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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Nov-02-11, 08:21
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
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Default Why Lovin' the McRib Isn't Heart Smart

Why Lovin' the McRib Isn't Heart Smart
By Meredith Melnick Thursday, October 27, 2011


Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/.../#ixzz1cYd26pcN

Quote:
Blink and it's gone. The ephemeral McRib sandwich appears at McDonald's infrequently and only for a limited time. If you haven't indulged in one yet, here's what you're missing: azodicarbonamide, ammonium sulfate and polysorbate 80 — those are just three of the 70 ingredients (34 in the bun alone) that go into the BBQ pork sandwich, according to the restaurant's website.

These components are in small enough quantities to be innocuous. But it's still a little disconcerting to know that, for example, azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent that is most commonly used in the manufacture of foamed plastics like in gym mats and the soles of shoes, is found in the McRib bun. The compound is banned in Europe and Australia as a food additive. (England's Health and Safety Executive classified it as a "respiratory sensitizer" that potentially contributes to asthma through occupational exposure.) The U.S. limits azodicarbonamide to 45 parts per million in commercial flour products, based on analysis of lab testing.

The McRib enjoys a bizarre cult following, in part because of its impermanence. Reports Brad Tuttle over at Moneyland:

Quote:
First introduced in 1982, the sandwich first disappeared in 1985, but then has periodically resurfaced in McDonald's in the U.S. and abroad. The McRib's cult-like following has generated not only Facebook pages, but McRib Locator websites and a Twitter account.

This fall, the McRib made news as McDonald's re-introduced it once again — this time, making it available in all U.S. locations through Nov. 14. The obvious question is: if the McRib is so popular, why doesn't McDonald's sell it year-in, year-out, at all locations?

The answer is that, sort of in the same way that some people are attracted to bad boys (or girls) who won't commit, the elusiveness of the McRib is part of its appeal.


If the chemistry-lab ingredient list isn't enough to put you off the McRib's saucy allure, perhaps the nutrition information will: with 980 mg of sodium (more than half your recommended daily intake) and 10 g of saturated fat, the sandwich is, quite literally, not for the faint of heart.
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  #2   ^
Old Wed, Nov-02-11, 10:29
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KarenJ KarenJ is offline
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Plan: tasty animals with butter
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I would agree with the theory that it is not a heart-smart food (if you would call it food), but not at all for the reasons the author cites. Saturated fats raise HDL, and salt is harmless for most people. A more credible (responsible?) piece of "journalism" would have mentioned the huge amount of processed refined carbohydrate and fructose (NAFLD anyone?).

It is popular to demonize McDonald's. If the author is so worried, she should just get the nice grilled chicken salad.

I bought a McRib the last round, and thought it was only so-so. I kinda felt that the gigantic bun that I threw away was a waste of $ because it weighed more than the meat. I probably wouldn't buy one again.
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Nov-02-11, 10:57
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Seejay Seejay is offline
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10 grams of fat is nothing, lol that columnist is easily shocked by fat I guess. I had to go look up the grams of carbs = 44. Not even that much for a big drive-through burger (the Whopper has 40g of fat and 51 carbs, now that is filling).
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  #4   ^
Old Wed, Nov-02-11, 11:06
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
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Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
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Quote:
azodicarbonamide, ammonium sulfate and polysorbate 80 — those are just three of the 70 ingredients (34 in the bun alone) that go into the BBQ pork sandwich, according to the restaurant's website.
Quote:
for example, azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent that is most commonly used in the manufacture of foamed plastics like in gym mats and the soles of shoes, is found in the McRib bun


While nobody here would eat that bun , it is what caught my eye when reading this article.
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  #5   ^
Old Wed, Nov-02-11, 11:14
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RaceGirl28 RaceGirl28 is offline
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Mmm! McRib! I ate 2 for dinner on Saturday night
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  #6   ^
Old Thu, Nov-03-11, 08:10
renegadiab renegadiab is offline
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The meat isn't a true rib, but pressed together like chicken mcnuggets. I'm sure the sauce is full of sugar or HFCS. I wouldn't touch either the meat or the bun. Saturated fat is the least of my worries.
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  #7   ^
Old Thu, Nov-03-11, 10:17
KarenJ's Avatar
KarenJ KarenJ is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by renegadiab
The meat isn't a true rib, but pressed together like chicken mcnuggets. I'm sure the sauce is full of sugar or HFCS. I wouldn't touch either the meat or the bun. Saturated fat is the least of my worries.


