PopSugar

Fast Food Breakdown: French Fries

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:45:00 -0800

What is it about french fries that makes us crave them so? Is it the saltiness? The crispy outside and soft, warm inside? Is it that they make ketchup taste so good?

Well whatever the reason, people love them and fast-food joints know that. Unfortunately deep-fried foods aren't exactly healthy for us, which we know, but maybe seeing some actual numbers will help prevent us from ordering the super-size fries at Mickey D's next time.

Want to see the nutritional info? Then read more

Check out how a large-size order of fries compares at these popular fast-food chains.

Place	Calories	Trans Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)
McDonald's	570	8	330
Burger King	500	6	820
Wendy's	540	1	550
Arby's Homestyle	566	1	1,029
Arby's Curly	631	1	1,476
Hardee's Regular	610	unknown	370
Hardee's Crispy Curls	480	unknown	1,190
A&W Regular	430	5.5	640
A&W Chili Cheese	400	4	990
In-N-Out Burger	400	0	245
Jack in the Box Natural Cut	640	10	1180
Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly	550	10	1,200
White Castle	700	11	560
Sonic Regular	280	0	135
Sonic Chili Cheese	450	.5	610
Dairy Queen	730	5	1,530
Carl's Jr.	620	unknown	380
Popeyes	310	1	660
KFC Potato Wedges	260	0	740

Whoa, hang on a sec. Did I read those numbers from Dairy Queen correctly? 730 calories and 1,530mg of sodium? Yikes. I've never tried their french fries but they better be the best-tasting potatoes in the world. White Castle's fries aren't too far behind with 700 calories and a whopping 11g of trans fat. The worst thing is that people eat these on the side. If french fries contain this many calories, I don't even want to think about what the total number of calories would be if you ate them along with a burger.

If these numbers don't make you steer clear of fast-food french fries, maybe this video about McDonald's preservatives will seal the deal. It's disgustingly shocking. It makes you realize that it's not only the trans fat, calories, and sodium that are unhealthy, but you have no idea what kind of crap and chemicals these fast-food chains are putting into their food, and how it'll negatively affect your body.

Source

In Case You Were STILL Eating at McDonald's...

FitSugar — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 03:30:00 -0700

This video is a MUST see! I knew McDonald's was bad for me because of the cholesterol, saturated fat, and sugar content, but I had no idea that there were so many preservatives pumped into this crap too!

The man who made the documentary Super Size Me (which is also a MUST see, by the way), conducted this interesting science experiment with McDonald's food. Check out the French fries...

Want to hear more about McDonald's? Then read more

Here's the opening to the documentary Super Size Me. I definitely recommend checking out this entire movie (you can rent it through Netflix. It'll change your perspective on fast food forever.

Healthy Menu Options May Lead to Overindulgence

partysugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:50:31 -0700

The question "would you like fries or salad with that?" is one regularly asked by waitresses across the nation. While it's easy to think the answer is a personal decision that reflects one's eating habits, a soon-to-be-released study shows differently.

The New York Times reports that "the presence of healthy options on a menu can induce some diners to eat less healthily than they otherwise would." In the study, a group of college students were given two menus. One featured regular fast-food items (chicken nuggets, french fries, etc.) and the other was exactly the same with the addition of a salad. When choosing from the first menu, only 10 percent of the subjects ordered french fries. However, when given the menu with salad as an option, 33 percent of the same subjects asked for french fries.

This is an interesting concept and I'm curious to read the report, by the Journal of Consumer Research, when it comes out. Until then, I can only speak about my own experiences and the truth is I've looked at salad on a menu many times and thought, "I should have a salad. . .nah, I'll get the fries." What do you think of the news? Have you ever shunned a healthier dish for something more indulgent?

Source

Fast Food Breakdown: Chicken

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:30:00 -0800

When you're on the road, sometimes the occasional stop at a fast-food drive-thru can't be avoided. If you're not into ordering a hamburger and French fries because of the saturated fat and high calories, then chicken could be your choice for a lean protein. Choose your chicken wisely, though; not all your choices are necessarily lean. Check out how these popular fast foods compare.

