Study Says Food At Fast-Casual Restaurants Is Higher In Calories Than Fast Food
If you're a regular at Chipotle, you might want to sit down for this. Ready? Okay, apparently the Tex-Mex chain is just as bad as-and sometimes even worse than!-McDonald's when it comes to nutrition.
According to a new study from the University of South Carolina, entrees at fast-casual chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread can rack up 35 percent more calories than meals at fast-food spots like McDonald's and Taco Bell. (Yeah, that caused total heartbreak for us to read, too.) The results of the study show that, on average, fast-casual dishes contained about 760 calories while fast-food meals were about 561 calories.
What's more, the study claims, is that the add-ons-think guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream-are total pitfalls. Once you start piling on the extra goodies, your waistline grows with it. "These add-ons are available at both types of restaurants," Danielle Schoffman, the study's lead author, told Men's Journal. "But the option of customizing your meal at fast-casual places gives you more opportunity to select or avoid the extra calories." So basically she's saying Chipotle can tout itself as healthier because you have the option to make smarter choices than at, say, Burger King. But you probably don't because seriously what's a burrito without guac?
Brb, crying into my carnitas burrito bowl.
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