Cholesteral Chorus

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Morgan Spurlock's Super-Size Me made a convincing case for the harmful effects of a pure-McDonalds' diet. I wonder if anyone has ever established a link between people suffering heart attacks and eating an Egg McMuffin (or worse, a Sausage McMuffin!) each and every day? I'm asking because the guy who invented the Egg McMuffin, Herb Peterson, the architect of the clogged American artery, died two days ago.

We know it's not healthy, but I've eaten dozens of Sausage McMuffins over the years. I blame myself primarily, of course, but I also blame McDonalds for serving up the damn things. I've probably reduced my lifespan because of my weakness, but also because cackling McDonalds guys made them available, like any heroin dealer.

comment #1

JaySmire says ...

Read the new book: "Eat this, not that". It gives you food alternatives at some of your favorite "fast food" and "chain" restaurants.

The egg McMuffin is a far healthier deal than the hot cakes!!

comment #2

Joel says ...

He lived to be 89, so either he didn't eat many of them, or, as I'd suspect, it doesn't really matter what you eat as long as you maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.

As long as it isn't something that will give you cancer.

comment #3

facls says ...

Just curious, am I the only one that wanted to go to McDonald's after seeing Super Size Me? The sight of all those huge burgers made me hungry, though I do admit that I gave up soft drinks for some weeks after seeing those piles of sugar.

comment #4

robbiefantastic says ...

read "in defense of food: an eater's manifesto" by micheal pollan........gives you a good idea of how to attack the grocery store......

comment #5

J. Huff says ...

There really is something to be said about the basic Egg McMuffin being one of the best things at McDonalds you can eat. Only 280 calories if you take off that nasty Canadian bacon. I've lost over 50 pounds and part of it was switching to items like this vs. favorites like the Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit (450 calories).

comment #6

JackeyAces says ...

These attack on foods have tremendous amount of elitism in them. They're nearly always about the stuff poor people eat.

comment #7

Ben C says ...

"These attack on foods have tremendous amount of elitism in them. They're nearly always about the stuff poor people eat."

Ok sure.

Let me know when The Perils of Rice comes out.

comment #8

actionman says ...

I have a McGriddle once (or twice) a year. Those are little gifts from heaven in my opinoin. Typically will grab one during a road trip.

Hey facls: I went out for a Big Mac right after watching Super Size Me. All the shots of the food made me crave a Big Mac. Still my favorite fast food sandwich. Used to eat them all the time growing up; when I played little league baseball McDonalds was always the place to go after a game.

However, I lost over 40 pounds my junior year of college due primarily to one meal a day (a spicy chicken sadwich from Carls Jr. around 7pm), drinking lots and lots of water and gatorade, and lots of reefer intake. Still the best diet I can reccommend to anyone.

comment #9

Mgmax says ...

Breakfast, the only meal McD's does particularly well.

The Egg McMuffin was, simply, genius, a perfect blend of operational necessity with aspiration (to reach the sublimity of Eggs Benedict).

Here's to you, Herb Peterson, for the joy your invention brought to so many.

Fuck McGriddles, by the way.

comment #10

actionman says ...

Fuck McGriddles!? Blasphemy!

comment #11

va says ...

My son, who is now 17, watched "Super Size Me" 3+ years ago, and has not had a thing - anything - from Mcdonalds, Buger King, Wendy's, et al, since then ---- if a teenager can have the will power to stay away from fast food. then anyone can. For anyone to blame these chains for clogged arteries and obesity is ridiculous; it's their own fault - poor or not --- eat healthier at home --- signed, a reformed French Fry and Diet Coke addict, sober for 4 years, 2 months.

comment #12

corey3rd says ...

isn't that the Sausage McMuffin in the pic? I like that better than the egg. Sausage is sooooooo goooooooooddddddd.

comment #13

js1 says ...

Jack in the Box was the first stop I made after seeing Super Size Me. Not a bad movie, but not exactly a challenging or surprising documentary ("Hey, if you eat fast food for 30 days straight and nothing else, you will become wildly unhealthy! Who knew?). Some interesting facts in the movie, but it's never scared me away from fast food.

comment #14

The Winchester says ...

The maker of the McGriddle should have a statue made in his honor.

Actionman, I shall take up your diet challenge and let you know of the results.

comment #15

Edward says ...

Egg McMuffin...MMMMMMMM! Thanks, Herb Peterson RIP.

comment #16

actionman says ...

Winchester: I am serious...one meal a day...which for me was 1 spicy chicken sandwich from Carls Jr or 1 double cheese burger from McDonalds, typically eaten around 7pm. No breakfast...no lunch. Maybe a handful of goldfish or a granola bar. But nothing of any real substance. As much water and gatorade as you want. Lots of ganja. Lots of it. Truly...lots of it. Morning, noon, and night.

I went from over 200 pounds to right about 155 pounds in 5-6 months. People didn't recognize me.

comment #17

jjgittes says ...

The problem with Supersize Me Was that it was a penetrating look into the obvious - I mean who doesn't know that eat that all McDonalds Diet and you're begging for trouble.

But, and it's a big BUT - how can McDonalds fit into an overall healthy life style - that's an interesting question - at what point is it a problem?

I eat there maybe every 10 days-2weeks - sometimes breakfast (they have no peer for fast food breakfast), sometimes a Quarter Pounder and sometimes with fries..........

