18 February 2006

McDonald's French Fries

Who hasn't tried them? Who says they aren't good-tasting? Why are they so delicious? Beef extract, that's why. Read here. Look, I'm not going to bash the famous product anymore. I think Super Size Me has done that pretty good already. For now, I'm going to update you on the latest news about your favorite food item.

Almost 2 weeks ago, McDonald's said its French fries contained a third more trans fats than it previously knew, which, in health terms, implied that the total fat in large fries is 30 grams and not the previous 25. Then, last Wednesday, came another revelation:
CNN International --- Not long after disclosing that its french fries contain more trans fat than thought, McDonald's Corp. said Monday that wheat and dairy ingredients are used to flavor the popular menu item --- an acknowledgment it had not previously made.

The presence of those substances can cause allergic or other medical reactions in food-sensitive consumers.

News items are conflicting, because this morning, I read that McDonald's China is denying the trans-fat-increase claim. It even said that while McDo food products taste the same in any part of the world you're in, there are still tiny differences in the ingredients used in different countries.

Does the presence of trans fats in their food items qualify under the category of "tiny differences?"

In my beloved Philippines, I noticed that no major daily carried the story. No one cares here. We like our McDo fries fat and tasty. That's right --- the fatter, the better. For a richer taste, we even dip it in ketchup with salt. Yes, the better to raise our blood pressures to kingdom come. There are those who are more creative and use the McDo Sundae varieties (plain, hot fudge, and caramel) as dips. 'Even more delicious, I'd say.

Here, instead of having a decent website with all those nutritional facts and details about their food items, McDonald's Philippines has this. Oh, yes. Just pure ordering convenience! If you check their main online website again, McDonald's Philippines is not even on its list of country markets. As of now, there is still no official McDonald's Philippines website presence. I wonder why? 'Probably because it is now entirely a Filipino firm?

Why spoil the fun by having those boring nutritional info? Here, people believe that life is short and painful enough as it is. The best option is always to enjoy the short lives we have.

15 reactions:

may said...

my mom's sentiment exactly. she used to say: we will all die; i'd rather die happy.

yeah, i miss fast food delivery. and dipping french fries in a chocolate sundae brings back some very romantic memories...so why bother about the trans fat? :)

seriously now. i don't, and can't blame people who opt to enjoy the short and painful life as it is. i've seen and touched poverty, and trans fat is way to overrated if you have to open mcdonald garbage bags to get lucky and eat some left over fries.

Dr. Emer said...

Most of my friends, relatives, and patients are like that. They think all those health data are fiction. *LOL*

batjay said...

transfat no good. i am starting to learn about these things because of my diabetes and blood pressure.

no more fast food for me. no more fries.

manel said...

i love eating french fries! i eat with not with a sundae nor catsup n salt, but i dissect my burger and place is on top of the tomatoes :) i love the texture, that's why... abt the info u posted, the preservatives it contains is harmful to our health. oh well, what fastfood isnt? hmmm, no wonder my health kinda failed coz ive been eatin too much fastfood for the past 6 years... ho hum :(

Singa Mama said...

despite knowing what a nutritional cheat french fries are, i still eat them. i love them. just like i love chocolates, pork liempo, salted eggs, dried fish, etc. etc.

i think the key is just eating in moderation. hirap naman pag totally wala.

Ade said...

that. is. screwed. up.

http://blog.ademagnaye.com

eye said...

guilty pleasure ko to sa europe grabe, hahaha! my fave dip -- peanut sauce :D
pero bihira lang naman, kasi nai-imagine ko yung mga fries na parang mga naglalakad na namuong mantika hehehe!

Dr. Emer said...

I admire your discipline, Jay.

It's the trans-fat and the gluten, Psyche. The preservatives? Hmmm, maybe that needs looking up, too.

Moderation is one great challenge, Ruth.

Hello, Ade.

Peanut sauce? Why didn't I think of that? *LOL* I love your metaphor about the "walking sticks of oil." That ought to scare every health guru.

Dr. Emer said...

Truth in advertising is both an ideal and a challenge, Bayi. ;)

poppycock said...

and i was just thinking that for some reason, i unavoidably ate mcdonald's three times last week in lieu of real meals, and found my taste for hash browns so rekindled. scary ;-)

Dr. Emer said...

Hash browns are good tasting, but McD's fries are still tops, Mayamaya. ;)

algol said...

regarding the undisclosed dairy:

I am just wondering, McDonald's does not get into trouble with the FDA on this?

You see things like this on the recall page

Consumer Alert: Undeclared Milk in Maizteca Mexican Bread

Anonymous said...

it can really be embarassing and trying at times complaining at these fast-food joints. most often you're faced with an utter numbskull who doesn't know how to react to a customer complaint. I don't understand how the Filipino service staff gets away with "pasensya na po". It just doesn't stick - that isnt' an apology.

just yesterday i was served at McD's an unheated (can't really say uncooked) corned beef breakfast. of course, i was so very nice to the staff when i brought my styro package over. but i couldn't control myself - i held the corned beef - which really looked like straight from the can, with the white lard-y stuff and all) in my hand and calmly uttered "mukha kasi siyang hindi luto". customers who saw this gasped and decided on changing their orders.

to end this, the manager(?-in blue uniform) approached me with another type of breakfast and said the now famous line "pasensya na pooooooooooooooooooooooooo", as if i was the pulubi outside their clean interiors.

Anonymous said...

May,tell your mom, its good if she dies BUT WHAT IF SHE LIVES after a stroke because she lived her life clogging her arteries? My father said exactly the same thing for 65 years and he had a triple bypass and stroked out. My father loves 3 things...cooking, eating and telling stories. He lived through the stroke. He didnt die but he is now paralyzed but COGENT. He can not talk or eat. He has a gastric tube to his stomach where he gets his canned fluid food. Is a morsel of food worth any of that? Isnt it rather pathetic that you become a victim of food? It isnt the quantity of life that counts, its the quality...and eating unhealthy food is what you consider quality? Like I said, good if you die...what if you live?

Anonymous said...

Guess what? Almost three years since you made this post, McDo Phils customer service still sucks, it still doesn't have a decent website, and there's no known way for you to give feedback of any kind.