July 22, 2007

They're Baaaack!

Remember the pressure that was on McDonald's after the release of Morgan Spurlock's critically acclaimed 2004 documentary Supersize Me to drop said mammoth items from their menu?

In what appeared to be an almost overnight move, 42 ounce (510 calories, when consumed without any ice cubes in the cup!) sodas were replaced by raw apple slices, healthier salads, and complementary pedometers.

Somehow, Wendy's and Burger King managed to escape scrutiny and made no excuses about their ever-growing menu (last year, Burger King proudly introduced the Quad Stacker -- four beef patties, four slices of American cheese, and eight strips of bacon in one 1,000 calorie burger that provides 75% of our daily sodium needs!).

It seems McDonald's is ready to go head-to-head with the big boys. A new beverage size called Hugo (get it? It's huge!) has been released in Berkeley, California. Its size? 42 ounces -- the exact same as a Supersize beverage.

This article in the New York Times' Business section explores this turn of events in more detail, and offers some great quotes from Marion Nestle and Lisa R. Young, two leaders in the nutrition field who I not only admire, but also have the honor and pleasure of working with at New York University.

2 comments:

Tara Gidus, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N said...

Hi Andy, great blog. Very interesting topics! I also have a nutrition blog, check it out at www.healthline.com/blogs/diet_nutrition/
Tara Gidus, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N

Anonymous said...

I have a question about fiber. Since it is a carbohydrate, I assume it has 4 calories per gram as regular carbs do. However, since our bodies cannot digest fiber, when product calculate the total calorie content in a serving size, do they count the calories in fiber or do they automatically deduct them because we cannot digest it?