How many times a week?

[Hardbopjazz]

I never eat at McDonald's. The only time I get some fries from them is when I am flying out of JFK.

How many times a week do you go to McDonalds?

McDonald's Says Fries Have More Trans Fats By DAVE CARPENTER, AP Business Writer

2 hours, 41 minutes ago

CHICAGO - McDonald's french fries just got fatter — by nutritional measurement. The world's largest restaurant chain said Wednesday its fries contain a third more trans fats than it previously knew, citing results of a new testing method it began using in December.

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That means the level of potentially artery-clogging trans fat in a portion of large fries is eight grams, up from six, with total fat increasing to 30 grams from 25.

Often used by restaurants and in packaged foods, trans fats are thought to cause cholesterol problems and increase the risk of heart disease. The dietary guidelines for Americans that were issued by a government panel last year said people should consume as little trans fat as possible.

The disclosure comes as McDonald's Corp. starts rolling out packaging for its menu items that contain facts about their nutritional content — a move made voluntarily but with the fast-food industry under pressure from consumer groups and the government to provide more information.

McDonald's said it updated the nutrition info on its Web site last month as soon as it discovered the new level of trans fat. It explained the increase by saying an improvement in the testing process has made results more accurate.

"As part of our ongoing voluntary efforts to provide our customers with the best science-based information, we continually enhance our testing," said Cathy Kapica, global nutrition director for Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald's.

Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, called the change "quite a dramatic increase."

He renewed the nonprofit health advocacy group's call for McDonald's and other fast-food chains to make healthier food — and for the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of partially hydrogenated oil, the source of trans fat. Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil — a process called hydrogenation.

"Nutritionally it's a disastrous product," Jacobson said of the fries. "McDonald's could fry in canola oil or other liquid oil" as it does in Australia, Denmark and Israel, he said.

Responding to the criticism, Kapica said the company is "very proud of our menu."

"It is important to note that McDonald's menu has a wide range of choice and variety, with an array of portion sizes, including three options with french fries — small, medium and large," she said.

McDonald's has been reluctant to risk changing the taste of its iconic french fries. It pledged in September 2002 to switch to a new oil that would halve the level of harmful trans fatty acid in its fries. But it has delayed those plans, citing product quality and customer satisfaction as priorities while continuing testing.

McDonald's spokeswoman Anna Rozenich said tray liners and nutrition brochures containing trans fat and other info will be updated soon and the company Web site will reflect up-to-date information.

The FDA began mandating that packaged foods companies report trans fat levels last month, but the fast-food industry is not under similar requirements.

McDonald's shares rose 17 cents to close at $36.36 Wednesday on the

[7/4]

You forgot the rarely option so I voted 0.

[Hardbopjazz]

Wow, someone 6 to 7 times. I wonder who that was? I guess he or she doesn't want us to know.

Edited February 9, 2006 by Hardbopjazz

[(BB)]

If you are going to die from putting stuff in your body there are a lot of better options

[catesta]

I try and stay away from most if not all fast food chains.

However, sometimes when you travel there may be very limited options. With that said every once in a while I may hit some place like McDonalds.

[Hardbopjazz]

If you are going to die from putting stuff in your body there are a lot of better options

Like Bugger King. Their buggers are grilled. The fries are probably just as bad.

Stay away from them all. I was a strict vegetarian for 17 years. I put no animal products in me. Then the doctor told me, that's is most likely why I went bald at 30.

Edited February 9, 2006 by Hardbopjazz

[paul secor]

No way I'm going to pay someone who's trying to kill me.

[GA Russell]

Wow, someone 6 to 7 times. I wonder who that was? I guess he or she doesn't want us to know.

I rarely eat there, but I go for a cup of coffee and to read the paper every morning.

[Jim Dye]

Low-Fat Diet Does Not Cut Health Risks, Study Finds

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/health/0...agewanted=print

...and no, I don't eat there 6-7 times a week. Once a month if i'm lucky.

