Trans-Fats in Fast Foods
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
The Truly Unhealthy Fatty Acid
If you're wanting to gain a higher level of health while losing pounds, then staying away from foods that are mined with such is an excellent starting point.
Even for those individuals who aren't seeking to lower the numbers on their bathroom scales - eradicating Trans fats from their daily diet may save them from future health woes - such as heart attack and stroke. Not fun things...
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But of course, the foods that contain such are sure fun to eat.
Most are very flavorful because fatty acids are one of the things that increase flavors; the same applies to salt which is one of the most inexpensive seasonings at the market.
It's why restaurants make use of such with a heavy hand at times - to add more flavor, to hide the blandness of at times, an inferior product.
One of the hot spots where these babies live is at common favorite fast food establishments. At this writing, the following data chart depicts the number of gram (G) contained in popular items off the menus.
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From the menu, the following selections contain the most grams of Trans fat: Baked Apple Pie at almost 5 grams, fries with the large contains 8 g, and the cinnamon roll selections. Note that the apple pie is a baked item; generally we associate risk factors with fried foods but such is not always the case.
Items to monitor on the menu include the following selections: Nachos Bellgrande at 7 grams and the Taco Salad - although it's a salad and even if it is prepared Fresco Style. Unfortunately, the nutrition facts indicate that the leanest grind of the beef isn't being used and an unhealthy content of fatty acids is the result.
The Health Factor
Why is this type of lipid so unhealthy? So risky to the body's welfare?
Trans-fats encourage abdominal weight gain, commonly referred to as belly fat.
We've all heard by now the famous apple-pear theory, of how apples tend to be in worse shape than pears and are at higher risk for some diseases - such as heart related.
Along this line, Trans as well as other lipids such as saturated fats collect in the abdominal region, thus rendering that apple shape in some individuals.
Those that are of the pear shaped variety will store the excess energy in the lower extremities of the body - the hips and thighs.
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Why doesn't everyone store excess energy alike? Because of the composite of the gene pool which chiefly decides our longevity and quality of health.
While it's king, there are things that we can do to combat those undesirable genes and their negative impact on our body. Such as limiting foods that contain the unhealthy, offending elements.
Trans Fat Grams in Fast Foods
At this writing, the following fast food restaurant menu items contained the following amounts of Trans Fat grams.
Burger King
BK Original Chicken Sandwich, 1 item = 1.8 g
BK Vanilla Shake, 1 medium = 1.2 g
Wendy's
Biggie Fries = 5.7 g
Chicken Nuggets, 5 Nuggets = 2.5 g
McDonalds
Quarter Pounder With Cheese = 1.7 g
Baked Apple Pie, 1 pie = 4.7 g
Biscuit = 4.8 g
Sausage Biscuit = 4.9 g
Sausage, Egg, Cheese McGriddle = 1.6 g
Chicken McNuggets, 20 piece = 4.9 g
Deluxe Cinnamon Roll = 6.4 g
Warm Cinnamon Roll = 4.4 g
McDonaldland Chocolate Chip Cookies - 2 ounces = 0.5 g
McDonaldland Cookies - 2 ounces = 2.5 g
McFlurry With Oreo Cookies, 1-16 ounce = 2.8 g
Triple Thick Strawberry Shake, 1 large, 32 ounce = 1.8 g
Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone - 1 cone = 0.252 g
French Fries, Large = 8 g; Medium = 5.4 g; Small = 3.5 g
Hashbrowns = 2 g
Creamy Ranch Sauce - 1.5 ounces = 0.082 g
Newman's Own Cobb Dressing - 2 fluid ounces = 0.006 g
Newman's Own Creamy Caesar Dressing - 2 fluid ounces = 0.289 g
Taco Bell
The following menu items each contain 0.5 grams of Trans fat:
Gordita Supreme® - Beef
Spicy Chicken Soft Taco
Grilled Steak Soft Taco - Fresco Style
Chicken Ranchero Taco - Fresco Style
Gordita Baja® - Beef
Taco, Regular
Taco Supreme® - Beef - Fresco Style
Chicken Ranchero Taco
Gordita Supreme® - Steak
Taco, Beef - Fresco Style
Mexican Rice
These menu items each contain 1 gram of Trans fat:
Grilled Steak Soft Taco
MexiMelt®
Pintos 'n Cheese
Soft Taco - Beef - Fresco Style
Gordita Nacho Cheese - Chicken
Style Soft Taco Supreme® - Beef - Fresco Style
Taco Supreme®
Soft Beef Taco
Cinnamon Twists
These selections each contain 1.5 Trans fat gram:
Tostada
Fiesta Burrito - Chicken
Chili Cheese Burrito, Fresco Style
Gordita Nacho Cheese - Beef
Fiesta Burrito - Steak
Enchirito® - Steak
Enchirito® - Chicken
DOUBLE DECKER® Taco
Fiesta Burrito - Chicken, Fresco Style
Burrito Supreme® - Steak, Fresco Style
Fiesta Burrito - Steak, Fresco Style
Burrito Supreme® - Chicken, Fresco Style
Gordita Nacho Cheese - Steak
Spicy Chicken Burrito
Chili Cheese Burrito
Enchirito® - Beef
Fiesta Burrito - Beef, Fresco Style
We're traveling into new territory where Trans fat lives in higher amount as these menu selections each contain 2 grams of Trans fat:
Chalupa Baja - Beef
Chicken Quesadilla
Bean Burrito, Fresco Style
Chalupa Nacho Cheese - Beef, Fresco Style
Steak Quesadilla
Chalupa Baja - Beef - Fresco Style
Burrito Supreme® - Beef, Fresco Style
Chalupa Supreme - Beef, Fresco Style
Chalupa Supreme - Steak, Fresco Style
Chalupa Supreme - Chicken
Chalupa Nacho Cheese - Chicken, Fresco Style
Cheese Quesadilla
Chalupa Supreme - Steak
Bean Burrito
DOUBLE DECKER® Taco Supreme®
Chalupa Baja - Chicken, Fresco Style
1/2 lb Beef Combo Burrito
Burrito Supreme® - Steak
Fiesta Burrito - Beef
Chalupa Baja - Steak, Fresco Style
Chalupa Supreme - Chicken, Fresco Style
Chalupa Baja - Chicken OR Steak
Burrito Supreme® - Chicken OR Beef
Chalupa Nacho Cheese - Steak, Fresco Style
Menu Selection which contain 2.5 Trans fat grams:
Southwest Steak Bowl
7-Layer Burrito, Fresco Style
Chalupa Supreme - Beef
Grande Soft Taco
Express Taco Salad /w Chips
Grilled Stuffed Burrito - Steak, Fresco Style OR Chicken, Fresco Style
Zesty Chicken BORDER BOWL™
7-Layer Burrito
Grilled Stuffed Burrito - Chicken
Let's view those with 3 grams:
1/2 lb Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito
Chalupa Nacho Cheese - Beef
Grilled Stuffed Burrito - Beef, Fresco Style
Nachos Supreme OR Regular
Chalupa Nacho Cheese - Steak
Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
Caramel Apple Empanada
Grilled Stuffed Burrito - Steak
Chalupa Nacho Cheese - Chicken
Grilled Stuffed Burrito - Steak OR Beef
In Summary
The Trans fat content spikes with the following Taco Bell recipes: the Crunchwrap Supreme™, the Mexican Pizza and the 1/2 pound Beef & Potato Burrito as all contain 3.5 Trans fat grams.
The Fiesta Taco Salad contains 5 grams.
However, the king of Trans fat goes to the Nachos BellGrande® with a hefty 7 grams.
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