An infographic has been release to inform the public what happens after you eat a Big Mac to your body, describing the short term consequences of a trademark meal from McDonald’s. Spoiler alert: it’s not good.
- A Big Mac contains 540 calories and 970 milligrams of sodium
- The recommended amount of salt is 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day
- The study shows what happens to your body in 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 minutes after consuming a Big Mac
- McDonald’s has denied the study’s validity
According to the Fast Food Menu Price, eating one Big Mac can severely affect your body’s normal functions, by heightening your sodium levels, causing dehydration, and making you hungry again not an hour after. It adds more the already extensive picture of the dangers of fast food on your health, possibly paving the way to diabetes.
First of all, the first 10 minutes after the meal, the consumer is overtaken by the pleasurable and addiction-inducing sensation due to the brain reacting to the high-calorie content, releasing dopamine. The infographic states that it will raise your blood sugar to “abnormal levels”, which won’t be felt by non-diabetics.
The ‘feel good’ chemical releases just minutes after the Big Mac is due to the whopping 540 calories, which is often a reward inducer, in the simple sense that you might want more. The study has compared it to cocaine, but there are other less questionable ways of gaining its effects, such as extensive exercise or sex.
After 20 minutes, your body starts breaking down the high sodium content and sugar, increasing the cravings. The sodium levels are estimated to be up to 970 milligrams in just one meal, whereas the recommended daily dose is of 1,500 milligrams, as stated by the American Heart Association. However, debates and expert opinions are not yet settled on the harmful limit.
Thus, 30 minutes later, your body becomes dehydrated due to the salt. The study claims that your brain is not able to properly distinguish from thirst and hunger, which might cause you to overeat, and possibly resort to indulging in one more Big Mac or anything else on their menu. The high amounts of salt will increase your blood pressure, but it should be noted that it’s temporary.
The catch is 40 minutes in, which reinforces the dehydration. The carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, lowering its levels, insulin increases, and your body will demand more glucose in order to keep balance, which could come in the form of yet another meal. Essentially, the study states that it will trick you to get more poison from the snake that bit you.
After 60 minutes, your body is virtually tired from all these processes, so it may take over three days to fully digest the Big Mac, and around 51 days to go through all the trans fatty acids.
However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially banned the use of trans fatty this year, and McDonalds claims that it’s been removing them from their meals. The fast food chain has stated that the study is highly exaggerated, and that it’s misleading where it concerns informing the public to the content of their menu and the way the human body handles it.
Image source: eveboo.com
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