By guest blogger Erica Scime
It all sounds great in theory: leafy greens, lightly grilled chicken, whole wheat this and low-fat that. With the rising popularity of healthy eating, fast food places have begun to market a myriad of“healthy” menu options. But most of the time, these “healthy” options can actually be detrimental to your diet. Here are the most deceptively unhealthy fast foods. Eaters beware.
Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad
Salad is as good for you as it gets, right? Well not if you are buying them from fast food places like Wendy’s. In fact, fast food salads are often as bad or worse for your health than a burger and fries. Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad is one of these calorie traps, with 740 calories and 49 grams of fat, 15 of which are saturated. And that doesn’t even include the dressing.
Creamy salad dressings are usually high in fat and calories so be sure to pour with a light hand.
Extreme Pita’s Falafel
Although protein-packed falafels can be a delicious alternative to meat-based pitas, they can be just as unhealthy. One falafel from Extreme Pita packs 492 calories, 14.5 grams of fat and a 1409 mg of sodium. If this number doesn’t startle you, consider the fact that the recommended daily sodium intake for Canadians aged 9 to 50 is 1500 mg. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option in line at the Extreme Pita in Pitman Hall, perhaps you should reconsider your choice of restaurant.
Subway’s Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich
Jared Fogle may have lost over 200 lbs on the Subway diet, but he definitely wasn’t living off of footlong Sweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches. They have 740 calories, 10 grams of fat and a whopping 4400 mg of sodium. So if you’re looking to be the next Subway success story, you might want to cross this delicious sandwich off of the menu.
Pizza Pizza’s Vegetarian Mediterranean Slice
Pizza can be a healthy snack but not when it’s dripping with cheese and soaked with grease. Even when your pizza is topped with veggies, a Mediterranean slice from Pizza Pizza can set you back 650 calories, 21.5 grams of fat and 1820 mg of sodium. So the next time you stop at Pizza Pizza for a bite to eat, consider splitting the triangular heart attack with a friend.
McDonald’s Egg McMuffin
TV commercials claim that they are part of a wholesome breakfast, but there’s nothing remotely wholesome about McDonalds’ Egg McMuffins. At 300 calories, 12 grams of fat and 820 mg of sodium, these greasy breakfast sandwiches are not the best way to start your day. But if you can’t resist the convenience of a breakfast sandwich, make these egg and cheese sandwiches at home with a whole wheat English muffin and no bacon. Your arteries will thank you later.
Photo by Allyssia Alleyne
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