, and I would even call it better, because we've done the most to incorporate all the styles and cusines of the world into a tremendously varied and excellent landscape of food.

Sure, there are fat disgusting people here who eat junk food all the time, but that's not representative of everyone. By the way, we're not the only nation who has them.

Answer 4

I think we are becoming more health-concious and the new trend seems to be eating healthy and staying away from fatty, greasy foods. It's clear when you look at McDonald's and how they are now selling salads and food that is not typical McDonald's food anymore. If you are going by commercials you see or the media, you are not getting accurate information about Americans. You are only seeing us through the eyes of the media, and you will get a distorted picture every time.

Answer 5

Dude, hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries are sold throughout the world. Where do you get the notion that its simply American food. Plenty of Americans are vegetarians does that make green beans and lettuce American food too? And America has some of the most beautiful women the world has ever seen. Halley Berry, Pamela Anderson, do I need to go on. And for the love of God please do a spell check before you post your idiotic questions!!

Answer 6

Junk food is a common term used for any food item that is perceived to be unhealthy or to have poor nutritional value. The phrase was coined by Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, in 1972. Examples of junk food may include, but are not limited to: hamburgers, pizza, candy, soda and salty foods like potato chips and french fries. Although Chewing gum and Bubblegum are not swallowed, they usually contain sugar or sugar-alcohol. Be careful, as sugar-free gum usually uses sugar-alcohol as a substitute. While sugar-alcohol won't cause tooth decay, it does have calories.

A diet rich in junk food is not conducive to maintaining a balanced diet, as suggested by various government and non-profit health organizations. The term has been used by many different groups over the years including opponents of fast food industries and environmentalists.

Junk food nevertheless remains popular because it is relatively cheap to manufacture, easy to purchase, is convenient to consume, and has a lot of flavor because of its typically high fat, sodium, or sugar content. Its nutritional value is typically very high in empty calories. Junk food also may contain numerous food additives, which are used to enhance flavor, adjust texture, alter color, and prevent spoilage. For this reason many junk foods are also convenient in that they have very long shelf lives and often do not require any kind of refrigeration.

Answer 7

I agree I think it's junk food and all full of fat and preservitves. But I do love hamburgers and french fries but the kind I make at home not the one's through a drive-thru!

Answer 8

Yes, US food is junk food. But, it tastes so good. I could eat Tex-Mex every day of the week. Maybe thats why I have put in 50 pounds in the last 5 years of being State side.

Answer 9

You call mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, fresh-baked apple pie, pork roast, steak, fresh-grilled fish, chili, chicken soup, garden salads, all kinds of produce, you call these things 'junk food'? If all you know about the american diet is what you see on the menu at McDonalds, then you need to get out more.

Answer 10

There really is no real authentic American food except what the native Americans eat because everyone else who lives in America came from some where else or is the dissident of some one who came from some where else!