Dietitians Name Five Unhealthiest "Value Menu " Items; Jack in the Box's Junior Bacon Cheeseburger and McDonald's New McDouble on List of Worst Cheap Eats
New Report Also Finds Easy-on-the-Wallet Items from Taco Bell, Burger King, and Wendy's Are Hard on Health
WASHINGTON—Jack in the Box's high-fat Junior Bacon Cheeseburger is the most unhealthful "Value Menu" item served by a major national fast-food chain, according to a new analysis by dietitians with the nonprofit Cancer Project. McDonald’s new $1 McDouble sandwich and Taco Bell’s 89 cent Cheesy Double Beef Burrito are among the other items singled out in the report "Cheap Eats for Hard Times: The Five Most Unhealthful Fast Food Value Menu Items."
To compile the report, Cancer Project dietitians reviewed nutrition information for items on the Value Menus of five national fast food chains. The five most unhealthful items were ranked from worst to least bad. Jack in the Box’s Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, a $1 sandwich with a hamburger patty and hefty helpings of cheese and mayo-onion sauce, topped the list because it has 23 grams of fat, 860 milligrams of sodium, and bacon, a processed meat associated with increased colorectal cancer risk.
The report found that most items on Value Menus are high in fat, saturated fat, calories, and cholesterol, and many also contain processed meats and grilled meats, which are linked to increased cancer risk.
"Dollar menus might be easy on the wallet, but these high-fat fast foods can be really hard on your health," says Cancer Project staff dietitian Krista Haynes, R.D., L.D. "People looking for food bargains can cut their risk of heart disease and cancer by steering clear of cheeseburgers and choosing low-fat vegetarian meals. A bean burrito with tomatoes is cheap, and a steady diet of them won’t land you in the hospital."
Rank |
Worst Value Menu Item |
Fast-Food Restaurant |
1 |
Junior Bacon Cheeseburger |
Jack in the Box |
2 |
Cheesy Double Beef Burrito |
Taco Bell |
3 |
Breakfast Sausage Biscuit |
Burger King |
4 |
McDouble |
McDonald’s |
5 |
Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger |
Wendy’s |
For a copy of the report or an interview with Ms. Haynes or another Cancer Project dietitian, contact Edith Sodolo at 202-527-7339 or esodolo@cancerproject.org.
The Cancer Project is a collaborative effort of physicians, researchers, and nutritionists who have joined together to educate the public about the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. Based in Washington, D.C., the Cancer Project is an independent, separately incorporated affiliate of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. |