Chicken	Calories	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Protein (g)
McDonald's McChicken Sandwich	360	3	35	830	14
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich	420	2	70	1190	32
McDonald's Crispy Chicken Classic Sandwich	530	3.5	50	1150	28
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich	530	6	90	1470	40

To see the rest read more.

Chicken	Calories	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Protein (g)
McDonald's Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich	630	7	75	1420	36
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich	470	3	80	1500	36
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich	580	4.5	60	1460	32
McDonald's Southern Style Crispy Chicken Sandwich	400	3	45	1030	24
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Ranch Snack Wrap	270	4	45	830	18
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Honey Mustard Snack Wrap	260	3.5	45	800	18
BK Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich	490	4	55	1220	26
BK Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich	430	8	70	1640	32
BK Spicy Chick'n Crisp Sandwich	630	5	30	810	12
BK Original Chicken Sandwich	630	7	65	1390	24
BK Chicken Tenders (6 pc)	270	3.5	35	730	14
BK Chicken Fries (6 pc)	250	2.5	30	820	14
Wendy's Crispy Chicken Deluxe	400	5	50	980	20
Wendy's Chicken Club	540	8	75	1360	34
Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill	320	1.5	70	950	28
Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich	440	2.5	60	1300	28
Wendy's Chicken Nuggets (10 pc)	460	6	70	1040	24
Wendy's Grilled Chicken Go Wrap	260	3.5	45	760	17
Taco Bell Chicken Burrito Supreme	380	5	40	1370	20
Taco Bell Spicy Chicken Soft Taco	170	2	25	580	10
Taco Bell Chicken Fiesta Taco Salad	780	5	70	1830	37
Taco Bell Spicy Chicken Soft Taco	170	2	25	580	10
Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla	520	12	75	1420	28

I think my blood pressure just shot through the roof from seeing those sodium counts. Yikes. Some of these menu items have more than half the amount you should have in an entire day (2,300 mg). Feel free to enjoy these in a pinch, but I definitely wouldn't be chowing on a McChicken Sandwich every day.

Source

McDonald's: Serving Burgers and Families For 50 Years

LilSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:00:10 -0700

Many children have gazed up at Mickey D's famous golden arches on their way in to grab a burger, chicken nuggets, french fries or a sundae with their parents. Today the company celebrates its 50th anniversary. Who doesn't remember sitting on the swivel chairs with school friends and biting into the crunchy sliced pickle that was always perfectly centered in the sandwich? McDonald's aptly titled Happy Meals put a smile on tots' faces while their moms and pops noshed on a Big Mac or Filet-O-Fish. Sometimes even Ronald McDonald or the Hamburgler made an appearance and then it was time to hit the brightly colored playground that was attached to the establishment. Children were so smitten with the fast food joint that they threw their birthday parties there but is the love affair with drive through and paper wrapped entrees a thing of the past? To see why I ask, read more.

As a parent raising two youngsters in a foodie city, I've never taken them to McDonald's. Fast food isn't really in the cards when we consider our meal options. For about the same price we would dole out at a pull up window, we can pick up burritos made with fresh ingredients from a local taqueria, Middle Eastern pita sandwiches or Thai noodles. I wouldn't pitch a fit if a friend or family member took my children to a fast food joint, but for reasons of nutrition and taste - it isn't my preference.

What are your thoughts on feeding kids fast food?

Source

Kids Think Food Tastes Better With McDonald's Name

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:45:00 -0700

I just found out about this fascinating study led by Dr. Thomas Robinson, the director of the Center for Healthy Weight at Packard Children's Hospital and associate professor of pediatrics and of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Talk about serious credentials.

He had 63 children, ages 3 and 5, sample five foods: chicken nuggets, a hamburger, French fries, baby carrots and milk. The chicken nuggets, hamburger and French fries were all from McDonald's; the carrots and milk were from a grocery store.

Each food was divided into two portions: one wrapped in a McDonald's wrapper or placed in a McDonald's bag and the other in a wrapper without the McDonald's logo.

