The 10 Most Unhealthy Fast-Food Items on America's Menu
From
California to the New York Island, from the redwood forest to the Gulf
Stream waters, this land is filled with fatties, lard butts and people
large enough to have their own gravitational fields. Yes, America is the
land of the "large and in charge," and one of the main reasons for it
is our love of fast food.Though it's tempting to put all the blame for America's obesity crisis on the fast-food industry -- and experts say it is at least partly at fault -- it's important to view it in context. The industry came of age during the 1950s as suburban communities saw their populations skyrocket, and social mores also began changing as women began to increasingly work outside the home. It was at that point that some of the savviest entrepreneurs in American corporate history sprang into action.
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) got in on the trend in 1955 when businessman Ray Kroc wondered how the McDonald Brothers sold so many burgers at their Southern California burger joint. He opened his first McDonald's Drive-In in Des Plaines, Ill. Today, there are more than 32,000 restaurants under the Golden Arches.
Col. Harlan Sanders began franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1952. Five years later, Sanders began selling chicken in buckets and today there are more than 15,000 KFC outlets. James McLamore and David Edgerton founded Burger King in 1954, when as the company's website notes "flame-broiled beef [began] fulfilling its destiny." There are more than 12,500 Burger Kings today. Glen W. Bell Jr. opened the first Taco Bell (YUM) in 1962 with an investment of $4,000 and eventually sold the chain to Pepsico in 1978. At that time, there were 868 Taco Bells. Today, there are nearly 6,000. At the tender age of 17, Fred DeLuca co-founded Subway Restaurants in 1965. They have 32,800 locations today.
Many of the same trends that helped create the modern fast-food industry are still helping fuel its growth. Many children, especially racial minorities, live in single-parent households, including a whopping 65% of black children and 37% of Hispanic children as of 2007, according to Kids Count. Mothers are working outside the home at much higher rates than in decades past. It is projected that women will account for 46.9% of the labor force in 2018, up from 46.8% in 2018. Add to this mix the high unemployment rates caused by an uncertain economy, and the allure of fast, cheap food becomes hard to resist.
And therein lies the problem.
Obesity is a public health crisis. Obesity rates have tripled among children since 1980. In 2009, only Colorado and the District of Columbia had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People who are obese are vulnerable to everything from diabetes to heart disease resulting in some $147 billion in direct medical costs annually.
The degree to which fast food is at fault for the poor state of the health of many Americans "is impossible to quantify, but is definitely a factor," says Christina Munsell, a registered dietitian and research assistant at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University, in an interview. The increase in obesity "definitely would correlate with eating quicker meals that are easier to obtain."
In order to create the rankings, 24/7 Wall St. examined the menus of the top 10 restaurant brands in the quick service category by sales as determined by QSR, an industry publication, looking for the most unhealthy options in the fast-food universe:items that were the highest in calories, carbohydrates, sodium and saturated fat. We then ranked them against the nutritional guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture.
A couple of important caveats to consider. Not everything sold at fast food restaurants is unhealthy. The industry aggressively promotes healthier choice on their menus. Subway, for one, makes a special point of doing this, though its foot-long subs are not healthy choices. Moreover, experts point out that many items sold at sit-down restaurants are actually much more unhealthy than many fast food items. Fast food, though, has gained ground during the economic slowdown while casual and fine dining chains have suffered. McDonald's alone earned $24.58 billion in revenue in 2010. Yum! Brands, parent of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, made $11.42 billion.
Methodology: We derived the rankings by taking the average nutritional ratings of menu items compared with the USDA recommendations. Carbohydrates, saturated fat, and sodium were given the most weight. Calories and protein were also considered.
10. Wendy's Baconator Double> Calories (pct. daily diet): 930 (36%)
> Saturated Fat: 25g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 41 (13%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1840mg (80%)
9. Burger King Triple Whopper with Cheese> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1180 (45%)
> Saturated Fat: 30g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 52 (16%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1330mg (58%)
The Triple Whopper makes a mere Quarter Pounder with Cheese seem like health food. At 1,140 calories, it packs more than twice the punch of the McDonald's burger, which has 535 calories. In a statement to 24/7 Wall St., the company referred to the Triple Whopper as an "indulgent option for our guests." Burger King says it encourages customers to eat healthy choices that provide 650 calories or less -- approximately one-third of a 2,000-calorie daily diet.
8. Subway Footlong Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki> Calories (pct. daily diet): 750 (28%)
> Saturated Fat: 2.5g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 117 (41%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1810 mg (79%) Subway, unhealthy? In some cases, the answer is "yes." While this sandwich is low in calories and fat, it is high in salt. The portions of Subway's foot-long sandwiches are too large, Munsell notes. Subway did not respond to a request for comment.
