The hamburgers, pizzas and french f

The hamburgers, pizzas and french fries of fast food restaurants-perhaps the most popular meals in America and increasingly common of other countries are often condemned as junk food. Many nutritionists hold a different, and somewhat surprising opinion. Such food, they say, balance substantial amounts of nearly all essential nutrients; pizza, for instance, provides protein and fat in its cheese, carbohydrate in its crust, and vitamins and minerals in its tomato sauce. When eaten in normal quantities, the fast foods may supply more calories than the average adult needs-a hamburger, fried potatoes and shake contribute about 1,300 calories, about haft the daily requirement but not necessarily more than an active teenager can use.