McDonald's Versus Port Of Subs - Who Wins The Fight To Be Crowned The Light Bite?

Jerry in LaQuinta - He ate out at both contenders establishments.


















While Jerry was in La Quinta, California he ate at the Port of Subs. He told me I’d be proud of him for making such a healthy choice. Well, actually, no. Port Of Subs isn’t particularly any healthier than say, McDonald’s or Jack In The Box. I told him he works like a mule on these trips so it’s not a good time to watch calories or carbohydrates anyway. He needs the fuel.

Luckily he brought home a Port Of Subs menu flyer and a laminated card with the nutrition information on their nine “healthy” sandwich choices. He said the menu and nutrition card were the only ones in sight but he took them anyway knowing of my endless fascination with all things food and nutrition. My husband will commit petty theft for me!

Then two days ago we took Bruno to McDonalds and I brought home the nutrition fact sheet on the back of the tray liner. (I noticed quite a few in the trash bin. Apparently most people don’t want to know the nutrition facts). And upon comparison of both establishments lower calorie options I found out what I suspected all along. You CAN eat just as healthy at McDonald’s as you can at Port Of Subs! You low carbohydrate dieters out there will love this. (Low fat dieters may whimper).

Below I’ll list Port Of Subs nine sandwiches with five grams of fat or less (their definition of “healthy") and compare each with one of McDonald’s lighter options.

Port Of Subs No. 2 Ham & Turkey – Calories 328, Fat 5 grams, Carbs 46 grams, Protein 22 grams, Sodium 1327 mg

McDonald’s Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken – Calories 320, Fat 9 grams, Carbs 30 grams, Protein 30 grams, Sodium 960 mg

While these two food items are almost exactly the same calorie-wise, the McDonald’s choice has 10 grams less carbs and 8 grams more protein. And the McDonald’s salad has 367 mg less sodium.

Port Of Subs No. 5 Smoked Ham & Turkey– Calories 320, Fat 5 grams, Carbs 46 grams, Protein 21 grams, Sodium 1343 mg

McDonald’s Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken – Calories 300, Fat 10 grams, Carbs 23 grams, Protein 32 grams, Sodium 890 mg

McDonald’s wins again! Although both items are within 20 calories of each other the Mickey D’s salad has HALF THE CARBS and 323 mgs less sodium. (For you low fat dieters out there, you are better off with the extra 5 grams of fat than a butt load – I mean 23 grams - of extra carbohydrates).

Port Of Subs No. 7 Roast Beef– Calories 315, Fat 4 grams, Carbs 43 grams, Protein 23 grams, Sodium 884 mg

McDonald’s Hamburger – Calories 250, Fat 9 grams, Carbs 31 grams, Protein 12 grams, Sodium 520 mg

Now this match is closer. Port Of Subs packs a bigger punch calorie and carb-wise, but McDonald’s is sadly lacking in protein, especially considering that left hook of 31 grams of carbs. I'd buy two McD’s hamburgers and toss the buns. That’s if you can stomach the taste of their beef patties by themselves. At least the McDonald’s choice has less sodium and we’re not counting fat grams, are we.

Port Of Subs No. 8 Turkey – Calories 315, Fat 4 grams, Carbs 47 grams, Protein 21 grams, Sodium 1233 mg (that’s one salty turkey)

McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets 4 Piece – Calories 170, Fat 10 grams, Carbs 10 grams, Protein 10 grams, Sodium 450 mg

I’m sorry Port Of Subs but McDonald’s is a better choice all the way around. You could eat two orders of the Chicken McNuggets before hitting the turkey sandwich’s numbers.

Port Of Subs No. 9 Peppered Pastrami – Calories 293, Fat 3 grams, Carbs 44 grams, Protein 17 grams, Sodium 708 mg

McDonald’s Honey Mustard Wrap (grilled) – Calories 260, Fat 9 grams, Carbs 27 grams, Protein 14 grams, Sodium 800 mg

Mickey D’s has 17 grams less carbs. I’ll take it.