7. Wendy's Triple> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1030 (40%)
> Saturated Fat: 28g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 43 (18%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1800mg (78%)
Anyone eating this monstrosity might not realize that the USDA suggests one portion of meat should be roughly the size of deck of cards. This Wendy's monster burger weighs in at a whopping 423 grams. Wendy's has struggled for years against larger rivals. It unloaded its underperforming Arby's chain earlier this week to private-equity group Roark Capital Group. Wendy's did not respond to a request for comment.
6. Taco Bell XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito Beef> Calories (pct. daily diet): 880 (34%)
> Saturated Fat: 3g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 94 (26%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 2130mg (93%) Taco Bell has mastered the art of blending meats and cheese in ever more creative caloric combinations. The XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito Beef is a monument to gluttony. Taco Bell calls it its "biggest burrito yet." It has "a blend of three cheeses – cheddar, pepper jack and mozzarella – flavorful seasoned rice, hearty beans, reduced-fat sour cream, chunky guacamole, avocado ranch and fiesta salsa, wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla." Taco Bell's sales have been hurt recently by questions surrounding the quality of its beef.
5. McDonald's Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon> Calories (pct. daily diet): 800 (31%)
> Saturated Fat: 18g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 66 (18%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 2020mg (88%) The Angus Chipotle is big and has bacon, two red flags for any dieter. "It's problematic," says Munsell, adding that the Golden Arches have borne the brunt of negative publicity about fast food. That's unfair. "We did find that McDonald's did have more healthy options" than other chains, she notes. Indeed, it ended its Super Size promotion a few years ago, no doubt spurred by the publicity surrounding Morgan Spurlock's Oscar-nominated documentary Super Size Me.
4. Sonic SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger with Mayo> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1370 (53%)
> Saturated Fat: 36g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 55 (17%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1610mg (70%) The name alone should make a diner want to grab a fistful of Lipitor. Those brave enough to chow down on this 1,370 calorie colossus probably shouldn't eat much for the rest of the day. Once a regional operator in the South and Midwest, Sonic (SONC) now operates over 3,500 locations.
3. KFC Chicken Pot Pie> Calories (pct. daily diet): 790 (30%)
> Saturated Fat: 37g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 66 (20%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 1970mg (86%)
Salty and high in calories, there is little positive that can be said about the KFC Chicken Pot Pie. But a Yum! Brands spokesman had this to say: "It's all about providing our consumers with choices, and each of our brands has introduced products that are lower in calories and fat, such as KFC's Kentucky Grilled Chicken, Pizza Hut's Thin 'N Crispy Pizzas and salads and Taco Bell's Drive Thru Diet Menu with 7 items less than 9 grams of fat."
In other words, diners have a choice about whether or not they eat something with almost a full day's allotment of sodium in one item.
2. Subway 12-inch Italian B.M.T> Calories (pct. daily diet): 900 (35%)
> Saturated Fat: 16g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 94 (27%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 3,000 mg (130%) It's easy to see why Subway does not list this sandwich under the "low-fat footlongs" on its web site. It has a whopping 3,000 mg of salt, 130% of the recommended allotment in a daily diet. "The problem with Subway is the portion size," Munsell says, adding that the problem with this sandwich is the salty luncheon meats. However, Subway is getting the message about salt. As an April USA Today article noted, "Beginning today, sodium content in Subway's 'Fresh Fit' sandwich line in the U.S. will be cut 28% vs. 2009, when Subway first began to cut salt. And sodium in its overall sandwich line will be cut by 15%, compared with the same period."
1. Pizza Hut Triple Meat Italiano (9-inch personal pizza)> Calories (pct. daily diet): 1,280 (49%)
> Saturated Fat: 23g
> Carbohydrate (pct. daily diet): 123 (38%)
> Sodium (pct. daily diet): 3,070mg (133%) Pizza -- plain, with cheese and sauce -- is not particularly unhealthy. This gastronomical overkill featuring "all-natural pepperoni, all-natural Italian sausage, and baked ham" is terrible for you. Pizza Hut offers plenty of healthier choices.
Now,some of the worst HEALTHY fast food. These food chains want you to believe this is a healthy alternative to the other crapola on the menu but its not! Did you know that Chick-fil-a Kids Meal grilled nuggets have as much cholesterol as a Big Mac? Less calories sure, but that isn't the only thing you need to look at. In a 'this or that' situation of course go with the grilled nuggets over a Big Mac! But don't use the quick meals as a replacement for fresh fruit, clean cooked meats, and veggies.
Worst 'Healthy' Fast Food: Wendy's Baja Salad, McDonald's Fruit And Maple Oatmeal
Think you're being healthful and saving some calories by ordering the salad or oatmeal?
Don't be so sure, says the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
The group recently tested the nutritional content of some items that fast food establishments are promoting as healthy. The group found they were far from it. Some of the items were packed with more fat, sodium, and sugar than anyone should eat in an entire day.
