The KFC Double Down

[robbalvey]

^^ OMG, give me a break...

 

The fact that anyone here is ACTUALLY LOOKING AT NUTRITIONAL VALUE of something in the first place deserves a bit of credit.

 

Sorry guys, but I don't sit there and break down the ingredients one by one under a microscope. If you have that much time on your hands then you're probably one of those crazy people dissecting your feces looking for what digested better than others.

 

When I walk into a fast food joint and I even BOTHER to think about the fat or calorie content, I'm looking at those numbers over all. Not how meat compares to chicken compares to fish compares to salad dressings compares to human feet. I think if you're doing that...get out of the fast food joint! You're going to melt!!!!

 

Of *course* there are going to be far healthier options. No one was denying, arguing, or even quite frankly, caring about those. And *duh*... it's the bacon and the cheese? REALLY?!?!? OMG! I had NO IDEA! Wow... the bacon and the cheese make it less healthy? What a revalation! I figured the more bacon you add to something the BETTER it is for you! That you for letting us all know!

 

The fact that this sandwich isn't anywhere near as bad as a lot of other fast food offerings for the crazy ingredients that is involved actually surprises me and that is what we were talking about.

 

Give a little credit to where it's due...

Edited April 24, 2010 by robbalvey

[Fooz]

I ate this, and maybe i just have a sensitive palate, but I thought it was completely, unbearably salty. Literally the saltiest item of food I can imagine (except for a big pocket of salt in a poorly prepared chipotle burrito which left me scarred for days).

[Airtime&Gravity]

I had one yesterday, and it was fairly good. It was pretty salty and messy, but it still tasted good and was filling. It isn't my favorite item at KFC, but if it stays on the menu, I might get it occasionally. My only real complaint is how difficult to eat and how greasy it is.

[Philrad71]

Oh, how I miss those bacon guacamole burgers at Carl's Jr! The last time I was in Las Vegas I was hunting one of these down, but they didn't have it on the menu...glad to see that it is back even if it is bad for you! Those burgers were awesome!

 

As far as the KFC Double Down, I'd probably try one but I don't frequent the one here in town. It's a combo Taco Bell and the last time I was in there, I was turned off by the dirty looking kitchen and the fact that the floors looked like they had not been swept (or mopped) in about a week.

 

When I really want a cholesterol, dietary ass-kicking I head down to my local watering hole and order a single order of garlic-cajun-killer sauce-hot sauce-ranch dressing chicken wings! That's an actual wing sauce combination I had Lori (the cook) make up for me a few weeks ago and man, is it gooood!!!

[SonOfBeastSucks]

While I will never in this lifetime eat one of these disgusting looking things, I don't care if other people do. People should be free to eat crap like this if they want. The large amount of coverage this has been getting in the media is a little ridiculous I think.

[ebl]

I'm all for eating healthy, but what we eat should be up to us. When government at any level decides what we should and shouldn't eat, you have to wonder what they'll attempt to control next. Posting the nutritional information is fine; that way, we can see what's in the food and decide for ourselves what to eat.

 

Recently, there was an article in the Los Angeles Times about the city of San Juan Capistrano here in CA turning down In-N-Out Burger's request for a new store in that city because they were concerned about creating what they called "Cholesterol Row" on one street (a lot of fast food places). Nonsense.

 

Eric

[ginzo]

^Well, it is California. Government does *lots* of dumb stuff there. I think you're dead on-point regarding the clear posting of nutritional information. When I went to NYC last year and had Nathan's at Coney Island, I noticed my ordering behavior change based on the calorie count of each item was staring me in the face. But the decision was still on ME, not some lame politician or bureaucrat.

[CoasterBoyJosh]

^^There it is! The what-will-the-government-control-next?/slippery slope argument. I knew someone would use that cliche babble soon enough

 

I agree. The government shouldn't decide what we eat...to a certain extent.

 

Trans Fats, consumed mostly from partially hydrogenated oil commonly found in many fried foods (.5 grams in a KFC Double Down), raise your LDL (bad cholesterol levels) and lower your HDL (good cholesterol levels). They make you more at risk for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Oh yea, they make you really fruggin fat, too. There's absolutely no nutritional benefit from consuming Trans Fats. Repeat: THERE IS NO NUTRITIONAL BENEFIT FROM CONSUMING TRANS FATS. In fact, ask any doctor and they'll tell you how downright UNSAFE Trans Fats are. Which leads me to this question: If numerous doctors (you know, those people in white coats who went to school for 12 years to study the human anatomy) are telling me to stay away, don't you think we ought to listen up?

 

Now, I know many of you probably have listened up and couldn't care less, and that's fine, but there is that minority of innocence that has no idea what's being put into their body. And with how cheap and convenient Fast Food is for so many in this country, someone needs to watch out for those at risk. And when you're dealing with massive food-producing conglomerates, the government is the only entity that has the reach to legitimately help.

 

Now, whether or not fast food corporations should be held accountable for America's obesity problems is another debate, I'm not arguing that. But to disallow the government the ability to regulate these companies and their restaurants which are guilty of injecting Poison Lite into our freedom fries is ridiculous (too dramatic?).