Port Of Subs No. 10 Roasted Chicken Breast – Calories 304, Fat 3 grams, Carbs 44 grams, Protein 24 grams, Sodium 1130 mg

McDonald’s 6 Piece Chicken McNuggets – Calories 250, Fat 15 grams, Carbs 15 grams, Protein 15 grams, Sodium 670 mg

McDonald’s has 29 grams less carbs, 54 less calories, and nearly half the sodium. But I suppose there are plenty of low fat dieters that will jump at the Port Of Subs chicken because it has 12 grams less fat even though it has more calories. (Yes, that’s sarcasm in my voice).

Are you still with me? Can you take three more rounds? Huh, huh?

Port Of Subs No. 18 Roast Beef and Turkey – Calories 315, Fat 4 grams, Carbs 45 grams, Protein 22 grams, Sodium 1059 mg

McDonald’s Chipolte BBQ Snack Wrap (grilled) – Calories 260, Fat 8 grams, Carbs 28 grams, Protein 18 grams, Sodium 820 mg

Whammo! Micky D wins this one across the board.

Port Of Subs No. 14 Smoked Ham – Calories 301, Fat 4 grams, Carbs 44 grams, Protein 18 grams, Sodium 1184 mg

McDonald’s Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken – Calories 260, Fat 9 grams, Carbs 12 grams, Protein 33 grams, Sodium 1010 mg

We have a winner on the protein and carb front with McD’s 33 grams of protein and only 12 grams of carbs versus POS’s measly 18 grams of protein and a whopping 44 grams of carbs.

Port Of Subs No. 6 Vegetarian without Cheese or Avocado (NO Cheese or Avocado! YUCK!)– Calories 238, Fat 2 grams (lowest overall in fat-anyone for dry skin and hair and whacked out hormones), Carbs 44 grams (how about high blood sugar and a fat butt?), Protein 7 grams (choice lowest in protein - no bodybuilders eating here), Sodium 1343 mg (the winner as HIGHEST in the sodium department over all choices-what a loser!)

McDonald’s Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken – Calories 220 (lower than POS), Fat 6 grams (too close to care, actually too low in fat - where's that salad dressing?), Carbs 12 grams (32 carbs less), Protein 30 grams (even a bodybuilder would approve), Sodium 890 mg (453 mg less)

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! (Holds up Micky D’s bloody glove).

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Port Of Subs is on the mat because of his bread addiction. ("Would you like some sides of meat or vegetables with that loaf of bread, ma'am?")

Dieting? Eating out? Eat at McDonald’s. (Just don’t do it like Morgan Spurlock. Really Morgan, did you have to Super Size everything?)

(Salads listed are without dressing-add Newman’s Own Vinaigrette and you’ll add on 40 calories, Fat 3 grams, Carbs 4 grams, Protein 3 grams, Sodium 730 mg)

"Eat This, Not That!" Part 2 - Our Sodium Consumption Is Over The Moon

What’s wrong with this chart?

Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances

(Based on a 2000 Calorie Intake; for Adults and Children 4 or More Years of Age)

Nutrient Unit of Measure Daily Values

Total Fat grams (g) 65
Saturated fatty acids grams (g) 20
Cholesterol milligrams (mg) 300
Sodium milligrams (mg) 2400
Potassium milligrams (mg) 3500
Total carbohydrate grams (g) 300
Fiber grams (g) 25
Protein grams (g) 50

A lot!

First off, practically nobody actually eats within these guidelines (which is probably a good thing because it's out of whack). Most of us go way overboard on calories and carbohydrates (which apparently the government RECOMMENDS), and except for fiber which most people don't get nearly enough of, we’re eating too much in general considering our actual daily caloric needs. (If you are feeding your 4 year old 2000 calories a day, STOP).

