One of McDonald’s tactics in promoting health is advertising its fruit and maple oatmeal as balanced breakfast alternative for those who are watching their weight and avoiding the infamous Egg McMuffin at all costs – but is McDonald’s oatmeal healthy?
Food critics tell us that the ‘healthy’ oatmeal McDonald’s is pushing as an alternative to its breakfast wraps and sausage muffins is not so healthy after all. The oatmeal is advertised as wholesome, while the bowl of goodness actually contains a total of 21 ingredients including natural flavorings, caramel colorings and barley malt. These are not the healthiest items to put inside your body.
What the Experts Say
According to Julia Braun, a registered food dietician for McDonald’s, all of the ingredients found in the McDonald’s oatmeal can be found on the grocery store shelves, not in the laboratory. Food critics disagree with this statement, indicating that the oatmeal is anything but healthy. In fact, some nutritionists report that McDonald’s oatmeal contains just as much sugar as an entire Snickers candy bar.
While the calorie count is low, the bowl does contain enough sugar and additives to last an entire week. The oatmeal offers 290 calories of chopped fruit, grains and plenty of sugar. Oatmeal from McDonald’s contains nearly twice the calorie count of wholesome oatmeal that could be prepared at home.
If you must, oatmeal from McDonald’s could provide a healthy alternative to the variety of other meals available from the menu, but if you are able, experts in food science say eating homemade meals are much better for your health. Natural food products that only have the ingredients in them that you want in them are much better for you than those that are high in processing.
False Advertising by McDonalds – Fact or Fiction
While experts agree that McDonald’s oatmeal is anything but healthy, the verdict is still out on whether the fast-food giant is falsely advertising its wholesome breakfast. Nutritionists report that the company is in the wrong to indicate that they have a healthy and wholesome breakfast option on the menu with all of the added sugar contained in the oats.
The bowl of oatmeal from McDonalds will cost you more than a small hamburger; provide you with as much sugar as a candy bar and the same amount of calories as a Big Mac. If that is healthy and wholesome, than our nation is facing an even bigger problem in conquering obesity?
In the end, it is really up to the consumer to choose what they want to put into their body and that of their children. Many parents scream in protest that McDonalds is operating out of deceptive tactics, while spooning the oatmeal down their child’s throat.
In McDonald’s defense, nearly half of the sugar contained in the small bowl of oatmeal does come from natural sources and the half a cup of fruit (which is optional) in each bowl provides about a quarter of your daily required allowance of fruit. Not much, but at least they are moving in the right direction. Now, it is up to the public to decide if they want to eat the wholesome bowl of McDonald’s goodness or take the time to prepare a healthier option at home.
Let’s face it, McDonalds isn’t going anywhere and is here to stay for a reason. People just can’t seem to stay away from those Golden Arches.