Don't be so sure, says the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
The group recently tested the nutritional content of some items that fast food establishments are promoting as healthy. The group found they were far from it. Some of the items were packed with more fat, sodium, and sugar than anyone should eat in an entire day.
The
group found the worst offenders were Wendy's Baja Salad, with almost
twice the recommended amount of sodium for an entire day, and McDonald's
Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, with more calories than a hamburger and more
sugar than many candy bars.
"Your health and your waistline will thank you for saying no to these so-called healthy foods," PCRM nutrition education director Susan Levin said in a statement. "Fast-food chains hope to cash in on consumer ignorance with labels like "fat-free" and "low calorie."
The five worst "healthy" fast food items:
Wendy's Baja Salad: Contains 1,990 milligrams of sodium, more than should be consumed in an entire day.
McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal: Contains more sugar than a Snickers Bar.
Subway Fresh Fit 6-Inch Turkey Breast Sub: With standards such as cheese and mayo, this "low-fat" sandwich jumps to 24 grams of fat. Contains processed meat, which is linked to increased cancer risk.
Sonic Strawberry Smoothie: Contains more sugar than five Twinkies.
KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken: Contains PhIP, a chemical classified as a carcinogen by the federal government.
—Andrea Walker, Baltimore Sun (MCT)
"Your health and your waistline will thank you for saying no to these so-called healthy foods," PCRM nutrition education director Susan Levin said in a statement. "Fast-food chains hope to cash in on consumer ignorance with labels like "fat-free" and "low calorie."
The five worst "healthy" fast food items:
Wendy's Baja Salad: Contains 1,990 milligrams of sodium, more than should be consumed in an entire day.
McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal: Contains more sugar than a Snickers Bar.
Subway Fresh Fit 6-Inch Turkey Breast Sub: With standards such as cheese and mayo, this "low-fat" sandwich jumps to 24 grams of fat. Contains processed meat, which is linked to increased cancer risk.
Sonic Strawberry Smoothie: Contains more sugar than five Twinkies.
KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken: Contains PhIP, a chemical classified as a carcinogen by the federal government.
—Andrea Walker, Baltimore Sun (MCT)
Now from womansday.com, here is a 'have this not that' list. Since we all know that some days your options are 'starve or drive thru'.
Just because it's leafy and green doesn't mean it's good for you. Salads can be filled with much-needed nutrients, but many seemingly-smart choices are actually loaded with as much fat and calories as a cheeseburger—or more. Oily dressings, extra cheese, deep-fried chicken and extras, like croutons and corn chips, are just a few of the unhealthy spoilers lurking in some of the worst fast-food salad offenders. Don’t despair though: For every bad choice there’s also a healthier option. Read on to find out the best and worst salads available at your favorite fast-food joints and chain restaurants.
Get 2 weeks of free recipes and meal plans when you visit JoyBauer.com
Best: Caesar Salad Entrée with Lite Ranch Dressing (210 cal, 12 g fat)
Worst: Market Chopped Salad (480 cal, 40 g fat)
Best: Shanghai Chicken (313 cal, 13 g fat)
Worst: Così Cobb (708 cal, 55 g fat)
Best: Premium “Caesar” Salad with Grilled Chicken and Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette (260 cal, 9 g fat)
Worst: Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken with Newman’s Own Creamy Southwest Dressing (530 cal, 26 g fat)
Best: Garden-Fresh Salad, one serving with dressing (350 cal, 26 g fat)
Worst: Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (850 cal, 64 g fat)
Best: Asian Sesame Salad (400 cal, 20 g fat)
Worst: Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (520 cal, 31 g fat)
Best: Chipotle Steak Taco Salad, Fresco Style (220 cal, 7 g fat)
Worst: Chicken Ranch Taco Salad (910 cal, 54 g fat)
Best: Caesar Salad with grilled chicken (490 cal, 32 g fat)
Worst: Southwest Taco Salad (680 cal, 39 g fat)
After logging a 900 calorie Caesar salad on MyFitnessPal I now check out my facts on salads before I order. Here is a list of the 20 worst restaurant meals. Some are obvious but its good to check out the nutritional facts on the companies website if you are eating out and trying to lose weight. MyFitnessPal has most items on a menu from all restaurants but just in case you can't find it, the facts should be on the company site. Found at thirdage.com
20 Worst Restaurant Meals
-
20
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
- 20
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
-
19. Cheescake Factory French Toast with Bacon-
What is going on in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory?
With the number of staggering offenders on their menu, we could have
created an entire 20 Worst list just for them. The breakfast menu alone
plays to more than a dozen items with more than 1,000 calories. About a
third of those carry more than 2,000. Is that really what you want for
your first meal of the day?
Nutrition Facts:
2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates-
20
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
-
19. Cheescake Factory French Toast with Bacon-
What is going on in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory?