[John Tapscott]

Ok. I'll admit - once a week at a fast food place like McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Wendy's or Harvey's (a Canadian chain, which along with Burger King has the best burgers). And you know what - I like it!!

[Chuck Nessa]

Maybe 4 or 5 times a year. Ann loves breakfast steak/bagels and we have breakfast from them when going on road trips. I often stop for a large cup of coffee while on the road. One reasonably safe stop on the road.

[Stereojack]

Very rarely - sometimes on a long road trip I want to take a leak, grab something quick, and get right back on the road, but this is only a couple of times a year.

I confess that I occasionally grab a breakfast sandwich at Burger King if I'm running late.

[connoisseur series500]

Once every month or two, when I'm stuck. I don't mind their fish sandwiches. I tend not to eat their fries; but basically, at my age you don't eat at McDonalds. The food sucks.

My kid, however....

[Big Al]

I can honestly say that the last time I ate at McDonalds was December 2004. The burger sat in my tummy like an anvil and I was burping up the aftertaste all day. Never had the desire to go back since.

Now if you'd asked about Whataburger.....

[Kalo]

Not a single time since Spring of 2000 (the last time my former band was on the road).

Even back then, only as a matter of last resort.

20 years or more ago, though, perhaps once a week.

[Aggie87]

You people all sound like you don't have young kids

I'm there once a week on average with my two young'uns. Usually it's because of a tight time-schedule one evening per week, and it's very conveniently located, otherwise I'd avoid the place. I never go there when my kids aren't with me. Blech!

[Chuck Nessa]

You people all sound like you don't have young kids

I'm there once a week on average with my two young'uns. Usually it's because of a tight time-schedule one evening per week, and it's very conveniently located, otherwise I'd avoid the place. I never go there when my kids aren't with me. Blech!

Don't have young kids and don't have any reason to hate/avoid McDs. Just the way it is.

[Rooster_Ties]

Once or twice a month, tops -- and only cuz I do like their breakfast burritos (yum!!).

But other than that, I think I eat non-breakfast meals at McDonalds only about 2 or 3 times per year (and sometimes even less than that).

Edited February 9, 2006 by Rooster_Ties

[Guy Berger]

Very rarely, but if I do go I get the grilled chicken sandwich.

Guy

[Free For All]

On my current diet I'm not doing much fast food at all, although if I was going to stop at a chain it would probably be Wendy's.

Once I read the nutritional info (which confirmed what I pretty much already knew) I once and for all realized that eating at these places is no longer an option. It always works the same way: I'm hungry, it seems like a good idea and I ALWAYS feel unsatisfied and generally crappy afterwards.

I did like that McGriddle, however. And then I read about it.

Check this out

Edited February 9, 2006 by Free For All

[Guy Berger]

On my current diet I'm not doing much fast food at all, although if I was going to stop at a chain it would probably be Wendy's.

Same here. The spicy chicken sandwich is excellent. But...

Once I read the nutritional info (which confirmed what I pretty much already knew) I once and for all realized that eating at these places is no longer an option.

Until these guys get rid of trans fats, I ain't eating this crap.

Guy

[brownie]

Last time I went to one of those places was when my son was still a teenager. He is a big man now!

Not that I hate the McDonalds, just don't have a taste for them!

So many better places to enjoy food...

[BERIGAN]

I used to eat there all the time when I worked at Borders, because I had few other choices for lunch. I really liked eating outside of work, and working at borders meant being poor, so it was a win-win situation. 2 Cheeseburgers, and a large frie, yum! Funny thing is, it really was health food, I weighed a lot less when I ate the crap 5 days a week. Now, with a faulty gall bladder, I eat there once in a blue moon, and get the fish sandwich....Do like those damn greasy fries. Wish they'd go to the healthy oils.

[EKE BBB]

Flat zero. I hate fast food! And I hate McDonalds even more!

[sidewinder]

Don't touch it, unless I'm starving and stuck in the middle of London with no other options.