Numbers Game: Answer

Taco Bell's new limited-offer Fully Loaded Nachos contain 17 grams of saturated fat, 4.5 grams of trans fat, and 2,190 milligrams of sodium.

(NOTE: Daily saturated fat intake should not surpass 20 grams; trans fat recommendations are set at 0 grams per day; daily sodium consumption should be below 2,300 milligrams )

Some more figures to make you go "yikes" -- this "dish" contains over one pound of food and clocks in at 1,390 calories.

Which means more calories, sodium, and saturated fat than a Big Mac with a side of large fries and a large soda.

Seems like thinking outside the bun isn't always such a good idea...

Numbers Game: Fully Loaded Arteries

Taco Bell's new limited-offer Fully Loaded Nachos contain _______ grams of saturated fat, _______ grams of trans fat, and _______ milligrams of sodium.

(NOTE: Daily saturated fat intake should not surpass 20 grams; trans fat recommendations are set at 0 grams per day; daily sodium consumption should be below 2,300 milligrams )

a) 15/2.5/2,560
b) 18/2/1,980
c) 14/3/2,340
d) 17/4.5/2,190

Leave your guess in the "comments" section and come back on Wednesday for the answer.

Man, Oh Man...

Have you heard of Taco Bell's Big Bell Box value meal?

According to the nationwide chain, it's "the meal that's made for men"!

Gender roles defined by fast food companies. How... evolved.

Anyhow, for as little as $4.99 (or as much as $5.99, depending where you live), hungry men all over the United States can feast on a volcano taco, a burrito supreme, a crunch wrap supreme, a side order of cinnamon twists, and a large drink.

Or, if you want to talk numbers:

1,670 calories
19 grams of saturated fat (suggested daily maximum*: 20 grams)
2.5 grams of trans fat (no suggested daily maximum, guidelines call for 0 grams)
3,470 milligrams of sodium (suggested daily maximum: 2,400 milligrams)

* = for a 2,000 calorie diet

Calorically speaking, this is equal to THREE Big Macs!

You know, this could very well be the nutrition version of Pandora's box...

In The News: October Surprise

Some very surprising -- and encouraging -- news to share today.

"Yum Brands, parent company to Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, [A&W, and Long John Silver's, has] announced plans to begin posting product calorie information on the indoor menu boards nationwide at company-owned restaurants."

Wow!

You read correctly -- these chains are doing so completely unprompted. This is not the fast-food industry sighing, rolling its eyes, and begrudgingly "doing what it's told".

The end result of this ground-breaking announcement is that 20,000 of these chain restaurants throughout the United States will post calorie information on their menus by January of 2011.

Meanwhile, McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King have announced they have no intention of posting calorie information where they are not legally required to do so.

Frightful Fiesta

Taco Bell debuted a new advertisement for their Fiesta platters during the 2008 Superbowl.

They are clearly going for the office lunch crowd.

The commercial features two cube buddies rushing to a meeting, fiesta platters in hand, only to be stopped by three mariachis who set up a small table for them in the middle of the cube farm, urging them to slow down and enjoy their meal.

The two employees proceed to happily chow down on chicken soft tacos, seasoned rice, refried beans, chips, and salsa.

The nutrition facts, however, aren't so funky dory.

Each platter adds up to:

1,060 calories
50 grams of fat
12 grams (60 percent of a day's worth) of saturated fat
1 gram of trans fat (remember, the recommendation is set at ZERO)
An astounding 3,420 milligrams (almost a day and a half's worth!) of sodium.

The thought of someone unknowingly consuming that much sodium in one sitting truly angers me.

The one question that comes to my mind is, "why?"

Why doesn't Taco Bell offer this product with 300 less calories, half the saturated fat, and half the sodium?

Well, I suppose I DO know why. Simple economics. Cost. It's cheaper to provide inexpensive processed food than to buy, store, maintain, and sell fresher items.

Sigh....