With the number of staggering offenders on their menu, we could have
created an entire 20 Worst list just for them. The breakfast menu alone
plays to more than a dozen items with more than 1,000 calories. About a
third of those carry more than 2,000. Is that really what you want for
your first meal of the day?
Nutrition Facts:
2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates
-
18. Applebee’s Appetizer Sampler
Nothing spells nutritional doom more decidedly than a
“sampler” platter. The idea is that by eating only a little bit of a bad
thing, you won’t suffer severe caloric consequences. That’s true in
theory, but not when you’re eating a little bit of several bad things—in
this case mozzarella sticks, spinach and artichoke dip with chips,
cheese quesadilla, and Buffalo wings. Truth is, the traditional sampler
is actually little more than a roundup of all the worst appetizers, and
ordering it will almost certainly saddle you with more calories than any
one of those appetizers would have on its own.
Nutrition Facts:
2,510 calories
168 g fat (49 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
6,660 mg sodium- 20
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
-
19. Cheescake Factory French Toast with Bacon-
What is going on in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory?
With the number of staggering offenders on their menu, we could have
created an entire 20 Worst list just for them. The breakfast menu alone
plays to more than a dozen items with more than 1,000 calories. About a
third of those carry more than 2,000. Is that really what you want for
your first meal of the day?
Nutrition Facts:
2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates
-
18. Applebee’s Appetizer Sampler
Nothing spells nutritional doom more decidedly than a
“sampler” platter. The idea is that by eating only a little bit of a bad
thing, you won’t suffer severe caloric consequences. That’s true in
theory, but not when you’re eating a little bit of several bad things—in
this case mozzarella sticks, spinach and artichoke dip with chips,
cheese quesadilla, and Buffalo wings. Truth is, the traditional sampler
is actually little more than a roundup of all the worst appetizers, and
ordering it will almost certainly saddle you with more calories than any
one of those appetizers would have on its own.
Nutrition Facts:
2,510 calories
168 g fat (49 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
6,660 mg sodium
-
17. Sbarro Stuffed Pepperoni (1 piece)
Recently Pizza Hut decided to stretch its stuffed-crust pizza
shtick by applying it to the deep-dish pan pizzas. The new pie is
predictably horrendous, but even with sausage on top, it doesn’t break
the 500-calorie slice mark. That’s by no means a defense of the Stuffed
Crust Pan Pizza, but rather an indictment of Sbarro’s Stuffed Pepperoni
Pizza, which has more calories, fat, and sodium than any slice in
America.
Nutrition Facts:
960 calories
42 g fat
3,200 mg sodium- 20
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
-
19. Cheescake Factory French Toast with Bacon-
What is going on in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory?
With the number of staggering offenders on their menu, we could have
created an entire 20 Worst list just for them. The breakfast menu alone
plays to more than a dozen items with more than 1,000 calories. About a
third of those carry more than 2,000. Is that really what you want for
your first meal of the day?
Nutrition Facts:
2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates
-
18. Applebee’s Appetizer Sampler
Nothing spells nutritional doom more decidedly than a
“sampler” platter. The idea is that by eating only a little bit of a bad
thing, you won’t suffer severe caloric consequences. That’s true in
theory, but not when you’re eating a little bit of several bad things—in
this case mozzarella sticks, spinach and artichoke dip with chips,
cheese quesadilla, and Buffalo wings. Truth is, the traditional sampler
is actually little more than a roundup of all the worst appetizers, and
ordering it will almost certainly saddle you with more calories than any
one of those appetizers would have on its own.
Nutrition Facts:
2,510 calories
168 g fat (49 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
6,660 mg sodium
-
17. Sbarro Stuffed Pepperoni (1 piece)
Recently Pizza Hut decided to stretch its stuffed-crust pizza
shtick by applying it to the deep-dish pan pizzas. The new pie is
predictably horrendous, but even with sausage on top, it doesn’t break
the 500-calorie slice mark. That’s by no means a defense of the Stuffed
Crust Pan Pizza, but rather an indictment of Sbarro’s Stuffed Pepperoni
Pizza, which has more calories, fat, and sodium than any slice in
America.
Nutrition Facts:
960 calories
42 g fat
3,200 mg sodium
-
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
-
19. Cheescake Factory French Toast with Bacon-
What is going on in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory?
With the number of staggering offenders on their menu, we could have
created an entire 20 Worst list just for them. The breakfast menu alone
plays to more than a dozen items with more than 1,000 calories. About a
third of those carry more than 2,000. Is that really what you want for
your first meal of the day?
