The more I read about the restaurant industry, the more I want to just stay at home and cook. This Men’s Health article discusses what the restaurant industry does not want you to know:
Sit-down chains don’t want you to know that their food is actually considerably worse for you than the often-maligned fast-food fare. In fact, our menu analysis of 24 national chains revealed that the average entree at a sit-down restaurant contains 867 calories, compared with 522 calories in the average fast-food entree. And that’s before appetizers, sides, or desserts—selections that can easily double your total calorie intake.
However, fast food isn’t getting off that easy. In one of the most disturbing analyses of fast food, this study compares the nitty gritty details of what exactly is in your combo meal. I spent about 30 minutes exploring the charts and drawing my own conclusions, which are probably right in line with what the web site wanted me to think.
Reality Check: a Large serving of McDonald’s french fries have a whopping 8 grams of trans fats.
The American Heart Association recommends a MAXIMUM of no more than 2 grams of trans fat per day. They then go on to say that there is enough naturally occurring trans fats in some meat and dairy products that most people already reach this maximum 2 grams without the additional consumption of the industrially manufactured trans fats contained in the foods mentioned in the above comparison. So, when you take this intake account (and realize 2 grams is the MAX amount, not recommended average amount) you should really be eating 0 grams of trans fat per day.
The primary health risk identified for trans fat consumption is an elevated risk of coronary heart disease. Although there is no consensus, trans fats are widely believed to also increase risk of cancer, diabetes, liver dysfunction, and infertility (not to mention obesity). And an order of fries has FOUR TIMES the maximum daily amount.
