“The Worst Restaurant Meal in America”

Posted By elissa on Jul 2, 2013 | 1 comment

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says it’s Long John Silver’s “Big Catch.”

“Laboratory tests released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest show that Long John Silver’s Big Catch meal, when comprised of fried fish, Hushpuppies, and Onion Rings, has an astonishing 33 grams of trans fat—the most powerful promoter of heart disease in the food supply. On top of that, the meal has another 19 grams of saturated fat, which also promotes heart disease, and nearly 3,700 milligrams of sodium, which promotes high blood pressure and stroke. It’s easy to find fast-food meals with more calories—the Big Catch has “only” 1,320—but when it comes to clogging arteries, CSPI says the Big Catch is by far the ‘Worst Restaurant Meal in America.'”

The American Heart Association recommends that your daily trans-fat intake should be limited to less than one percent of total calories. For an average 2,000 calorie diet, that would be roughly 2 grams.

In addition, CSPI is accusing Long John Silver’s of…

• overstating the amount of actual fish in the “Big Catch” meal. Long John Silver’s claims it’s 7 oz – 8 oz… but that’s apparently before cooking. According to CSPI, the product given to consumers consists of “4.5 oz fish, 3 oz trans-fat-drenched batter.”
• using the deceptive term “lean” to describe the fish.
• understating the amounts of sodium, saturated fat and trans-fat in the nutrition info for regular menu items (hush puppies and onion rings).

CSPI has posted the demand letter it sent to Long John Silver’s, threatening litigation unless the company…

• discontinues using partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil for frying; or else properly warns consumers;
• issues “corrective advertising” to counter previous deceptive claims about the amount and nutrient content of the fish in the “Big Catch” meal;
• “disgorgement” of its profits from “Big Catch” sales.

Not being a fast food aficionado, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten at a Long John Silver’s before. With info like this, I don’t feel inclined to start!

And that goes double after seeing this CBS News photo of the “Big Catch” – it doesn’t look like I’m missing much.