I am in good shape, work out, cholesterol is good, no BP problems.

I drink a can of regular Coke a day too.......I sometimes get horrified looks from people who want to swipe it from my hand and shout "that's not Diet!!".

comment #18

Sean says ...

These attack on foods have tremendous amount of elitism in them. They're nearly always about the stuff poor people eat.

JackeyAces, you're right, but there's deeper causality there. Poor people eat it because of the perverse way we've created the industry that converts solar (and fossil!) energy into calories. Put another way, we've created a system where we've targeted high caloric manufactured foods at the poor.

comment #19

rocco says ...

I swear there are times I have been so hungry that McDonalds has been some of the most satisfying meals I've ever had. When a Big Mac is put together properly and accompanied with perfectly cooked and salted fries, it's like a gift from the gods. Like JJ, I'm in ostensibly perfect health, eat McDonalds about once a month, and would never blame them for the inability for others to exercise self control...

...as for 'Supersize Me', pointless. He could have made a doc where he went on an all-carrot diet for 30 days and died of vitamin A poisoning

comment #20

christian says ...

God help me, I actually have eaten McGriddles. And I like them.

comment #21

Mgmax says ...

"When a Big Mac is put together properly and accompanied with perfectly cooked and salted fries, it's like a gift from the gods."

I've had quarter pounders at the McDonald's corporate kitchen in Oakbrook, IL. It's amazing how good a quarter pounder can be when it's cooked by the guys who invented it.

comment #22

actionman says ...

Eating at the McDonald's corporate kitchen must be kinda cool

comment #23

Rich S. says ...

If you want to eat healthy at McDonald's you can, but you must, MUST, go through the drive-through. If you make the mistake of going into the restaurant, or even driving up with your windows down, that's it, you're cooked. One whiff of those fries and it's all over.

Around here, they have the Bistro McDonald's concept. All kinds of good stuff, from pasta to real salads. They have a turkey wrap with turkey that rivals anything I've gotten in a deli, served on a spinach wrap.

And yes, McGriddles rock, but only if you get them without cheese.

comment #24

J. Huff says ...

Actionman, I thought weed was supposed to give you the munchies. Am I wrong?

jjgittes, I have to say I am amazed at the calories in one 16oz Coke or Pepsi. That said, what I've learned in the whole weight loss thing (and I have plenty more to go) is that a small amount of sugar -- probably about an 8oz Coke - can help you metabolize more quickly. They are starting to think that the reason people who are big diet soda drinkers (like myself) don't lose weight is because the body is not getting what it expects from the signals the flavor, etc. sends.

comment #25

mizerock says ...

Cook a "McMuffin" at home - this looks awesome

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B18P96

comment #26

Rich S. says ...

mizerock, that indeed looks awesome. And it would plainly horrify Mr. Wells, which for some reason pleases me to no end.

comment #27

mizerock says ...

Egg + English Muffin = a vastly more healthy meal than the processed mix of artificial, high-fat, chemical-laden, hormone-ridden factory-famed substances that comprises most of the McDonalds menu. There's nothing horrifying about using this toaster / poacher to cook up a McDonalds-like breakfast in the morning.

I suspect these kind of substitutes are in "Eat This, Not That"? Still tasty, but far less devastating to your system?

comment #28

GLee2112 says ...

sausage mcmuffin is man's only known hangover cure. i couldn't live without them.

comment #29

actionman says ...

J. Huff: it does give you the munchies. So, when you get the munchies, and you don't eat, like I did, you don't satisfy that metabolic reaction. Of course, you're then left with a serious buzz and serious hunger pains, but if you want to loose weight like I did, this method worked for me.

Supermodels do this all the time. Ciggarettes, pot, coffee, and ice cubes.

comment #30

christian says ...

And lotsa blow.

comment #31

actionman says ...

That too.

comment #32

Bocephus says ...

A sausage McMuffin with no egg has 370 calories, 22 grams of fat (0 trans), and 850 grams of sodium. You could do a lot worse for breakfast. Add an order of apple dippers minus the caramel sauce and you have a convenient, balanced, fast breakfast that will hold you over till dinner for under $5.

You don't get into too much trouble until you add the completely unneccesary and gross egg tube slice and hash browns that come with the combo meals.

This is my breakfast on busy days when I know I will be skipping lunch. I lost 60 pounds last year and the Mc
Muffins actually helped a lot, because a good breakfast jump starts your metabolism and helps you to burn weight throughout the day. Dieting is hard when you can't afford to spend money on expensive healthy food, McDonalds is one of the few fast food places that actually offers cheap diet-friendly alternatives.

comment #33

Howlingman says ...

Bocephus: "an order of apple dippers minus the caramel sauce"

-- you mean, like, an apple?

We all die of something. Might as well be excess.

That said I've found eating less and exercising more to be the sure-fire way to lose the flab. Nothing wrong with a little indulgence now and then. It's your life. Do what you will with it.

comment #34

Mgmax says ...

"the completely unneccesary and gross egg tube slice"

It may look like an airline egg slice, but I can assure you, it's a freshly cooked egg, yolk broken (they figure some would break on accident, so all must be uniformly broken), cooked inside a set of metal rings that looks like the plastic that holds a sixpack together.

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