 

We sometimes DO need the government to decide, or at least answer the call of a blown whistle.

 

P.S. If you're regularly consuming these unnecessary fats, you might want to consider an asbestos dish-making course to compliment your dangerous meals

[britishdebutante]

I'm all for eating healthy, but what we eat should be up to us. When government at any level decides what we should and shouldn't eat, you have to wonder what they'll attempt to control next. Posting the nutritional information is fine; that way, we can see what's in the food and decide for ourselves what to eat.

 

Recently, there was an article in the Los Angeles Times about the city of San Juan Capistrano here in CA turning down In-N-Out Burger's request for a new store in that city because they were concerned about creating what they called "Cholesterol Row" on one street (a lot of fast food places). Nonsense.

 

Eric

 

I don't see a problem with this at all. It's not like the government is mandating what the existing In-N-Out Burgers are allowed to sell. The article says that it's a ban on any new drive-thrus, so they are not targeting In-N-Out specifically. Fast food chains tend to carry a certain image that the town just doesn't want anymore of this street I guess. It's not the first time that a municipality has had strict regulations on the community's aesthetics. And give me a break with the "what will the gov't try to control next" argument. It's a far cry from the totalitarianism that you suggest.

[ginzo]

Trans Fats, consumed mostly from partially hydrogenated oil commonly found in many fried foods (.5 grams in a KFC Double Down), raise your LDL (bad cholesterol levels) and lower your HDL (good cholesterol levels). They make you more at risk for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Oh yea, they make you really fruggin fat, too. There's absolutely no nutritional benefit from consuming Trans Fats. Repeat: THERE IS NO NUTRITIONAL BENEFIT FROM CONSUMING TRANS FATS. In fact, ask any doctor and they'll tell you how downright UNSAFE Trans Fats are. Which leads me to this question: If numerous doctors (you know, those people in white coats who went to school for 12 years to study the human anatomy) are telling me to stay away, don't you think we ought to listen up?

 

This just in: Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor.

[CoasterBoyJosh]

^That added nothing. Move along. Or at least add a smiley face

[robbalvey]

^That added nothing. Move along. Or at least add a smiley face

I think Ginzo has been around long enough and posted enough times that many people know his posting sarcasm!

[CoasterBoyJosh]

I get the sarcasm, but still don't get the point.

[ginzo]

^Eh, the point is that the dangers of trans fats are well known. NYC famously banned trans fats in restaurants. Few things have attracted as much press attention recently as trans fats have. Most people are aware that fast food is not healthy. But if we all listened to our doctors, we'd probably have a lot of unemployed docs unable to pay off their crippling medical school debt.

 

So, eat up!

[CoasterBoyJosh]

^First, thanks for elaborating.

 

I was just trying to articulate the idea that certain products (in this case, Trans Fats) are considered dangerous and need a larger entity to monitor their usage, much like we do with illegal narcotics, asbestos or Toyotas.

 

No matter the press, I still think it's hard for people to wrap their mind around a tasty sandwich being as dangerous as the above three items. I guess my argument is that they are. So, I felt to support the point, I should list the reasons why

[Chris Benvenuto]

^ when you eat food, what's going into your body in detail is the LAST thing I tend to think about. Honestly, if we all did that, we'd all literally starve and I don't do it when I eat.

 

It makes me feel guilty, and therefore I throw the food away in digust. Your points are well hear, but in reality most people do not think of what fast-food is made of when they eat it. I'm not against the debate and the further break-down of the food product, but what I'm saying is most do not think of the details.

 

just my 2 cents, on the detailed food debate.

[britishdebutante]

^ I think that's CoasterboyJosh's point: that most people don't think about or don't know what they are ingesting. I had never even heard of trans-fats before all the news about them a few years back. So, it does make sense for the government to oversee this stuff and protect the public. It's sad, but there a ton of people out there who rely on fast food as their main diet either because it's convenient or because it's cheap. Are trans-fats (or empty calories, fat, etc...) truly detrimental to the health of the occasional fast food eater? Probably not, but it's the frequent fast food eaters that are benefiting from the government's intervention. After all, the CDC has labeled diabetes as an epidemic, and wouldn't you expect the government to step in during any other epidemic?

 

As far as knowing the details of what you're putting in your mouth, it's fairly easy to skim the nutrition facts on the back of anything you put in your cart at the grocery store. I've found myself doing this more ever since moving out and making all my own decisions about what I was eating. I'm not saying I live my life by these labels, but it's definitely steered me towards better products of the same type before.

[Hercules]

^ I think that's CoasterboyJosh's point: that most people don't think about or don't know what they are ingesting. I had never even heard of trans-fats before all the news about them a few years back. So, it does make sense for the government to oversee this stuff and protect the public. It's sad, but there a ton of people out there who rely on fast food as their main diet either because it's convenient or because it's cheap. Are trans-fats (or empty calories, fat, etc...) truly detrimental to the health of the occasional fast food eater? Probably not, but it's the frequent fast food eaters that are benefiting from the government's intervention. After all, the CDC has labeled diabetes as an epidemic, and wouldn't you expect the government to step in during any other epidemic?

