Wendy's Natural Fries Aren't So Natural

Late last year, Wendy's introduced its new "natural-cut" French fries seasoned with sea salt. "Real fries don't fall far from the potato," says all the advertising.

And apparently all the hype worked, because a recent taste test showed that 56% of Americans preferred Wendy's new fries against 39% who preferred McDonald's. The remaining 5% said, "Duh. My brain hurts."

But Wendy's shouldn't wave the grease-stained victory flag just yet. It turns out Wendy's "natural" fries contain a lot of ingredients that are anything but natural.

Some wily bloggers at BNET have fished out Wendy's dirty little secrets. The biggest crime against nature is that the "natural-cut" chopped potatoes are dipped in sodium acid pyrophosphate and powdered in D-glucose (a corn additive); both prevent fries from browning during frying. This includes at the factory and then at the restaurant.

Additionally, Wendy's, like most fast food restaurants, adds dimethylpolysiloxane to their fry oil. Dimethylpolysiloxane is a chemical that stops oil from foaming, allowing numerous batches to be cooked in the same oil. Oh, and it should go without saying, but dimethylpolysiloxane isn't natural.

Now, as for the potatoes themselves, there is absolutely nothing special about them. "100% Russet potatoes" is meaningless. A spokesperson for the National Potato Council says, "Virtually all processed French fries are Russets." Then a five year old put his ear where his mouth should be.

Another issue with Wendy's natural fries is the skin; with the exception of the tippy-top, the fries are devoid of skin, which we all know is usually one of the most nutritious parts of fruits and vegetables.

So if you buy Wendy's new fries, don't fool yourself that they're some how healthier than typical fast food French fries. After all, a small, medium, or large order will run you between 320 to 520 calories, 15 to 25g of total fat, and an eye-popping 380 to 630mg of sodium.

Wendy's has some rethinking to do. Instead of selling the new fries as "natural" and for the sake of integrity (if they have any left), Wendy's slogan should be: "Meet the new crap, same as the old crap."

And you got to wonder, with Taco Bell getting sued for lack of "real beef" in their tacos, is Wendy's is primed for a lawsuit? Quick, dig up Johnny Chochran!

View the original article here

Posted in: Arent,Fries,Natural,Wendys