Nutrition Facts:
2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates
-
18. Applebee’s Appetizer Sampler
Nothing spells nutritional doom more decidedly than a
“sampler” platter. The idea is that by eating only a little bit of a bad
thing, you won’t suffer severe caloric consequences. That’s true in
theory, but not when you’re eating a little bit of several bad things—in
this case mozzarella sticks, spinach and artichoke dip with chips,
cheese quesadilla, and Buffalo wings. Truth is, the traditional sampler
is actually little more than a roundup of all the worst appetizers, and
ordering it will almost certainly saddle you with more calories than any
one of those appetizers would have on its own.
Nutrition Facts:
2,510 calories
168 g fat (49 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
6,660 mg sodium
-
17. Sbarro Stuffed Pepperoni (1 piece)
Recently Pizza Hut decided to stretch its stuffed-crust pizza
shtick by applying it to the deep-dish pan pizzas. The new pie is
predictably horrendous, but even with sausage on top, it doesn’t break
the 500-calorie slice mark. That’s by no means a defense of the Stuffed
Crust Pan Pizza, but rather an indictment of Sbarro’s Stuffed Pepperoni
Pizza, which has more calories, fat, and sodium than any slice in
America.
Nutrition Facts:
960 calories
42 g fat
3,200 mg sodium
-
16. T.G.I. Friday’s BBQ Chicken Wrap
This wrap seems to have been engineered with the goal of
packing in extra calories. It employs a one-two punch of the two
fattiest sauces known to man: ranch dressing and mayonnaise. And if
that’s not enough, it’s served with even more ranch on the side to
satisfy all your dipping fancies. You’d be better off housing three Big
Macs than tussling with this felonious fowl.
Nutrition Facts:
1720 calories -
15. Cheesecake Factory Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club
Who would have guessed that a dish with a name like this could
pack more calories than 11 scoops of Breyers All Natural Mint Chocolate
Chip? Skip sandwiches entirely when dining at the Factory. The
"lightest" on the menu is the 1,052-calorie Grilled Cheese. Instead (and
this might surprise you), you'd be much better off ordering a burger.
The Factory Burger is one of the best burgers offered at any sit-down
restaurant in America, and so long as you swap out the fries for
something healthier, it's also one of the safest entrees you'll find on
Cheesecake Factory's misguided menu.
Nutrition Facts:
1,752 calories
28 g saturated fat
2,309 mg sodium
85 g carbs -
14. On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Creamy Red Chile Sauce
How many Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos could you eat for this many
calories? Ten! Plus one Steak Baja Gordita Supreme. Basically, it’s a
perversion of Mexican cuisine that adds up to more food than you’d ever
dream of wolfing down in one sitting, and On the Border achieves it
through a heavy load of greasy beer-battered fish and a fat-riddled
cream sauce to boot.
Nutrition Facts:
2,240 calories
152 g fat (32 g saturated)
4,000 mg sodium
-
13. Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger
Nobody orders a burger thinking it’s healthy eating, and as an
occasional treat, that’s not a problem. But if you knew for a fact that
said burger had 2 days’ worth of sodium and more than 2 days’ worth of
saturated fat stuffed between those two soggy pieces of bread, would you
even consider it? Probably not. Blame it on the massive patty, the
Mexi-ranch sauce, and, oh, the cheese- and bacon-crusted quesadilla
“bun” that holds this hybrid hellraiser together.
Nutrition Facts:
1,420 calories
104 g fat (43 g saturated, 3 g trans)
4,000 mg sodium -
12. Cheesecake Factory Kids' Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
It’s bad enough to stick this much fat into an adult-size
meal, but for a child? That ought to be deemed criminally negligent.
This cream- and cheese-infused pasta bowl is bloated with more saturated
fat than a full-grown adult should eat in 4 days, and more calories
than you’d find in 40 Chicken McNuggets.
Nutrition Facts:
1,803 calories
86 g saturated fat
876 mg sodium
70 g carbohydrates- 20
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
-
19. Cheescake Factory French Toast with Bacon-
What is going on in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory?
With the number of staggering offenders on their menu, we could have
created an entire 20 Worst list just for them. The breakfast menu alone
plays to more than a dozen items with more than 1,000 calories. About a
third of those carry more than 2,000. Is that really what you want for
your first meal of the day?
Nutrition Facts:
2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates
-
18. Applebee’s Appetizer Sampler
Nothing spells nutritional doom more decidedly than a
“sampler” platter. The idea is that by eating only a little bit of a bad
thing, you won’t suffer severe caloric consequences. That’s true in
theory, but not when you’re eating a little bit of several bad things—in
this case mozzarella sticks, spinach and artichoke dip with chips,
cheese quesadilla, and Buffalo wings. Truth is, the traditional sampler
is actually little more than a roundup of all the worst appetizers, and
ordering it will almost certainly saddle you with more calories than any
one of those appetizers would have on its own.
