General Discussion Triathlon Talk » "Healthier" Fast Food Rss Feed  
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2010-05-05 11:35 AM
in reply to: #2838536

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
privateer - 2010-05-05 11:09 AM
lisac957 - 2010-05-05 10:41 AM
privateer - 2010-05-05 10:34 AM Chipotle is not good for you. Lets get that out of the way right now.


Have you looked at the actual nutrition information, or are you just guessing?
http://www.chipotle.com/ChipotleNutrition.pdf

 


As this is now the second time someone has taken a potshot at me on a "friendly" board, I will now respond.  Chipotle's flagship and original product is their burrito.  A burrito consists of 1 tortilla, rice, beans, meat, salsa, cheese, lettuce. Yes there are varieties. I didn't make this the unhealthiest or healthiest. I made this with what I consider "average".  Based on what I consider something basic that almost anyone would like you get the following:

Where multiple options (salsa, meat, beans etc) existed I averaged the dietary information. Based on my imaginary, delicious buritto, you get 869 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 2130 mg of sodium.  The recommended daily intakes are 2000 calories, 65 grams of fat, and 2300 mg of sodium.  This means in one burrito you are eating 43% of your caloric intake, 45% of your fat, and a whopping 93% of your sodium.

You can make healthier choices at Chipotle, you can exercise, etc. I'm just saying these numbers do not strike me as healthy.  You can make healthier choices at McDonald's, but that doesn't mean McDonald's is healthy.


Side note, depending on what distance race you're training for and how hard you're training etc... That 2000 calorie guideline is worthless. I take in many more than 2000 calories and am losing weight (almost 15lbs in 2 months!).

All fats aren't the same. Fat is a great fuel for exercise. If you eat a fattier meal your body preferentially will burn this fuel and spare the energy stored in your muscles and can increase your performance (very simplified). I had a sports physio prof at U of I that did marathons and said they ate a TUB of mayo before she ran marathons for this reason. I think it's gross but it worked for her.


Edited by crazyquick23 2010-05-05 11:39 AM


2010-05-05 11:45 AM
in reply to: #2838536

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
privateer - 2010-05-05 11:09 AM
lisac957 - 2010-05-05 10:41 AM
privateer - 2010-05-05 10:34 AM Chipotle is not good for you. Lets get that out of the way right now.


Have you looked at the actual nutrition information, or are you just guessing?
http://www.chipotle.com/ChipotleNutrition.pdf

 


As this is now the second time someone has taken a potshot at me on a "friendly" board, I will now respond. 

Where multiple options (salsa, meat, beans etc) existed I averaged the dietary information.


Not a pot shot, it was a legitimate question. I am continually shocked at how many times people make blaket statements without looking up the facts.

I'm not sure what value comes from "averaging" an imaginary meal at a restaurant and forming blanket conclusions based on that. Like everyone has said, you can eat healthy ANYWHERE, or not. It's all about choices. But to make a blanket statement that Chipotle is not good for you is uninformed at best.
 
 
 
2010-05-05 11:48 AM
in reply to: #2837561

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
I'm not sure how large of a chain it is, but I love Pita Pit.  They have whole grain pitas and you can get tons of veggies and humus. 

You can actually build your pita at their website before you go and know exactly what the nutrient facts are.  Pretty cool.
2010-05-05 11:50 AM
in reply to: #2838678

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
lisac957 - 2010-05-05 11:45 AM
privateer - 2010-05-05 11:09 AM
lisac957 - 2010-05-05 10:41 AM
privateer - 2010-05-05 10:34 AM Chipotle is not good for you. Lets get that out of the way right now.


Have you looked at the actual nutrition information, or are you just guessing?
http://www.chipotle.com/ChipotleNutrition.pdf

 


As this is now the second time someone has taken a potshot at me on a "friendly" board, I will now respond. 

Where multiple options (salsa, meat, beans etc) existed I averaged the dietary information.


Not a pot shot, it was a legitimate question. I am continually shocked at how many times people make blaket statements without looking up the facts.

I'm not sure what value comes from "averaging" an imaginary meal at a restaurant and forming blanket conclusions based on that. Like everyone has said, you can eat healthy ANYWHERE, or not. It's all about choices. But to make a blanket statement that Chipotle is not good for you is uninformed at best.
 
 
 


That sounds like a challege so...

