Is a Big Mac really that bad for you?

Are you a fan of McDonalds or other fast-food restaurants that continue to come under fire for serving such unhealthy meals? You're not alone -- and it's a reason while McDonalds is the largest food company in the world. Fast-food restaurants are booming because nobody has time to cook any longer -- jobs and kids keep every waking minute occupied.

I'm no fan of fast food (except for the occasional salad), but when detractors start to criticize the fat and calorie amounts in fast food meals, I have to giggle a bit. Fried doughnuts and pastries usually have way more calories and fat grams than the standard cheeseburger. If you add french fries to that cheeseburger, it may be a different story.

The only real way to tell which are the worst offenders is to get detailed about it -- look at the websites of all your favorite fast food haunts and make a note of the calorie, fat and other facts and do a comparison. You may be startled at what you find out.