Yes, the meat is chopped, pressed, formed, etc. This is an interesting comment from "Ryuu Shun Hayashi":

Quote:
"These components are in small enough quantities to be innocuous. But it's still a little disconcerting to know that, for example, azodicarbonamide, a flour-bleaching agent that is most commonly used in the manufacture of foamed plastics like in gym mats and the soles of shoes, is found in the McRib bun. The compound is banned in Europe and Australia as a food additive. (England's Health and Safety Executive classified it as a "respiratory sensitizer" that potentially contributes to asthma through occupational exposure.) The U.S. limits azodicarbonamide to 45 parts per million in commercial flour products, based on analysis of lab testing." If the bun failed the test of 45ppm the McRib would not be sellable in the U.S. You can bet the FDA is not going to stand for it. Notice that the article does not say 'how much' azodicarbonamide is present in the McRib bun, and also that the bun is obviously a commercial flour product. Nobody said McDonald's is ADDING azodicarbonamide to the bun. So they're not using it as a food additive any more than Europe or Australia are. The main point of this paragraph really is the first sentence. "These components are in small enough quantities to be innocuous." Everything and its dog contains trace amounts of toxin anyway, it's the dosage that makes any poison deadly. Something being on the ingredient list doesn't necessarily mean it was intentionally added, it just means that it's in there. If anything, you should be happy that McDonald's knows what ended up in their final product to such a high level of detail. And that since they can detect toxins at concentrations below 45ppm, you know that there's nothing poisonous hidden inside which they didn't already tell you about.
===== McRib Ingredients
McRib Patty: Boneless pork (Pork, water, salt, dextrose, citric acid, BHA, TBHQ).
McRib Bun: Flour (wheat flour bleached and enriched with thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron, folic acid, malted barley flour), water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, cottonseed oil). Contains 2 percent or less of dextrose, fumaric acid, calcium sulphate, salt, acetic acid, soy flour, monocalcium phosphate, ammonium sulphate, cornstarch, fungal protease, natural culture, ammonium chloride, ascorbic acid, azodicarbomide, mono- and diglycerides, propionic acid, phosphoric acid, corn flour, calcium peroxide, calcium propionate, dicetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides.
McRib Sauce: Water, high fructose corn syrup, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, molasses, natural smoke flavor, modified food starch, salt, sugar, soybean oil, spices, onion*, mustard flour, garlic *, xanthan gum, caramel color, sodium benzoate (preservative), natural flavor (vegetable source), corn oil. *Dehydrated Pickle Slices Cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, natural flavorings (vegetable source), polysorbate 80, turmeric (color).
Slivered Onions ===== So as you can see, what they're really adding into the McRib on purpose are: boneless pork, flour, water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, vegetable oil, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, molasses, natural smoke flavour, modified food starch, salt, sugar, soybean oil, spices, onions, mustard flour, garlic, xanthan gum, caramel color, sodium benzoate, natural flavour, corn oil, cucumbers, calcium chloride, alum, natural flavourings, polysorbate 80 and tumeric. Polysorbate 80 is a very common food and medicine emulsifier, it is not toxic at its usual concentrations. Without it, the sauce will separate into its water and oil components, which would make that resultant mess unfit for consumption. Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/.../#ixzz1cewvSps4
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  #8   ^
Old Sat, Nov-05-11, 02:50
howlovely howlovely is offline
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Somebody posted on facebook that the McRib is actually made from pig intestines, which made me want it even more!

Seriously though, better just to eat actually ribs.
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