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McDonald's - cheap and nutritional?

(29 Posts)
janthea Mon 29-Jul-13 11:45:20

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2380548/Is-McDonalds-McDouble-cheapest-nutritious-bountiful-food-existed-human-history.html

nightowl Thu 01-Aug-13 10:17:38

Problem is, there's a lot more to a McDonalds burger than meets the eye. It's probably ok now and again but really not to be eaten for nutritional purposes.

thankyourbody.com/mcdonalds-hamburger/

Bags Thu 01-Aug-13 10:16:56

Yes. It's good that they have been improved, but even so, it was still the high sugar/high carb diets that were (and are) causing the obesity problem, not the meat.

whenim64 Thu 01-Aug-13 10:14:47

The burgers at the time contained additives Bags. The film is a few years old now.

Bags Thu 01-Aug-13 10:02:58

Yes. It was the intake of unnecessary 'food', i.e. sugar, that caused the problems, not the burgers. That's why I get impatient with the anti-burger brigade. They are kidding themselves if they think burgers are the problem.

whenim64 Thu 01-Aug-13 09:48:07

Worth watching the acclaimed Spurlock film on McDonald's, which was made in response to the American obesity epidemic. He started as a fit man and underwent a battery of tests, then ate a diet of McDonald's, replicating what many obese Americans had been doing. His daily log of the diet and his deteriorating health was made to show the food industry and policy makers that education and intervention was needed to help many obese Americans improve their health. He stopped at the point where he was quite sick and tests showed he was pre-diabetic, with other warning signs. McDonald's was influenced by the film and have bowed to pressure to reduce salt, sugar and additives to a healthier level, as have other food producers.

Bags Thu 01-Aug-13 08:58:54

Just looked him up. He was the maker of the SuperSize me films. Still silly to let influence what you eat.

It's the right quantities that matter.

And you don't have to eat the fries or drink the sugary drinks.

Bags Thu 01-Aug-13 08:56:15

Who's Morgan Spurlock? What films? Why would a film prejudice anyone against bread and meat?

gingin Thu 01-Aug-13 08:51:36

I'll never eat another McDonads after watching the Morgan Spurlock films !!!

Nonu Wed 31-Jul-13 21:54:13

OKAY , I am going to fess up , when I am Stateside we quite often go to

to McDonalds for a Q.P and fries for lunch .

Okay , shoot me !!!!!!!!!!

Ana Wed 31-Jul-13 21:37:40

I agree that an occasional McDonald's burger is great as a stop-gap. It is what it says it is - a lump of mince between a bun. With a salad, it's probably a better-balanced meal than most school lunches these days.

Stansgran Wed 31-Jul-13 21:31:48

I just hate mince especially the smell of beef mince as it's cooking. My DH loves any mince.

FlicketyB Wed 31-Jul-13 14:17:20

To be honest burgers of any variety, including those prepared and cooked at home come well down my list of foods I enjoy. If I want something quick, at home or when out it will be a sandwich with lots of salad vegs or a salad.

whenim64 Tue 30-Jul-13 08:10:13

If I was out and about and feeling hungry, I'd most likely drive through a McDonald's and get a quick burger and coffee. It's a treat, it's quick and convenient, not too high in calories and no additives these days, and I can be on my way. I don't think I'll ever get to the stage of getting a McDonald's to take home, which some of my children will do after a busy day, most weeks.

Bags Tue 30-Jul-13 07:57:00

OK, flickety. I admit that I didn't read the article with rapt attention.

You're right about the comparison being silly, which shows that the author of the article should have been comaring like with like. As it is, the comparison is meaningless, as you say.

So essentially the article is saying that eating a McDonald's burger while you're out and about is a good way of feeding yourself for that meal. Well I'll be blowed! Who'd 'a known that what is to all intents and purposes a meat sandwich was good food? [sarc emoticon]

FlicketyB Tue 30-Jul-13 07:09:32

The Super Size me man was medically supervised throughout.

But again, rereading the original article, I couldn't quite see what he author was getting at. He didn't seem to be advocating a fast food diet. A burger is nutricious but doesn't provide the full range of nutrients, and he doesn't say it does, but he then compares it with with buying top of the range full spectrum of nutrients food, which is comparing a car with a lorry. And as the 'thegirlcalled jack' website I quote above shows you can feed yourself and a child nutritionally for a week, all meals, for less than the price of one burger a day, let alone one each.

Tegan Mon 29-Jul-13 19:29:48

Super Size Me

Tegan Mon 29-Jul-13 19:28:00

Didn't some guy make a documentary about living off fast food for several weeks [months] to show how unhealthy he was afterwards [which was a pretty daft thing to do imo confused].

FlicketyB Mon 29-Jul-13 19:09:12

Bags unless you eat every meal out, the nutritional value of a bought meal is neither here nor there. I am not arguing with the nutritional value of the burger It is made from food products like flour, meat, salad etc so it must have some nutritional value. I have reread the article and he is definitely comparing it with food bought and cooked at home and that is what Iam arguing with; that it is better value for money to buy a burger than cook from scratch.

janthea Mon 29-Jul-13 16:30:50

Once in a blue moon, I have one when I've had a late night at the office and I'm on my way home and can't be bothered to cook. They are fine for what they are. Wouldn't want to have them regularly.

JessM Mon 29-Jul-13 16:25:02

They may be cheap, and they contain nutrients. They are not very filling though. i had a rugby player working for me once who told me he had 6 cheeseburgers for his tea. Takeaway pizza is the same - not very filling.
Noticed in Aus (the only time i go in Macs as with the kids) that all burgers seem to come with cheese by default these days.

Tegan Mon 29-Jul-13 16:00:16

Whenever we go away anywhere we home in on the nearest MacDonalds and have a Big Mac. I wouldn't want to eat them all the time but when I do I thoroughly enjoy them.

Stansgran Mon 29-Jul-13 14:09:21

But sometimes driving home to cook an evening meal I wish we were the sort of family who could enjoy a burger. I ate in one somewhere in the US and once in the one on the way between Hamleys and fortnums. I look at them tucking in and think no mess nowashing up no shopping.

whenim64 Mon 29-Jul-13 13:59:55

No, Bags not complete bullshit, but the claim that it's the cheapest and most nutritious food that ever existed in human history, and the way it implies that it should be eaten frequently, are.

feetlebaum Mon 29-Jul-13 13:58:12

The best that could be said about the only MacDeaddogs hamburger I ever had was 'disappointing'. The only hamburger chain that ever came remotely near a decent hamburger was Wendy's, and they gave up on the UK.

The crummy 'Wimpy' was better than MacDreadful's...

Bags Mon 29-Jul-13 13:42:31

I don't agree that it's complete bullshit. It may not be what people want to hear, but it's not bullshit. McDonalds burgers are nutritious.

I don't think your comparison is quite fair, flickety. I think the columnist is talking about eating out, not eating nutritiously on a low income at home.