Count Down America’s 20 Worst Food

When you though you were eating healthy, the industry has tricked you again. Learn what foods are at war with your waistline living you  overeating and gaining a “fat belly.”

20. Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal

Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald’s (5 pieces) with creamy ranch sauce

830 calories
55g fat
(4.5g trans fat)
48 g carbs

The only thing “premium” about these strips is the caloric price you pay. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.

Change Your Chicken: 20 McNuggets have the same impact. Instead, choose Mickey D’s six-piece offering with BBQ sauce and save yourself 530 calories.

19. Worst Drink

Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo’d Power Smoothie
(30 fl oz)

900 calories
10 g fat
183 g carbs
(166 g sugars)

Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie; we call it a milkshake. In fact, this beverage contains more sugar than two pints of Ben and Jerry’s Butter Pecan ice cream.

Turn Down the Power: Seventy-five percent of this chain’s “power smoothies” contain in excess of 100 grams of sugar. Stick to Jamba’s lower-calorie All Fruit Smoothies, which are the only menu items that contain no added sugar. And always opt for the 16-ounce “small.”

18. Worst Supermarket Meal

Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie
(whole pie)

1,020 calories
64 g fat
86 g carbs

The label may say this pie serves two, but who ever divided a small pot pie in half? Once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping.

Pick a Better Pie: Swanson’s pot pie has just 400 calories.

17. Worst “Healthy” Burger

Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger

1,145 calories
71 g fat
56 g carbs

We chose this burger for more than its calorie payload: Its name implies that it’s healthy.

The Truly Healthy Choice: Skip burgers entirely (few at Ruby Tuesday come in under 1,000 calories). Instead, order a 9-ounce sirloin with a side of steamed vegetables.

16. Worst Mexican Entree

Chipotle Mexican Grilled Chicken Burrito

1,179 calories
47 g fat
125 g carbs
2,656 mg sodium

Despite a reputation for using healthy, fresh ingredients, Chipotle’s menu is limited to king-size burritos, overstuffed tacos, and gigantic salads—all of which lead to a humongous waistline.

Make Over the Menu: There are two ways to make a Chipotle burrito healthy enough to eat:

(1) 86 the rice and tortilla and request your meat, vegetables, and beans served in a bowl, or
(2) Bring a friend and saw the burrito in half.

To be continued…