A Cheesecake Factory pasta dish with 3,120 calories — a day and a half worth of caloric intake for the average adult — has been added to the list of most unhealthy dishes at U.S. chain restaurants.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer-focused nonprofit group that promotes healthier eating and that has been dubbed the "food police," compiles an annual list of "food porn" to alert consumers to menu items with eye-popping levels of calories, saturated fat, sugar and/or sodium, Reuters reports.
The Cheesecake Factory's Bistro Shrimp Pasta, made with a butter and cream sauce and topped with battered, fried shrimp, also contains 89 grams of saturated fat and 1,090 milligrams of sodium. The nutritional information has been confirmed with the company, CSPI said.
"It's like eating three orders of Olive Garden's Lasagna Classico plus an order of tiramisu for dinner," CSPI told Reuters.
Other food porn winners include Johnny Rockets' Bacon Cheddar Double Hamburger (1,770 calories), Cheesecake Factory's Crispy Chicken Costoletta (2,610 calories), and Chocolate Zuccotto Cake from Maggiano's Little Italy (1,820 calories).
CSPI has examined menus for the past six years.
“We think this year that this is the worst of some of the worst,” Jayne Hurley, CSPI senior nutritionist told CNN. “They top the list for being extremely high in calories, saturated fat and salt or sugar.”
Typical adults are advised to consume no more than 20 grams of saturated fat and 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. More than one-third of Americans are obese, and about 10 percent of the nation's healthcare bill is tied to obesity-related diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and hypertension, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The list is intended to raise awareness and drum up support for nutritional disclosures on restaurant menus. In recent years, the food and beverage industries have seen increased pressure to offer healthier alternatives.
Chain restaurant menus will soon be required to post calorie counts on their menus, according to CNN. FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said the agency is in the process of finalizing regulations for nutrition labeling requirements, but don’t have an estimated date for when the final regulations will be issued.
Cheesecake Factory, known for its excessive portions and an array of cheesecakes, many of which weigh in at around 1,000 calories per slice, has introduced a "SkinnyLicious" menu with options that are 590 calories or fewer.
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