Nutrition Facts:
2,510 calories
168 g fat (49 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
6,660 mg sodium
-
17. Sbarro Stuffed Pepperoni (1 piece)
Recently Pizza Hut decided to stretch its stuffed-crust pizza
shtick by applying it to the deep-dish pan pizzas. The new pie is
predictably horrendous, but even with sausage on top, it doesn’t break
the 500-calorie slice mark. That’s by no means a defense of the Stuffed
Crust Pan Pizza, but rather an indictment of Sbarro’s Stuffed Pepperoni
Pizza, which has more calories, fat, and sodium than any slice in
America.
Nutrition Facts:
960 calories
42 g fat
3,200 mg sodium
-
16. T.G.I. Friday’s BBQ Chicken Wrap
This wrap seems to have been engineered with the goal of
packing in extra calories. It employs a one-two punch of the two
fattiest sauces known to man: ranch dressing and mayonnaise. And if
that’s not enough, it’s served with even more ranch on the side to
satisfy all your dipping fancies. You’d be better off housing three Big
Macs than tussling with this felonious fowl.
Nutrition Facts:
1720 calories -
15. Cheesecake Factory Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club
Who would have guessed that a dish with a name like this could
pack more calories than 11 scoops of Breyers All Natural Mint Chocolate
Chip? Skip sandwiches entirely when dining at the Factory. The
"lightest" on the menu is the 1,052-calorie Grilled Cheese. Instead (and
this might surprise you), you'd be much better off ordering a burger.
The Factory Burger is one of the best burgers offered at any sit-down
restaurant in America, and so long as you swap out the fries for
something healthier, it's also one of the safest entrees you'll find on
Cheesecake Factory's misguided menu.
Nutrition Facts:
1,752 calories
28 g saturated fat
2,309 mg sodium
85 g carbs -
14. On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Creamy Red Chile Sauce
How many Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos could you eat for this many
calories? Ten! Plus one Steak Baja Gordita Supreme. Basically, it’s a
perversion of Mexican cuisine that adds up to more food than you’d ever
dream of wolfing down in one sitting, and On the Border achieves it
through a heavy load of greasy beer-battered fish and a fat-riddled
cream sauce to boot.
Nutrition Facts:
2,240 calories
152 g fat (32 g saturated)
4,000 mg sodium
-
13. Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger
Nobody orders a burger thinking it’s healthy eating, and as an
occasional treat, that’s not a problem. But if you knew for a fact that
said burger had 2 days’ worth of sodium and more than 2 days’ worth of
saturated fat stuffed between those two soggy pieces of bread, would you
even consider it? Probably not. Blame it on the massive patty, the
Mexi-ranch sauce, and, oh, the cheese- and bacon-crusted quesadilla
“bun” that holds this hybrid hellraiser together.
Nutrition Facts:
1,420 calories
104 g fat (43 g saturated, 3 g trans)
4,000 mg sodium -
12. Cheesecake Factory Kids' Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
It’s bad enough to stick this much fat into an adult-size
meal, but for a child? That ought to be deemed criminally negligent.
This cream- and cheese-infused pasta bowl is bloated with more saturated
fat than a full-grown adult should eat in 4 days, and more calories
than you’d find in 40 Chicken McNuggets.
Nutrition Facts:
1,803 calories
86 g saturated fat
876 mg sodium
70 g carbohydrates -
11. Chili's Buffalo Chicken Crisper Bites
Last year, before Chili’s hopped on the slider bandwagon, we
dubbed Blimpie’s 12-inch Pastrami Super Stacked Sub as the Saltiest
Sandwich in America. But with 20 percent more sodium, we now have our
new biggest loser. Even if you split an order of these Buffalo Chicken
Crisper Bites, you’ll still overshoot your sodium allotment for the day.
Nutrition Facts:
1,620 calories
100 g fat (21 g saturated)
5,380 mg sodium -
10. Domino's Chicken Carbonara Breadbowl Pasta
Here’s the breakdown: The noodles here contribute 200
calories, the sauce and toppings another 440. And finally, the bread
bowl itself contributes a staggering 840 calories and 138 grams of
carbohydrates. It’s like eating 12 slices of Pepperidge Farm White
Sandwich Bread alongside your pasta dish, and all of those calories are
the kind that spike your blood sugar and force your body to store away
more fat. We used to harp on Panera’s Sourdough Soup Bowl, but it looks
tame next to the Domino’s disaster.
Nutrition Facts:
1,480 calories
56 g fat
(24 g saturated, 1 g trans)
2,280 mg sodium
188 g carbs -
9. P.F. Chang's Crispy Honey Shrimp
Chang’s menu sounds innocent enough: “Lightly battered and
tossed in a flavorful sauce.” But with it being one of the most
calorie-laden meals in the entire country, it seems fair to call this
description a mild understatement. More accurate might be something
like, “cooked with a day’s worth of fat and served with more
carbohydrates than you’d find in an entire box of Triscuit crackers!”