Want to know what the kids had to say about the carrots? Then read more

The kids thought the food branded with the McDonald's name tasted "better," even though the foods were exactly the same! Apparently kids do judge a food by its cover. That seems like early brand recognition, too early in my book.

With further investigation, Dr. Robinson found that 1/3 of these children ate at Mickey D's more than once a week, and more than 3/4 of them had McDonald's toys at home. The children had about 2-3 TVs in their homes, and more than half the kids had TVs in their rooms.

It's no wonder kids are "lovin' it" - McDonald's spends a ton of moolah advertising to kids. It's really not fair since kids don't understand the persuasive nature of advertising, and they don't realize that eating foods high in sugar and fat can cause childhood obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and adolescent heart disease.

McDonald's responded by saying they are dealing with the problem. Hmm. Here's an idea. How about you stop advertising your unhealthy, far-from-nutritional food to kids?! Or better yet - why just advertise the healthy stuff you do sell? Oh, a mother can dream, can't she?

I do believe that parents should be monitoring what their kids eat, and teach them how to make healthy choices. If kids ages 3 and 5 years are learning to dine regularly at McDonald's, they are going to make the same choices once they are older. By then, health problems will have begun their course, and those unhealthy eating habits will be tough to break. Now is the time, when kids are young, to instill ways to eat and stay healthy.

Source

Fast Food Breakdown: Hamburgers

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 03:00:00 -0800

If you're on the road or in a rush, sometimes you can't avoid finding yourself in a fast food restaurant. Hamburgers are a pretty popular menu item, and since every fast food joint prepares them differently, it's hard to make the healthiest choice.

Want to see how these popular burgers compare? Then read more

Burger	Calories	Trans Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)
McDonald's Hamburger	250	.5	25	520
McDonald's Cheeseburger	300	.5	45	750
McDonald's Quarter Pounder	410	1	65	730
McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese	740	2.5	155	1380
McDonald's Big Mac	540	1.5	75	1040
McDonald's Big N' Tasty with Cheese	510	1.5	85	960
Burger King (BK) Whopper with mayo (without mayo)	670 (510)	1.5 (1)	95 (80)	1020 (880)
BK Double Whopper with cheese and mayo (without mayo)	990 (830)	2.5 (2)	195 (180)	1520 (1380)
BK Triple Whopper with cheese & mayo (without mayo)	1230 (1070)	3.5 (3)	275 (260)	1590 (1450)
Wendy's 1/4 lb Single	430	1	75	870
Wendy's 1/2 lb Double with Cheese	710	2.0	160	1440
Wendy's 3/4 lb Triple with Cheese	980	3.5	245	2010
Wendy's Baconator	840	2.5	195	1880
In-N-Out Hamburger with Onion	243	0	40	650
In-N-Out Cheeseburger with Onion	268	.5	60	1000
In-N-Out Double-Double with Onion	330	.1	120	1440
Arby's Beef and Cheddar	445	1.5	51	1275
Jack in the Box Hamburger Deluxe with Cheese	460	1	70	930
Jack in the Box Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger	1090	3	140	2040

Well I just about had a heart attack looking at those numbers. As you can see, they're loaded with tons of sodium and calories. If you can, I'd stick with burgers from In-N-Out or McDonald's since they aren't as bad for you as those from Wendy's and Burger King. Go for smaller sandwiches too, ones that are made with only one patty. Order extra veggies on top, and then order a healthy salad or baked potato on the side. Forget a side of French fries, since they're loaded with sodium and crazy amounts of calories. Picking up fast food is fine every once in a while, but with numbers like these, I wouldn't make a habit of "lovin' it."

My Exclusive Interview with Gus, the 2008 World's Ugliest Dog!

PetSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:00:45 -0700

All the way from St. Petersburg, Florida, Gus captured the title – and my heart – when he won the 20th Annual World's Ugliest Dog Competition. The three-legged, one-eyed pup with cancer has a true tale of triumph – Jeanenne Teed and daughter Janey plan to use his award money of $1,600 (that's $100 for being a finalist for the purebred category, $500 for winning the Ugliest Dog of 2008 at the Sonoma-Marin Fair, and $1,000 for being the "2008 World's Ugliest Dog") towards his radiation treatments.In addition to the money, he got two trophies, one taller than his owners – I've got no clue how they'll get those back to the Sunshine state! I already mentioned it was hot, hot, hot up in Petaluma, but that didn't stop me from catching up with the trio after they won and asking them a few questions about their precious pooch.

PS: How long ago did Gus join your family?
JT: Gus is nine years old and came to us when he was one year old. He came to us word of mouth . . . he was being kept inside a crate inside a garage by an owner who really just couldn't deal with him. She did the right thing and she gave him up to a better home . . . we'd like to think. And he's been with us ever since, through thick and thin, and he's hanging in there. He's a tough cookie.

PS: You mentioned that he has cancer – what kind of cancer does he have?
JT: He has skin cancer. He was diagnosed in December of '06 and, at that time, the cancer was quite advanced and he needed to have his leg amputated. The other leg was debulked and the tumor was removed. After chemotherapy and then treatment with another medication, he had a great year – we had a great year – we took him on vacation for the first time.

Find out where they went – and what happened to his eye! – when you read more.

PS: Where did you go?
JT: We went to the Panhandle to an area that we always go to, Walton Beach, and it was just a great experience. Over Christmas, and over the holidays, we had that and now we have this great experience, too, which is unbelievable . . . absolutely unbelievable.

PS: So when you got Gus, did he have only one eye?
JT: Well, that's a sad . . . (laughs) . . . Gus got into a cat fight last December and obviously the cat won. So he lost his eye, too, to the cat. And he hasn't forgotten about it either.

PS: Hmm, they're not pals now I'm guessing?
JT: No, they're one for one. Gus had caught the kitten when he was a tiny, itty bitty kitten. And was trying to tear the kitten up with our other dog, Buttons, and they were playing tug-of-war. I rescued the little kitten who turned out to be a great, big tomcat.

PS: What's Gus's favorite treat?
JT: French fries. Unfortunately. We don't feed him this often but he loves McDonald's french fries. And when he was undergoing chemotherapy and his stomach was upset, the only thing he would eat was pepperoni pizza. Fortunately Janey works at a pizza place so it was easy to come by but that's what kept him going when nothing else tasted good to him.

PS: And are you gonna get him a special meal before you go back to the hotel tonight? A pampering snack at the fair, funnel cake perhaps?
JT: Him or us (laughs). We will get Gus whatever he wants to eat. It's been a great experience.

Speak Up: What Was Your Diet Like As a Kid?

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I grew up eating mac 'n' cheese, hotdogs, peanut butter and jelly (on Wonderbread, of course), and sugary cereals for breakfast. I don't remember ever eating a salad, and come to think of it, I didn't eat many vegetables at all (unless you count french fries at McDonald's). My parents just weren't big into eating healthy, but it is cool to see how we've all come around. While I love fruits, veggies, and whole grains and love teaching my girls how to select the perfect peach at the store, I have turned my mother onto brussels sprouts. Needless to say, I feel happy knowing I am taking better care of myself, but I also feel a lot better eating healthy.

So what about you? What was your diet like when you were younger? Was it much different than it is today? Did you learn healthy eating habits from your parents, or did you create your own. Tell me in the comment section below.

Source

Project Runway Gets Facelift While Heidi Gets McDonald's

PopSugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:00:21 -0700

After kissing Seal goodbye Friday morning Heidi Klum stuck around NYC for a trip to McDonald's with Leni, Henry and Johan, and today she was all made up in her white dress. While Heidi is on the market for a new place in Manhattan now that she's selling her penthouse, it's Project Runway's upcoming move to LA that still has everyone curious. She recently talked about a few new things we can expect to see change - like fresh catchphrases. Those memorable words are a big part of what we love about the show so we can't wait to see what they come up with next. We've still got one more Bravo NY season coming in July, but until then we'll just be jealous of Henry's yummy french fries.

View 7 Photos ›

Splash News Online and Source