Prince Charles says ban McDonald’s food
LONDON (AP) ‚Äö√Ñ√Æ Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald’s fast food was crucial for improving people’s diets, a British news agency reported. Charles made the comments while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi for the launch of a public health campaign, The Press Association reported….”Have you got anywhere with McDonald’s? Have you tried getting it banned? That’s the key,” Charles was quoted as asking one of the center’s nutritionists.
Of course, banning McDonalds food isn’t realistic, possible, or even desirable. Banning perhaps the worst, most dangerous quasi-food on the planet (How many chemicals are in a strawberry shake? And NONE of them are strawberries?) would only make it more appealing. The Prince makes a good point, though; people concerned about their health shouldn’t be eating at McDonalds- period. And it’s not as if McDonalds is the only fast food offender. No, they’re simply the biggest and most egregious. I refuse to eat at McDonalds for two simple reasons: the food is horrible, and all of their menu items (with the possible exception of their coffee) are stuffed with chemical stews designed to increase shelf life, improve flavor and appearance, and God only knows the short- and long-term effects are.
Anyone who’s read Morgan Spurlock’s “Supersize Me”, or seen the movie, has seen a graphic depiction of just how bad fast food can be. Granted, Spurlock’s example was on the extreme side, but it served to illustrate his point, which was that McDonalds’ food is BAD food. It clogs arteries, it’s stuffed with fat and calories, and while it’ll stave off starvation, it could well kill you by other means.
I have a difficult time believing that Prince Charles was seriously about trying to ban McDonalds, but the ideas behind it is laudable. Banning McDonalds would accomplish nothing except to create a fast-food Prohibition. If people could be convinced to eat healthier instead of faster, we might live longer and be in better overall health as we’re doing it. And Prince Charles could move on to another cause.
