maven&meddler

The fast food franchises are slugging it out in an attempt to out-huge each other, largely in response to Carl’s Jr. and its iconic jaw-dropping burgers. The Carl’s $6.00 Burger tips the calorie scale at 890 calories, before you even add the drink and fries.

The new McDonalds’ Angus Deluxe Burger is bigger than a Big Mac, and sets your diet back by 750 calories. By comparison the standard McDonald’s hamburger, that I grew up on, is 250 calories.

The McDonalds regular hamburger actually has fewer calories than any other menu item - less than their wrap sandwich offering even. In fact, most of the fast food salads start at more calories than the regular hamburger.

No wonder we weren’t all obese back in the day. A burger was also an occasional treat.

Health concious consumers often try to opt for the veggie burger type meal, and who can blame them?

Unfortunately, too many of the “veggie” offering come with a boatload of unnecessary calories, fat - often saturated, salt and a raft of unpleasant additives.

Burger King’s Veggie Burger has 420 calories - before the drink and fries - and 16 grams of fat. Ruby Tuesday manages to screw up their Veggie Burger, at 952 calories and 53 grams of total fat.

When I’m out at a restaurant - and I have successfully avoided the fast food places for more than twenty years now - I occasionally order a ‘regular’ hambuger. I don’t get anything on it except for lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. I’m careful to avoid the mayo. This isn’t going to hurt anybody’s waistline or arteries - if, BIG IF you’re careful with the side dishes and drinks.

You don’t have to avoid burgers to stay healthy.

Just stay small, small, small.