Anyone want to go out, grab a bite, and then walk for 12 hours afterwards?
There are at least two groups in America that really know what unhealthy food looks like, 1.) America's chain restaurants, and 2.) the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), creators of the annual Xtreme Eating Awards, which are given to dishes "especially high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt." To settle on a winner for the award, the CSPI examined over 200 menus from America's vibrant chain restaurant industry, and they found one clear winner that was head, shoulders, and distended belly above the rest.
This burger/fries/shake combo from @RedRobinBurgers has 3,540 cal, 69 g sat fat, 6,280 mg sodium. http://t.co/UUxe72tIN8#XtremeEating
— CSPI (@CSPI) July 30, 2014
Red Robin won the Xtreme Eating Award for the "single unhealthiest" meal in the country. The deadly combo included the Peppercorn Monster Burger with a side of steak fries and a Monster Salted Caramel Milkshake. All told, the salty-sugary fatstravanganza clocked in at a healthy (for an elephant) 3,540 calories.
@Cheesecake Factory's Bruleed French Toast with bacon = 2,780 calories = 7 hours swimming laps. http://t.co/Aiw74QNTGh#XtremeEating
— CSPI (@CSPI) July 30, 2014
Keep in mind the "average" intake for a person is 2,000 calories for an entire day, and that number is really for an average-sized American man who lives a not-totally-unhealthy lifestyle. Most people should be eating less than that (because nobody exercises). A CSPI spokesperson noted that it would require about 12 hours of brisk walking to burn off a Monster Burger. So, that Red Robin meal is two days' worth of food in terms of what most people might actually be able to eat without getting fatter, and we haven't even discussed the ingredients, which can be best described as a greasy spectrum of meat products, cheese products, starch and sugar.
You'd have to mow the lawn for 7 hours to burn off the 2,770 calories in this meal from @Famous_Dave's. http://t.co/GeoTnv4Jvg#XtremeEating
— CSPI (@CSPI) July 30, 2014
There were some runners-up, of course. There's hardly just one unhealthy meal in America. According to USA Today, the Cheesecake Factory led the field in total number of horribly-unhealthy meals, with their Bruléed French Toast topping out at 2780 calories, their Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic packing an impressive 2,410 calories, and finally the Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake, which comes out to a mouthwatering 1,500 calories.
You'd have to bike for 5 hrs to burn off the 2,160 calories in this, from BJ's. http://t.co/NVO7uLipy8#XtremeEatinghttp://t.co/9cjcOdiWEE
— CSPI (@CSPI) July 30, 2014
Actually, that cheesecake sounds a lot better than experiencing my 80s. I'll be right back.
(by Johnny McNulty)