Secondly, nobody NEEDS 300 grams of carbohydrates a day - which is excessive - except Jay Cutler during a mass building phase!

"When I was preparing for the Olympia, I was eating only 150 to 375 g of carbs every day--375 g was my max on days when I was reloading my glycogen stores. Now, I'm up to as much as 1,000 g of carbs a day, but I'm still relying on basically the same carb sources: oatmeal and brown rice." - Jay Cutler on his Carbohydrate Intake.

And 50 grams of protein wouldn't be enough for anyone unless they're frigging bedridden! I don't know what the US government bases their daily allowance on but I'm betting it's not solid science. Fifty grams might maintain your scrawny muscles if you’re a desk jockey by day and couch potato by night. Active individuals will require a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Weightlifters and bodybuilders need between 1.0 to 2.0 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight to build muscle mass.

But here's the deal; I went looking for the daily allowance for sodium because of the sodium contents listed for dishes in the book “Eat This, Not That!” when I came across the above allowances. I must say I'm shocked at how cockeyed they seem in comparison to the what I've learned as a sports nutritionist.

I do remember my first nutrition class back in 1979 stated the RDAs were based on keeping soldiers in WWII healthy and adequate for most sedentary and lightly active people. I would add that in the 1940s there was very little processed foods and a lot more fresh whole foods. Most all of those 300 grams of carbohydrates were fresh vegetables and fruits, and real whole grains, not the processed crap that passes for whole grains today. Not to mention artificial preservatives didn't exist. If you wanted salt on your food you had to shake it on yourself.

Back to the issue at hand, our sodium intake is through the roof, folks. If you're eating like an average American you’re consuming way too much of it. And we're not talking about what we get from the salt shaker, that's just added damage.

Before I give some examples of our sodium excesses I want to remind you that 2400 mg is considered the maximum amount of sodium you should consume in one day. That’s if you have no health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, heart failure, or kidney disease. Many women, myself included, find that excess sodium makes them bloat – especially before and during menstrual periods. While sodium is a necessary mineral for normal bodily functions you do not want too much of a good thing. (If you do feel bloated drink more water. Ironically, drinking plenty of water flushes out excess sodium and water weight).















Okay, here’s one of the worst sodium nightmares out there: listed on page 47 of “Eat This, Not That!” you’re told a good “Eat This” choice is Chili’s Sizzle and Spice Firecracker Tilapia at 470 calories, 23 grams of fat, and 1520 mg of sodium. Okay, it has more than half a day’s worth of sodium in one meal, although the calories are fairly reasonable. Now in the “Not That!” side of this comparison is Chili’s Citrus Fire Chicken and Shrimp Fajitas at 1360 calories (I know a diet blogger that rarely goes over that in a whole day - though she's basically on a starvation regimen), 73 grams of fat (they don’t list carbohydrate content but I bet it’s unacceptable for a low carb diet) and 4570 mg of sodium! Yowsa! How do they get that much sodium into one dish?

Other restaurants like Applebee’s have similar dishes: pages 16-17 tell you to “Eat This,” Grilled Cajun Lime Tilapia 310 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 1250 mg sodium! “Not This!” features my (former) favorite Fiesta Lime Chicken at 1285 calories, 47 grams of fat, and 1443 mg of sodium! Notice the differences in sodium content between the “Eat This” and “Not That!” dishes are not significant - there all excessive - but many "Eat This" choices in the book are actually HIGHER in sodium that the "Not That!" choices. I'm not sure how the author of "Eat This, Not That!" justifies recommending high sodium meals as 'healthier' even if they're lower in calories (and low in fat, which we low carbers know is not based on science or fact).

What’s scary is, I’ve eaten these dishes in the recent past! (Lately we’ve stopped eating out and cook at home where I can control the cost, ingredients, sodium, calories, and carbohydrates. Instead of $55 dollars to feed three people at one of these restaurants, I can buy enough fresh ingredients to cook up to 10 meals. Or buy a tank of gas!)













