Don't diss Double Down

OKAY so it might not be the poster item for healthy living but all the hype around KFC's Double Down "burger" is a bit excessive. Yes, it's high in kilojoules. Yes it's high in fat. Yes it's nutritional worth is low to non-existent. But it's fast food - why is anyone surprised? Order a burger or sub from any other take-away chain and you risk consuming the same (or more) amount of fat and kilojoules.  

Despite all the publicity, many will be un-deterred to try the Double Down. Chicken, bacon, cheese and barbeque sauce lovers will see this as mouth-watering temptation. Those who criticise the "burger" will no doubt still wonder if it is as delicious as it is being advertised to be.

Worst case scenario all the publicity has ensured a much higher public awareness of the Double Down. KFC need not waste any money on advertising their product; the national media has already covered that.

Food for thought (excuse the pun): have you eaten a Wicked Wings Snack Box at KFC? Marketed towards teenagers as a quick and easy snack, not meal, it will cost you 2242 kilojoules (kj) and 30.4g of fat.

Eaten a McDonalds Grand Angus? Marketed as a fancy take-away alternative, this burger, with the expected burger inclusions of lettuce, tomato and onion, will add 2630kj and 33.2g fat to your daily dietary intake. The Mighty Angus is worse with 2870kj and 35.7g fat.

Fancy a Wagyu Beef and Tomato Relish sub from Subway? It’s not going to help you or your waistline. If you're a mayonnaise fan too and add 30mL to the Wagyu Beef sub (because who doesn't add mayo to their sub??) you're facing 2298kj and 28.6 g fat.

Examples could be given for Hungry Jack's/Burger King, local take-away Works Burgers and other fast food but you get the point.

The Original fillet Double Down bun-less burger is packed with 1939kj and 22.3g fat. However the Zinger version of the Double Down is 2515kj and 35.7g fat. Yes, fatalicious. Order an Ultimate Burger Meal instead and your meal will cost you up to 5083kj and 61.9g fat before you even take a sip of your drink. Makes you wonder if the Double Down (sans any sides) may be the better option in this case.

When you order fatty take-out you expect a kilojoule and fat laden meal. The real issue with nutritionally void food like those mentioned is that they offer no benefit to the eater besides the fullness felt after consumption. This fullness is often fleeting once all the sugar and fat wears off, leaving consumers to look for further fulfilment elsewhere. But like speeding and risking the consequences of a fine or worse, we run the consequences of weight gain, lack of fullness and sometimes feeling/being ill when we eat fatty fast foods like the Double Down.

So knowing all this, my friends and I are headed to KFC for lunch and yes, Double Down is on our menu. You can find us at the gym tonight working off our lunch - estimated work-out time is three hours.