Okay, so maybe they won’t follow our lead on that one, but it would be
nice to see a little more transparency.
Nutrition Facts:
2,110 calories
70 g fat (10 g saturated)
1,815 mg sodium
290 g carbs -
8. Culver's North Atlantic Cod Filet Meal (3 pieces)
This trend of frying all seafood is particularly concerning at
Culver’s, since it’s not balanced by a single grilled fillet. If you
want a piece of fish at Culver’s, you have to take it fried. What’s
worse, though, is that when you order a dinner, Culver’s buries your
plate under a mess of sides that are equally as harmful as the fish. By
the time they’re done loading on the fries, dinner roll, coleslaw,
tarter sauce, and butter, you’re facing a full day’s worth of calories,
sodium, and saturated fat crammed into one meal.
Nutrition Facts:
2,121 calories
135 g fat
(21 g saturated, 2 g trans)
2,568 mg sodium- 20
-
1. Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under
We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but
there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add
one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of
one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body
fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually,
according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a
host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal
cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½
days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic
cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but
the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if
you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an
extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one
and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake
with two friends for a better option.
Nutrition Facts:
1,911 calories
88 g saturated fat
135 g carbohydrates -
Americans today eat out more than four times per week, and when it comes
to gauging the nutrition of these meals, we are demonstrably ill
equipped for the task. The point is that it’s easier to bite off more
than you think you’re chewing. Some of the meals on the following list
can skyrocket your day’s caloric intake 1,500 calories beyond what you
should be eating. Do that just once a week and you’re facing 22 extra
pounds of flab in a year’s time. The truth, although very said, is that
America is the fattest country in the world. The following is a list
of the 20 worst meals one can eat, starting with number 20.
20. IHOP Colorado Omelette- Colorado is the leanest state in America, so it seems unlikely that its citizens are eating many of these omelets. Nevertheless, IHOP claims the Centennial State as the source of inspiration for this egregious egg envelope. The state’s Attorney General might consider pursuing libel charges against the restaurant—after all, their namesake dish packs more calories than six Egg McMuffins.
Nutrition Facts:
1,890 calories
47 g saturated fat
4,200 mg sodium
130 g carbohydrates
-
19. Cheescake Factory French Toast with Bacon-
What is going on in the kitchen at the Cheesecake Factory?
With the number of staggering offenders on their menu, we could have
created an entire 20 Worst list just for them. The breakfast menu alone
plays to more than a dozen items with more than 1,000 calories. About a
third of those carry more than 2,000. Is that really what you want for
your first meal of the day?
Nutrition Facts:
2,494 calories
71 g saturated fat
3,542 mg sodium
182 g carbohydrates
-
18. Applebee’s Appetizer Sampler
Nothing spells nutritional doom more decidedly than a
“sampler” platter. The idea is that by eating only a little bit of a bad
thing, you won’t suffer severe caloric consequences. That’s true in
theory, but not when you’re eating a little bit of several bad things—in
this case mozzarella sticks, spinach and artichoke dip with chips,
cheese quesadilla, and Buffalo wings. Truth is, the traditional sampler
is actually little more than a roundup of all the worst appetizers, and
ordering it will almost certainly saddle you with more calories than any
one of those appetizers would have on its own.
Nutrition Facts:
2,510 calories
168 g fat (49 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
6,660 mg sodium
-
17. Sbarro Stuffed Pepperoni (1 piece)
Recently Pizza Hut decided to stretch its stuffed-crust pizza
shtick by applying it to the deep-dish pan pizzas. The new pie is
predictably horrendous, but even with sausage on top, it doesn’t break
the 500-calorie slice mark. That’s by no means a defense of the Stuffed
Crust Pan Pizza, but rather an indictment of Sbarro’s Stuffed Pepperoni
Pizza, which has more calories, fat, and sodium than any slice in
America.
Nutrition Facts:
960 calories
42 g fat
3,200 mg sodium
-
16. T.G.I. Friday’s BBQ Chicken Wrap
This wrap seems to have been engineered with the goal of
packing in extra calories. It employs a one-two punch of the two
fattiest sauces known to man: ranch dressing and mayonnaise. And if
that’s not enough, it’s served with even more ranch on the side to
satisfy all your dipping fancies. You’d be better off housing three Big
Macs than tussling with this felonious fowl.
Nutrition Facts:
1720 calories -
15. Cheesecake Factory Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club
Who would have guessed that a dish with a name like this could
pack more calories than 11 scoops of Breyers All Natural Mint Chocolate
Chip? Skip sandwiches entirely when dining at the Factory. The
"lightest" on the menu is the 1,052-calorie Grilled Cheese. Instead (and
this might surprise you), you'd be much better off ordering a burger.
