Fast food isn’t known for being a healthy diet choice but a new menu item at Long John Silver’s is being described as literally the worst meal you can buy at a restaurant in California.
Just seven months ago, the Center for Science in the Public Interest put out its annual list of the worst food that you could possibly eat. However, when Long John Silver’s added the new “Big Catch” to its menu, the CSPI decided that it wouldn’t wait for next year’s list. The fast food seafood meal has been declared the Worst Restaurant Meal in America.
Long John Silver’s “Big Catch” Named Unhealthiest Restaurant Meal in US
Let’s break this bad boy down. In case you’re not familiar with the menu offerings at your local Long John Silver’s (if you’re not, don’t worry), the Big Catch is a giant brick of haddock. In fact, according to Long John Silver’s, it’s “3X BIGGER!”
Wait. Three times bigger than what?
Well, the fine print says it’s three times bigger than…”one piece Alaskan Pollock by weight?”
Huh?
Anyway, LJS alleges that one serving of the Big Catch has about 7 to 8 ounces of fish. Oh, but that’s the pre-cooked weight. Once Long John Silver’s gets done with all that 7 to 8 ounces of haddock, it winds up coming out to about four and a half ounces of fish, wrapped snugly in a good three ounces of fried breading, says the CSPI.
Three ounces of friend breading? Yikes.
And as if that’s not enough trans fat for you, the meal comes with fried hush puppies and onion rings, notes Consumerist. But it doesn’t stop there:
“All three components of the meal are cooked in partially hydrogenated frying oil, which CSPI says is responsible for most of the 33 grams of trans fat found in the meal. That’s 16 times the American Heart Association’s recommended daily maximum intake of trans fat, or more than two weeks’ worth.”
The “Big Catch” has been said to contain 16 times the recommended daily trans fat intake.
Long John Silver’s Allegedly Bending the Truth About Its Nutrition Facts
The CSPI is also alleging that Long John Silver’s is misrepresenting the amount of trans fats listed in its online nutrition facts. Most fast food chains have nutritional information available online to help guide consumers’ eating choices, but LJS’ info may be inaccurate.
The CSPI conducted tests to see how their nutrition info measured up. The hush puppies were listed at 3 grams of trans fat on the LJS website, but CSPI says it found 3.7 — hardly the worst error in the world.
The onion rings, however, were listed at 7 grams on LJS’ site, whereas CSPI found 19.5 in their own tests. That’s… significantly worse.
Unsurprisingly, LJS hasn’t even bothered to list nutritional info for the Big Catch on its website. Apparently, this is because it’s a special menu item.
Partially Hydrogenated Oil Contributes to Poor Health
Another problem here is the fact that LJS continues to use partially hydrogenated oil, which most other fast food chains have phased out this ingredient.
By now, everyone knows how bad partially hydrogenated oil is for you which is why so many companies have stopped using it in their food. The question that remains, then, is why Long John Silver’s continues to promote such unhealthy foods.
What do you think? Is this enough to get you to stop eating at your neighborhood LJS? Let us know in the comments!
See Also
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