Do you <em>really</em> want to know?

MargL July 17, 2007 (3:08 pm)

OMG – a 6-inch tuna sandwich from Subway has almost as many calories as a Big Mac?!? And I’m not sure I wanted to know that a large chocolate shake has over 1/2 the calories for a 2000 calorie diet.

No wonder we’re a short chubby nation.
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=short16&date=20070716

Peter F. July 17, 2007 (3:23 pm)

Alternate headline: 2/3 of King County residents are too ignorant to figure out that eating anything, from ANY chain restaurant can’t be good for you. Do we really need the government coming into meal times? No.

King County, quit playing with MY food!

eric July 17, 2007 (3:42 pm)

nannystate alert!

All of this information can be found online and in the restaurants if people really wanted to know. Obviously, they do not – regardless of what the county says.

Do we really want a society filled with more PSAs, more warning signs, more of everything for those of us who can’t use that thing between our ears?

s July 17, 2007 (3:54 pm)

“Warning”- Green Day

[Verse 1:]
This is a public service anouncement, this is only a test
Emergency evacuation protest
May Impair your ability to operate machinery
Can’t quite tell just what it means to me
Keep out of reach of children, don’t you talk to strangers
Get your philosophy from a bumper sticker

[Chorus:]
Warning. Live without warning
Say warning. Live without warning
Without. Alright.

[Verse 2:]
Better homes and safety-sealed communities
Did you remember to pay the utility?
Caution: Police line, you better not cross.
Is it the cop, or am I the one thats really dangerous?
Sanitation, expiration date, question everything.
Or shut up and be a victim of authority

[Chorus:]
Warning. Live without warning
Say warning. Live without warning
Say warning. Live without warning
Say warning. Live without warning
Without. Alright.

[Verse 3:]
Better homes and safety-sealed communities
Did you remember to pay the utility?
Caution: Police line, you better not cross.
Is it the cop, or am I the one that’s really dangerous
Sanitation, expiration date, question everything.
Or shut up and be a victim of authority

[Chorus:]
Warning. Live without warning
Say warning. Live without warning
Say warning. Live without warning
Say warning. Live without warning
This is a public service anouncement, this is only a test

CandrewB July 17, 2007 (4:23 pm)

Actually Eric, I would rather know what is going into my body. There is nothing “nanny” about providing information. Do with it what you want. Actually it is more “nanny” of the corportations to shield you from potentially disturbing information, for their own good of course. It’s bliss.

jj July 17, 2007 (4:38 pm)

The nutritional information (or lack of) is already posted. I have on numerous occasions read through the info while waiting for my delicious meal. It’s usually on a big, framed, easy for me to find poster.

Amy July 17, 2007 (5:46 pm)

The info is easy to get when you want it…not sure it needs further regulation.

My husband came home one night from a rare trip through Jack in the Box drive-in. Only after he finished his sirloin bacon burger did I think to check the nutrional info on-line. He knew it was unhealthy, but exactly how unhealthy was a shock to us both: 73 grams of fat, 1100 calories, 2600 mg of sodium. He was so thankful that he didn’t get fries with that…

Admiral Resident July 17, 2007 (5:55 pm)

For a complete list of calories in just about anything, check out http://www.calorieking.com.

eric July 17, 2007 (6:43 pm)

CandrewB – it’s already posted and available at all chain restaurants, and on their websites.

I don’t need to see a menu board like this:

Big Mac….5000 CAL, 80g FAT…… 3.99

If you’re (and I don’t mean you, just people in general) too ignorant to understand that scarfing down fast food every night of the week is unhealthy, I think you are already lost.

Keith July 17, 2007 (7:07 pm)

Oh, Amy! I just ate one of those last week. And while I didn’t want to know, I’m kinda glad I do now. Never again.

Jan July 17, 2007 (8:32 pm)

Keith…it was good, too, wasn’t it? lol…

Bubba July 17, 2007 (9:54 pm)

Pho…425 calories (from the caloriking link) I can live with that.

Eric B July 17, 2007 (11:01 pm)

I think that having this info online is all fine and good for us – clearly we are connected. However, the majority of Americans are not. I think it is absolutely amazing that people are promoting ignorance when heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US, and costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year.

eric July 18, 2007 (7:20 am)

“heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US, and costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year.”

I hate to break it to you, but we’re all going to die (and probably “cost taxpayers” money) someday. There are many choices that individuals make that end up costing taxpayers money.

I am not promoting ignorance, rather, personal responsibility and measured reaction.

The info is already there for those that make minimal effort. Let’s move on to fixing the viaduct, please.

Bill July 18, 2007 (8:33 am)

Personal responsibility! Eric, I want to see you out there in rubber boots with hammer, chisel, and mortar. Let’s fix the viaduct ourselves…
;)

stephanie July 18, 2007 (11:29 am)

I agree that it is easy to find caloric information at fast food establishments. The place where it is almost certainly hidden is in full service restaurants. I once read in a book about starting a restaurant that when developing your menu you should “try to have about 1500 calories for each meal serving”. No wonder nobody ever orders dessert!

Jenny July 18, 2007 (1:22 pm)

> No wonder nobody ever orders dessert!

(OT:) I think the real reason nobody ever orders dessert is because nobody serves good coffee. It’s all Boyds, Farmer’s, or Aramark. Yech!

Peter F. July 18, 2007 (1:37 pm)

Bill,

That’s a ludicrous comparison and comment to make regarding personal responsibility; completely separate issues.

Keith July 18, 2007 (3:06 pm)

Jan – Regrets, I’ve had a few…

CandrewB July 18, 2007 (5:22 pm)

Eric, I was not really talking about fast food. My main issue is to try and get that information from a deli counter or a sit-down restaurant. I often wonder how many calories is this? What did they cook it in? Are half of the ingredients in my wheat bread procured from China. The only reason why they do not want to provide this is that the truth may be harmful to their sales. What may seem healthy could be 1200 calories due to how it was prepared. That would change my ordering decision in a heartbeat.

Jan July 18, 2007 (7:15 pm)

y’all keep dwelling on fast food…how about that nice Italian restaurant that you go to…candlelit dinner…good wine…garlic bread….Fettuccini Alfredo…hmm…it tastes wonderful…do you really want to know how bad it is for you?

It’s one of the worst things that you can put in your body…but…hey..we still eat it, ignorantly going our merry way…would be nice to know if they use butter or margarine ;-)