What would you eat here?

Ben's Chilli Bowl

I agree blanket statements are not always fair, but sometimes they are still accurate.
2010-05-05 12:03 PM
in reply to: #2838698

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
MNGopher - 2010-05-05 12:50 PM

That sounds like a challege so...

What would you eat here?

Ben's Chilli Bowl


C'mon now you can do better than that!  They even have a section of the menu called "Healthy Options".  Here's a little better (Park Slope Chip Shop), but even there you can get a side of peas...
2010-05-05 12:31 PM
in reply to: #2837561

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say pretty much any fast food, including Chipotle, is well on the unhealthy side just due to the sodium count.  There's more to it than just calories and fat.  The only reason places like Chipotle seem "healthy" is because we have places like Hardee's to compare them to.  Chipotle seems like the healthiest food in the world compared to a Monster Thickburger with fries.  But the fact is, you can't get away from the high, high sodium count when eating fast foods.  And Panera Bread?  Go to their website and pick out what you think is the healthiest option on their menu.  Look at the nutrition facts for it, and I bet you won't want to eat there again.


2010-05-05 12:46 PM
in reply to: #2838862

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
SeminoleTriathlete - 2010-05-05 1:31 PM I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say pretty much any fast food, including Chipotle, is well on the unhealthy side just due to the sodium count.  There's more to it than just calories and fat.  The only reason places like Chipotle seem "healthy" is because we have places like Hardee's to compare them to.  Chipotle seems like the healthiest food in the world compared to a Monster Thickburger with fries.  But the fact is, you can't get away from the high, high sodium count when eating fast foods.  And Panera Bread?  Go to their website and pick out what you think is the healthiest option on their menu.  Look at the nutrition facts for it, and I bet you won't want to eat there again.


This is true re: sodium.  Even Subway, which seems to be the standard for fast, healthy food, has crazy levels of sodium.  A 6" roasted chicken breast on wheat with some veggies has over 1,000 mg.
2010-05-05 1:05 PM
in reply to: #2837561

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
Evos. Not a huge chain, but if you want a fast food burger and fries, I think they are the "healthiest" option. They airbake their fries instead of frying them. They really are pretty outstanding.

As a side note, I believe the only way to eat truly healthy is to not eat out. At all. 

Edited by scottyr7 2010-05-05 1:06 PM
2010-05-05 1:21 PM
in reply to: #2837561


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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
Just finished my lunch consisting of Chipotle, and a delicious asian pear apple, or whatever people call them now.

Since you still question my math - There is range of calories and sodium depending on the meat and salsa type.  For the salsa, the green one is the outlier, others are all close in sodium.  For meat, they are all within like 10 or 20 calories.  So basically what averaging does is smooths the numbers out (without significant distortion in this case) in order to provide a number that can have meaning and be analyzed.

The comments about fast food not being healthy because of sodium and 2000 calorie diet not being representative for athletes are both spot on.  I'm not saying Chipotle is bad for you. I am saying that it has an amazing amount of sodium and provides a significant chunk of calories and fat.

In my mind the path to "healthier" fast food (which is a good term as opposed to healthy), lies in avoiding sauces, fried food, and butter/oil. Cheese should be on the list too but its too damn good.  Chicken is often healthier than some of the other meats on a fast food menu.
2010-05-05 1:29 PM
in reply to: #2837561

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
Popcorn 

oops!

I guess I classify this stuff diferrently then most.  Fast food is McD's, Wendys, Jack n the box, Taco bell, etc.  Stuff I hit the drive thru for.   Subway, Qdoba's, etc are more of I have a taste for something and am willing to get out of my car and wait in line for (our subways don't have drive thrus here).  I do go to the store get bread, meats, whole chicken (lasts a couple of days), etc so I can eat healthy during the week at work and save some money.  But if I am running to the bank, hardware store, I am going to swing by Wendy's not the grocery store for something to quick to eat.  Just my opinion. 
2010-05-05 1:37 PM
in reply to: #2837561

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
Subway.

McDonald's Grilled Chicken Snack Wraps.  Two of those are only 520 cal. total.  Fat a bit high, but not that bad, at 18 gms total.


2010-05-05 1:49 PM
in reply to: #2839076

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food

I'm curious how everyone is "building" their chipotle.  Cuz mine, even thought I'm pretty carefull, is still 1000 calories and 30% is from fat...  Not sure how "healthy" that is.  Granted, much better than any burger you are going to get.

