News Flash! Double Down, Blood Pressure Up!
Where’s The Bun?
Mark your calendars. This Monday, Kentucky Fried Chicken launches the infamous Double Down sandwich nationwide. You better grab some napkins because it’s going to be a wild ride!
That’s right, KFC changes the fast food playing field by eliminating the bun all together. Hey, if that’s the case, can we still technically still call this a “sandwich?”
Definition: Sandwich
Two or more slices of bread with a filling such as meat or cheese placed between them.
This one is different.
You’ll get two chicken fillets (aka bread) with a “filling” of bacon, Montery Jack cheese, pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. Take a closer look:
Nutrition Facts:
This is where the fun begins. The calorie content is only 540 calories for the fried version…not so bad considering after all that this is fast food. By avoiding the bun you’ll be avoiding the carbohydrates which one would think to be a good thing….
However, a whopping 290 of those 540 calories are fat. Not only will you get 10 grams of saturated fat, .5 are in the form of trans fat. Any amount of trans fat will contribute to clogged arteries putting you at an increased risk for both heart attack and stroke. If this information isn’t hitting home yet, maybe the sodium content will help.
According to KFC’s Website, you’ll be digesting a total of 1,380 milligrams of sodium. Maybe I need to remind you that a recommended daily intake for sodum is typically between 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams a day. Good luck staying true to this since sodium naturally occurs in many of our foods including meat, poultry, dairy products and even vegetables. Not only will excessive salt intake lead to high blood pressure, it will be a contributing factor to heart disease.
Check Your Blood Pressure!
If you’re eating this type of food even on an infrequent basis, you might want to get your blood pressure level checked. 140/90 mmHg or higher is considered high. Did you know that bagels, cottage cheese and electrolyte water all contain added sodium? It adds up quickly so when you top your day off with a Double Down, you can be guaranteed that you’ve gone way over your daily limit.
Go Grilled?
They do offer a grilled option which is approximately 80 calories less with of course far less fat. The problem is that you’ll be getting 50 mg more of sodium.
I have no problem with chicken or any meat for that matter. But you should know that meat from these types of fast food restaurants are 100% factory farmed. When you consume chicken that has been injected and fed hormones and antibiotics, you will also be ingesting these unnatural drugs into your body.
Everyone needs protein, fat, and carbohydrates in their diet. However, in my opinion, these proportions are out of control. Mostly I’m concerned about quality. Kuddos to KFC for eliminating some of the grains (that fried chicken has to be made with some sort of beading) which tends to be very inflammatory for the body. Yet several thumbs down (I wish I had more thumbs!) for macronutrient quality.
Earlier in this post I suggested that you mark your calendars for Monday’s launch. Now I’m begging you to boycott the launch and celebrate your good health instead!
