Watching this documentary was not planned (I just have a list on my phone and I watch whichever I feel like watching), but the timing seemed to perfect in the end. This year, me and boyfriend did a bet. We bet not go to MacDonalds (or any other fast food company in The Netherlands, like KFC or Burger King) for a full year! So, this documentary was a great one to watch to keep me motivated: I’m talking about the documentary Super Size Me.
Why we made the bet
The bet was quite random and not my idea in the first place. My boyfriend suggested we should try it. I was hesitant at first. That might be weird, since I’m vegan and the only thing I can eat there are fries. It is because well, MacDonalds is always there. After a night out for example, it’s easy. But, I took the challenge anyway (I like challenges). Why? Well, MacDonalds is not exactly my favorite kind of company. First of all, because of the unhealthy food they serve. A huge amount of people are overweight in the Netherlands, so, this is not a company you want on every corner.
Secondly, the animal cruelty is just horrific. They use the cheapest meat they can find and that’s just horrible. Reading about it in books and seeing it with my own eyes in documentaries, I know all about it. Three, it’s not local. It’s a multinational and so most of the money goes to the owners or share holders. I’m more of suport-my-community kind of person, that’s why I like my food local (and the food travels less far). And four, MacDonalds is not sustainable at all. Far from it actually, it’s destroying the planet. By the huge amount of animal products in their menu’s and because none of the ingredients are local or organic. This is not a company I want to put my money into. Because by doing so, I’m enabling this company to continue this way. You vote with your money.
SuperSize Me
The health-part is not the biggest reason for me to quit going to MacDonalds. I mean, I can balance very well and I’m healthy. I am not overweight and I feel fantastic. But, I was curious to see what a regular visit to MacDonalds can do for you. So, I watched SuperSize Me. In the documentary Morgan Spurlock goes on a ‘MacDonalds’ diet for an entire month. 30 days of eating only MacDonalds, from breakfast to dinner. Supervised by doctors, he will find out what this diet will do to his body.
Due to lobbying of the fast food industry, official reports say that MacDonalds can be healthy. Well, Morgan has proven this all wrong. I won’t tell all of it, but I also think you know what will happen: Morgan’s health will suffer dramatically from this diet. He gains a lot of weight yes, but the other health effects shocked me even more, doctors even urged him to stop at one point.
The solution for me
I will try to boycot MacDonalds for a full year. If I want a snack in the middle of the night, I can of course do that still. But at a local entrepreneur, not MacDonalds. Menu’s I haven’t had at MacDonalds for a while and I’m telling you, it’s quite easy. If you’re someone who goes to MacDonalds for a ‘dinner’, then this documentary will shock you. The food will do absolutely nothing for you, besides make you fat and unhealthy. I think we all know that.
Have you seen the documentary Super Size Me?
Yours sincerely,
Romee
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