I personally just get the grilled chicken salad at Jack in the Box.  240 calories, 25% from fat.... 28g of protein.

2010-05-05 2:12 PM
in reply to: #2838698

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
MNGopher - 2010-05-05 12:50 PM
lisac957 - 2010-05-05 11:45 AM
privateer - 2010-05-05 11:09 AM
lisac957 - 2010-05-05 10:41 AM
privateer - 2010-05-05 10:34 AM Chipotle is not good for you. Lets get that out of the way right now.


Have you looked at the actual nutrition information, or are you just guessing?
http://www.chipotle.com/ChipotleNutrition.pdf

 


As this is now the second time someone has taken a potshot at me on a "friendly" board, I will now respond. 

Where multiple options (salsa, meat, beans etc) existed I averaged the dietary information.


Not a pot shot, it was a legitimate question. I am continually shocked at how many times people make blaket statements without looking up the facts.

I'm not sure what value comes from "averaging" an imaginary meal at a restaurant and forming blanket conclusions based on that. Like everyone has said, you can eat healthy ANYWHERE, or not. It's all about choices. But to make a blanket statement that Chipotle is not good for you is uninformed at best.
 
 
 


That sounds like a challege so...

What would you eat here?

Ben's Chilli Bowl

I agree blanket statements are not always fair, but sometimes they are still accurate.


Hey now, there's no reason to talk smack about Ben's Chili Bowl. If you're there, you're not looking for healthy. That's the best late-night eating in DC

Dave
2010-05-05 2:24 PM
in reply to: #2837823

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
aquagirl - 2010-05-05 5:42 AM We have a lot of Lebanese "fastfood" places in my city.
Chicken shawarma on a pita loaded with veggies and heavy on the garlic is my FAV fast food. 


x 1,000,000

nom nom nom ... now I'm hungry
2010-05-05 2:36 PM
in reply to: #2839129

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
Kido - 2010-05-05 1:49 PM

I'm curious how everyone is "building" their chipotle.  Cuz mine, even thought I'm pretty carefull, is still 1000 calories and 30% is from fat...  Not sure how "healthy" that is.  Granted, much better than any burger you are going to get.

I personally just get the grilled chicken salad at Jack in the Box.  240 calories, 25% from fat.... 28g of protein.



Bowl - rice, black beans, veggies, mild salsa, sour cream. Under 500 calories.
Go ahead, call me boring. It's been done before here on BT 

 
2010-05-05 4:44 PM
in reply to: #2837561


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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
I haven't looked to see how (un?)healthy it is but I do tend to grab Jimmy John's when I run out of time and need to eat since its almost next door had has substantially more flavor than subway.  I don't like mayo so that probably makes it better.

The only crap fast food I eat is I occasionally find that I need taco bell to survive (sober).  This is not often but when it happens I get overwhelmed and find I must purchase at least a grilled stuft burrito and a chicken quesadilla.

Cinco de Mayo, mexican on the mind!

I think I remember that Margaritas are worse for you than other alcoholic drinks.  I'll be ingesting several of those soon too!


2010-05-05 5:40 PM
in reply to: #2839709

Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
I bought one of those books, Eat this not That, the fast food edition.  It has good information on choices at different places. 
2010-05-05 6:31 PM
in reply to: #2838536

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Subject: RE: "Healthier" Fast Food
privateer - 2010-05-05 11:09 AM
You can make healthier choices at Chipotle, you can exercise, etc. I'm just saying these numbers do not strike me as healthy.  You can make healthier choices at McDonald's, but that doesn't mean McDonald's is healthy.


Restaurants themselves are not healthy or unhealthy. Its the food you choose at that restaurant.

I always have a salad at Chipotle. Lettuce, black beans, chicken and pico de gallo. That's it. Not even dressing. My choice is healthy. Are there unhealthy choices there too? Sure. But in most cases you can't label a whole restaurant as one or the other, most have options at both ends of the spectrum and everywhere in between.

Losing 75lbs and maintaining that loss for 5 years I have had to learn how to make the right choices in any given situation and still eat healthy (parties, catered events, vacations, friend's houses, eating out, etc.) Its not always easy to find the right choices, but they are almost always out there if you get creative.
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