Fast food is the 'unhealthy choice', McDonald's tells its own staff
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Fast food restaurant McDonald’s has advised its own staff that a burger, fries and soft drink is an “unhealthy choice”.
The McResource Line website, which was "temporarily performing some maintenance" late on Christmas Day, featured a section on diet.
And what it had to say was somewhat unusual given the products the company usually sells.
“Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced, and readily available alternatives to home cooking,” a post on the site said, according to US business news channel CNBC.
“While convenient and economical for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt and may put people at risk for becoming overweight.”
It featured a picture of a cheeseburger with fries and a cola drink, which was captioned “unhealthy choice”, and another of a glass of water, salad and a ham and salad sandwich, which it described as a “healthier choice”.
“Although not impossible it is more of a challenge to eat healthy when going to a fast food place,” it said.
“In general, avoiding items that are deep fried are your best bet … limit the extras such as cheese, bacon, and mayonnaise. Eat at places that offer a variety of salads, soups and vegetables to maintain your best health.”
CNBC said the posts appeared to have been written by an outside contractor.
In a statement, McDonald’s said that “portions of this website continue to be taken entirely out of context”.
“This website provides useful information from respected third-parties about many topics, among them health and wellness,” the company said. “It also includes information from experts about healthy eating and making balanced choices. McDonald's agrees with this advice.”
The McResource Line is designed for employees, but CNBC said anyone could access the website after filling in a registration form.
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