Area teens often select fast foods and Chinese carry-out meals as a major part of their daily diets. While relatively inexpensive and easy to access, the regular consumption of many of these meals have led to the development of chronic conditions years later.
In an effort to address some of these meals head on, the Informer "Street Team" asked local teens their Top 3 choices for daily meals and then passed that information on to Howard University dietician Dr. Baker, who provided meal analyses for each meal based on the actual additions, substitutions, and adjustments of the teens' orders. Baker identified the caloric content based on the food composite courtesy of the USDA Food Database. Lesson: Sometimes it is not what the restaurant serves, but how a customer orders it that determines its health value.
Chinese Carry-Out
6 fried wings-1944 calories (1 wing has 324 kcal per serving)
White Rice- 242 calories
Mumbo Sauce- 150 calorie equivalent to sweat and sour sauce with adjustments in sugar and fat content
Total Calorie content of this meal = 2336 calorie
Total calories from Fat = 1278 kcal
When analyzing a meal and its appropriateness, one has to first look at the composition of the food content of the meal. Upon analyzing this meal the following was noted:
This meal is very high-calorie dense, but has limited nutrient value. Based on the method of preparation and combination of the food item, I would suggest that the consumption of this meal be limited to once per week. If this type of meal is consumed on a regular basis it may put the person at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and excessive weight gain. It may also lead to other metabolic syndromes and health conditions that affect the individual's nutritional status. This meal is low in sugar but high in sodium and fat. Due to its high fat content a person who consumes it on a regular basis is at high risk for dyslipedemia and high cholesterol which may prove to have detrimental effects on their health.