The Factory Burger is one of the best burgers offered at any sit-down
restaurant in America, and so long as you swap out the fries for
something healthier, it's also one of the safest entrees you'll find on
Cheesecake Factory's misguided menu.
Nutrition Facts:
1,752 calories
28 g saturated fat
2,309 mg sodium
85 g carbs -
14. On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Creamy Red Chile Sauce
How many Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos could you eat for this many
calories? Ten! Plus one Steak Baja Gordita Supreme. Basically, it’s a
perversion of Mexican cuisine that adds up to more food than you’d ever
dream of wolfing down in one sitting, and On the Border achieves it
through a heavy load of greasy beer-battered fish and a fat-riddled
cream sauce to boot.
Nutrition Facts:
2,240 calories
152 g fat (32 g saturated)
4,000 mg sodium
-
13. Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger
Nobody orders a burger thinking it’s healthy eating, and as an
occasional treat, that’s not a problem. But if you knew for a fact that
said burger had 2 days’ worth of sodium and more than 2 days’ worth of
saturated fat stuffed between those two soggy pieces of bread, would you
even consider it? Probably not. Blame it on the massive patty, the
Mexi-ranch sauce, and, oh, the cheese- and bacon-crusted quesadilla
“bun” that holds this hybrid hellraiser together.
Nutrition Facts:
1,420 calories
104 g fat (43 g saturated, 3 g trans)
4,000 mg sodium -
12. Cheesecake Factory Kids' Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
It’s bad enough to stick this much fat into an adult-size
meal, but for a child? That ought to be deemed criminally negligent.
This cream- and cheese-infused pasta bowl is bloated with more saturated
fat than a full-grown adult should eat in 4 days, and more calories
than you’d find in 40 Chicken McNuggets.
Nutrition Facts:
1,803 calories
86 g saturated fat
876 mg sodium
70 g carbohydrates -
11. Chili's Buffalo Chicken Crisper Bites
Last year, before Chili’s hopped on the slider bandwagon, we
dubbed Blimpie’s 12-inch Pastrami Super Stacked Sub as the Saltiest
Sandwich in America. But with 20 percent more sodium, we now have our
new biggest loser. Even if you split an order of these Buffalo Chicken
Crisper Bites, you’ll still overshoot your sodium allotment for the day.
Nutrition Facts:
1,620 calories
100 g fat (21 g saturated)
5,380 mg sodium -
10. Domino's Chicken Carbonara Breadbowl Pasta
Here’s the breakdown: The noodles here contribute 200
calories, the sauce and toppings another 440. And finally, the bread
bowl itself contributes a staggering 840 calories and 138 grams of
carbohydrates. It’s like eating 12 slices of Pepperidge Farm White
Sandwich Bread alongside your pasta dish, and all of those calories are
the kind that spike your blood sugar and force your body to store away
more fat. We used to harp on Panera’s Sourdough Soup Bowl, but it looks
tame next to the Domino’s disaster.
Nutrition Facts:
1,480 calories
56 g fat
(24 g saturated, 1 g trans)
2,280 mg sodium
188 g carbs -
9. P.F. Chang's Crispy Honey Shrimp
Chang’s menu sounds innocent enough: “Lightly battered and
tossed in a flavorful sauce.” But with it being one of the most
calorie-laden meals in the entire country, it seems fair to call this
description a mild understatement. More accurate might be something
like, “cooked with a day’s worth of fat and served with more
carbohydrates than you’d find in an entire box of Triscuit crackers!”
Okay, so maybe they won’t follow our lead on that one, but it would be
nice to see a little more transparency.
Nutrition Facts:
2,110 calories
70 g fat (10 g saturated)
1,815 mg sodium
290 g carbs -
8. Culver's North Atlantic Cod Filet Meal (3 pieces)
This trend of frying all seafood is particularly concerning at
Culver’s, since it’s not balanced by a single grilled fillet. If you
want a piece of fish at Culver’s, you have to take it fried. What’s
worse, though, is that when you order a dinner, Culver’s buries your
plate under a mess of sides that are equally as harmful as the fish. By
the time they’re done loading on the fries, dinner roll, coleslaw,
tarter sauce, and butter, you’re facing a full day’s worth of calories,
sodium, and saturated fat crammed into one meal.
Nutrition Facts:
2,121 calories
135 g fat
(21 g saturated, 2 g trans)
2,568 mg sodium -
7. Outback Steakhouse Baby Back Ribs (full rack)
One of the scary things about these ribs is that they're
typically served with a heaping serving of Aussie Fries, which adds
another 350 calories to the already overflowing mix. What's even scarier
is that these ribs used to pack in over 3,000 calories - meaning that
this giant mega-meal, which accounts for an entire day's worth of
calories, is actually a downgrade.
Nutrition Facts:
2,012 calories
160 g fat (59 g saturated)
2,599 mg sodium
-
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20
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-
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