 

As far as knowing the details of what you're putting in your mouth, it's fairly easy to skim the nutrition facts on the back of anything you put in your cart at the grocery store. I've found myself doing this more ever since moving out and making all my own decisions about what I was eating. I'm not saying I live my life by these labels, but it's definitely steered me towards better products of the same type before.

 

Yeah I think that is the main thing. If you choose to not monitor what you are eating, don't be shocked, or wonder why you have things like high blood pressure, heart disease, or cancer. I'm not going to do a lecture or anything saying that anyone should read nutritional facts, because that is a person's choice to do. However, don't complain or be astounded when you have physical problems in the future, after putting random processed foods into your body.

[slither37]

This thread got way too intense. If you do not want to eat yummy tasty fatty foods, don't.

 

Back to basics

 

I like bacon.

 

Fatty foods taste the best.

 

It is my belief that brussel sprouts cause cancer. I will not be getting any cancer from brussel sprouts*

 

*Same thing goes for cooked spinach, lima beans, peas, (except pea pods in Chinese food), and most other vegetables (unless drenched in bacon and/or cheese and/or covered in a tasty fatty balsamic vinaigrette).

 

Yes, I eat many things that are not good for me, and I am sure some contain trans fat. I understand this, I am responsible for what goes in my mouth (I said "goes in my mouth), and I do NOT need a lecture.

 

I have this thought that tomorrow I may get hit by a bus, or have part of the International Space Station fall on me, and on the way to the afterlife, I would be thinking "Damn! I should have eaten that Double Down!" I got that problem covered.

 

Oh and for the record, I do NOT want the government any more involved in telling me what I can and can not eat such as banning anything.

[chrguy606]

I had this today for lunch. Not bad at all.........yummmmmmmmmy even.

[robbalvey]

This thread got way too intense. If you do not want to eat yummy tasty fatty foods, don't.

Agreed. I tend to get really annoyed at people who seem to think they are moreso in the right by preaching from their soap box on what people should or should not be doing.

 

Denis Leary did a great routine about just this on his "No Cure For Cancer" CD and the same holds true still....

 

Yeah, we tried to be nice to you non-smokers. We tried. But you just f**king badger us, you know? You won't leave us alone! You got all your little speeches you're always giving to us. All these little facts that you dig out of a newspaper or pamphlet and you store that little nugget in your little f**king head, and we light up and you spew 'em out at us, don't ya? I love these little facts. "Well you know. Smoking takes ten years off your life." Well it's the ten worst years, isn't it folks? It's the ones at the end! It's the wheelchair kidney dialysis f**king years. You can have those years! We don't want 'em, alright!? And I guarantee if I'm still alive, I'll be smoking then. I'll be in my wheelchair, with my adult diapers on and my twenty-five year old non- smoking born again christian son behind me. I'll be going, "Hey! Make sure you wipe this time. I was itching all week for Christ's sake!"

 

Because you're always telling us, "You know, ever cigarette takes six minutes off your life. If you quit now you can live an extra ten years. If you quit now, you can live an extra twenty years." Hey, I got two words for you, ok. Jim Fix. Remember Jim Fix? The big famous jogging guy? Jogged fifteen miles a day. Did a jogging book. Did a jogging video. Dropped out of a heart attack when? When he was f**king jogging, that's when! What do you wanna bet it was two smokers who found the body the next morning and went, "Hey! That's Jim Fix, isn't it?" "Wow, what a f**king tragedy. Come on, lets go buy some buds."

 

Sure, it was smoking then, and it's fatty foods now. Give me a break! I hope everyone enjoys their Double Down!

 

--Robb "It's not something I am interested in eating...but I 100% support those who are!" Alvey

Edited April 27, 2010 by robbalvey

[BelizeIt]

^Talking about your right to decide for yourself what you want to eat.(rather than the government deciding for you)

 

Here's an article talking about how Santa Clara County supervisors just passed an ordinance banning toys in Happy Meals.

This is apparently the first ordinance in the nation that prevents restaurants from using toys to 'lure kids' to meals that are high in fat, sugar and calories.

 

I was under the impression that parents made those choices for their kids, but apparently this board of supervisors feels otherwise.

 

www.mercurynews.com/ci_14968786?source=most_viewed

[SharkTums]

^I saw that last night on the news, it's stupid and horrible.

 

So what if you get your kid one of the relatively 'healthy' happy meals? You still don't get a toy!!??

 

Stupid California.

[CoasterBoyJosh]

It's not something I am interested in eating...but I 100% support those who are!

For the record, I agree

[kidcoaster 2]

Here's an article talking about how Santa Clara County supervisors just passed an ordinance banning toys in Happy Meals.

This is apparently the first ordinance in the nation that prevents restaurants from using toys to 'lure kids' to meals that are high in fat, sugar and calories.

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14968786?source=most_viewed

 

Wow, that is pure stupid.

 

This relates to the people who sit at Mc Donalds six days a week and stuff their faces, than turn around and start blaming Mc Donalds for getting fat People just need to take resposibility for their actions.

 

Back on topic, thanks to this thread I finally got the Double Downs (One Grilled and one Crispy) and they are amazing!