The Fat & The Furious, Part I

You are what you eat.

So what are you if you eat a lot of fast food?

Money Specialist Richard Madan went to some of the major restaurant chains in the city and bought a few of their best sellers.

But instead of eating them, he took them to a lab at the University of Guelph to find out how their contents matched up to the claims displayed on the chain’s own websites.

The conclusion by Dr. Massimo Marcone: less than a third of the items tested contained the advertised protein – the meat that’s in the product itself. “The rest is fat, moisture,” he explains.

To see part one of Richard’s 3-part newserial “The Fat and the Furious”, click the video links. 


Here’s a look at some of the findings.

Popeye’s Chicken
(One breast)

Restaurant Claim
Protein: 33 grams
Lipids (fat): 20 grams
Sodium: 1130 mg.

CityNews Finding:
Protein: 54.59 grams
Lipids (fat): 24.47
Sodium: 768.79 mg.

Notes: Popeye’s chicken had more fat than claimed on their site.

McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese

Restaurant Claim

Protein: 29 grams
Lipids (fat): 28 grams
Sodium: 1090 mg

CityNews Findings:

Protein: 47.41 grams
Lipids (fat): 26.43 grams
Sodium: 958 mg.

Kentucky Fried Chicken
(Chicken breast, 1 piece)

Restaurant Claim

Protein: 26 grams
Lipids (fat) 16 grams
Sodium: 680 mg.

CityNews Findings:

Protein: 30.79 grams
Lipids (fat): 20.28 grams
Sodium: 866.07 mg.

Burger King
(Original Whopper 290 grams)

Restaurant Claim

Protein: 28 grams
Lipids (fat): 39 grams
Sodium: 1020 mg.

CityNews Findings:

Protein: 52.42 grams
Lipids (fat): 15.13 grams
Sodium: 1287 mg.

Notes: Burger King had more salt than what’s claimed on their site.

Taco Bell
(7-Layer Burrito)

Restaurant Claim

Protein: 18 grams
Lipids (fat): 18.0 grams
Sodium: 1400 mg

CityNews Findings

Protein: 45.78 grams
Lipids (fat): 18.05 grams
Sodium: 1201 mg.

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