Campus Press

Issue date: 10/11/08 Section: Entertainment

Wendy's French fries and fried chicken are nearly trans fat-free as of 2006. (CU Independent/Elise Puritz)

McDonald's and Wendy's have revamped their menus to include nutritious options, but that does not mean either restaurant has become a place for healthy eating.

In response to growing American health concerns and the rising obesity epidemic in the United States, McDonald's and Wendy's (along with other fast food chains) have changed their menus to include healthier options.

Both companies now have a comprehensive list of nutritional facts for their menu items on their respective Web sites, http://www.wendys.com and http://www.mcdonalds.com. The nutritional information for this article came from both Web sites.

According to USA Today, Wendy's began the "health" crusade by nearly eliminating trans fat from their French fries and fried chicken in 2006. McDonald's followed this trend in May of 2008 and began cooking its fries in a trans fat-free oil blend in the United States and Canada.

Although both of the restaurants are cutting back on trans fats, most menu items are not acceptable for daily consumption by FDA dietary standards. An order of small French fries at Wendy's contains approximately 340 calories, 16 grams of fat and 290 mg of sodium.

An order of small fries at McDonald's is slightly less damaging. A 2.5 oz serving contains 230 calories, 11 grams of fat and 160 mg sodium.

That is a 110 calorie difference.

Instead of ordering fries at Wendy's, enjoy an order of small fries at McDonald's and a Mint Chocolate Cookie PowerBar Pria Nutrition Bar for the same number of calories.

McDonald's continues to win the fast food showdown with its Quarter Pounder. Compared to the Wendy's equivalent, the Quarter Pounder may have one less gram of protein, but it has fewer calories, less calories from fat, less carbohydrates and less sodium.

McDonald's also prevails over Wendy's in healthy menu items. The restaurant's Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken has 320 calories and nine grams of fat. With Newman's Own Creamy Southwest Dressing, the salad has 420 calories and 15 grams of fat.

Some of Wendy's so-called "healthy" menu items are misleading. For example, there are 540 calories and 25 grams of fat in the Garden Sensations Mandarin Chicken Salad with a Grilled Chicken Fillet. Although this salad may appear to be a nutritious alternative to a burger, it contains more calories and fat.

Also, a fat-free side of Mandarin oranges, one of the healthiest items on the Wendy's menu, has 17 grams of sugar. The small side has four more grams of sugar than seven Pixy Sticks.

It doesn't get better from here.

The Triple with Cheese burger includes three meat patties, two slices of American cheese, vegetables and condiments for a whopping 960 calories and 60 grams of fat.

In perspective, the amount of fat in this burger alone nearly exceeds the FDA's recommended daily fat intake. The cheeseburger also accounts for almost half of the FDA's recommended 2,000-calorie daily intake.

McDonald's does not offer a triple-stacked burger on its menu, but this does not mean that McDonald's is completely health conscious.

The restaurant's 12 oz. Triple Thick Shake has more calories than a small Chocolate Fudge Frosty Shake or a small Chocolate Frosty from Wendy's.

Wendy's may have won the shake battle, but McDonald's definitely won the healthy food showdown.

Although McDonald's menu items are, for the most part, slightly healthier, some students still prefer Wendy's.

"I have had bad experiences with McDonalds," said Wes Fishlock, 20, a junior management major. "The McDonald's commercials say they now use all-white meat chicken and it makes me wonder what they were using before."

Ji Lim, a freshman biochemistry major, does not believe either restaurant's health efforts have paid off.

"I think they both are not healthy," said Lim.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Elise Puritz at elizabeth.puritz@colorado.edu.

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