Junior Bacon Cheeseburger (Jack in the Box). Cheesy Double Beef Burrito (Taco Bell). Breakfast Sausage Biscuit (Burger [image-nocss] King). McDouble (McDonald's). Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger (Wendy's). To compile the report, Cancer Project dietitians reviewed nutrition information for items on the Value Menus of five national fast-food chains. The five most unhealthful items were ranked from worst to least bad. Jack in the Box's Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, a $1 sandwich with a hamburger patty and hefty helpings of cheese and mayo-onion sauce, topped the list because it has 23 grams of fat, 860 milligrams of sodium and bacon, a processed meat the group said is associated with increased colorectal cancer risk.
The report found that most items on Value Menus are high in fat, saturated fat, calories and cholesterol, and many also contain processed meats and grilled meats, which the organization said are linked to increased cancer risk.
"Dollar menus might be easy on the wallet, but these high-fat fast foods can be really hard on your health," said Cancer Project staff dietitian Krista Haynes, R.D., L.D. "People looking for food bargains can cut their risk of heart disease and cancer by steering clear of cheeseburgers and choosing low-fat vegetarian meals. A bean burrito with tomatoes is cheap, and a steady diet of them won't land you in the hospital."
The Cancer Project is a collaborative effort of physicians, researchers and nutritionists who have joined together to educate the public about the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. The Cancer Project is an affiliate of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Jack in the Box spokesperson Brian Luscomb told The Los Angeles Times that the Junior Bacon Cheeseburger was a "great value for guests looking for a flavorful meal, but if you are looking for something else there are plenty of other great items on our value menu to choose from," including a chicken sandwich and a salad.
The popularity of these inexpensive selections has risen as the economy has deteriorated, said Darren Tristano, a restaurant industry analyst at Technomic Inc., Chicago, especially among economically disadvantaged and middle-income households. "Two McDoubles for $2 is a pretty inexpensive way to fill up," he told the newspaper. He added that some of the fast-food deals were so attractive that even higher-income individuals were gobbling them up.
McDonald's declined to address any specific criticism of its McDouble sandwich. But in a statement, Cynthia Goody, director of nutrition for Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's USA, said: "McDonald's has always been committed to providing a variety of wholesome, balanced menu options for all our customers.... Our wide variety of menu choices can be made into meal combinations that provide less than one-third of the government's daily recommendation for total fat, sodium and calories."
Click hereto view the report.
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