Occasionally this book does list carbohydrates. On page 12, what is listed as "The Worst Food In America" is Outback Aussie Cheese Fries. Get this, 2900 calories (just the fries, ma’am) 182 grams of fat, and 240 grams of carbohydrates. That's at least a days worth of calories, carbohydrates, and fat for most men! Apparently "Eat This, Not That!" only lists the carbohydrates when there’s enough in one dish to feed 100 Atkins Induction dieters for a day.

And what's really glaring, this book is written by the editor of 'Men's Fitness', a so called "health magazine" that regularly features muscular male models with ripped abs on their cover. Yet in this book, the author rarely lists the PROTEIN content of these "good" and "bad" food choices. Assuming people buy your magazine to get the "look" you advertise on the cover, and buy the book based on the reputation of your magazine, shouldn't you give information on protein content - the major macronutrient necessary for a lean and muscular body?

Notice they did NOT list the sodium content for this monstrous dish. I Googled it - Outback Steakhouse doesn't list the information, most nutrition sites listing this item are not listing the sodium content either, or like at Calorie King the listings report "sodium 0". Yeah, right!

Let's look at this another way. Calorie King says the serving size of Aussie Cheese Fries is 1 pound, 12 ounces. Yowsa. If 400 calories of In-N-Out fries has 245 mg sodium, these Aussie Cheese Fries, at 7.25 times more calorie-wise, could run as high as 1750 mg sodium. (Notice they're topped with bacon and cheddar so my estimate is certainly low). No wonder they won't release that information - after all it is supposed to be an appetizer / side dish. Add an entree like the Ayers Rock Strip Steak (that's nearly as big as Ayers Rock) at 1450 calories, 85 grams of fat, and 87 grams carbohydrates and your getting over 4300 calories at one sitting. Dessert anyone? Add salad, bread, a beverage and who knows how high you can jack up those calories. If you're looking to get fat definitely eat at Outback Steakhouse.

Okay, what if you’re one of those “non-cooks” who eats out two or three meals a day? You know these folks, the ones McDonald’s calls “Heavy Users” (quote from the movie “Supersize Me!”). Let’s say you go to breakfast at Denny’s without consulting a copy of “Eat This, Not That!” and order the Smoked Sausage Scramble. That’ll run you 1480 calories, 88 grams of fat, and 4340 mg of sodium. The lighter “Eat This” meal of a Veggie Cheese Omelet will run 348 calories, 22 grams of fat and 849 mg sodium.

Lunch roles around and you have a craving for an In-N-Out Burger. They’re supposed to be a healthier option than Burger King (BK Big Fish Sandwich – 1000 calories, 52 grams fat, 2040 mg sodium or a Whopper at 760 calories, 47 grams fat, 1240 mg sodium) and McDonald’s (Premium Grilled Chicken Club 570 calories, 21 grams fat, 1720 mg sodium or a Big Mac at 540 calories and 29 grams fat, 730 mg sodium), right?

Not exactly. The “Eat This” choice of a Double Double Hamburger Protein Style will run you only 350 calories and 22 grams of fat, but the sodium content is 960 mg. Better than the “Not That!” Double Double Hamburger at 670 calories, 41 grams of fat, and 1440 mg of sodium. But do you really need 960 mg of sodium in one measly burger? You’re better off eating the fries (sodium wise) at 400 calories and only 245 mg of sodium. The fries have less sodium than the ‘healthy’ burger, what’s with that?! (Keep in mind the fries are a crime both carbohydrate and calorie wise. They just have less sodium).

Add on dinner out at one of the “Eat This” choices above and you could still get over 3000 mg of sodium in just three meals. Go with the "Not That!" choices and you could go even higher.

Packaged store bought products are not much better. A Lean Pockets Pepperoni Pizza Pocket runs 270 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 900 mg of sodium. Deli meats run from 170 mg of sodium for a few ounces of Bumble Bee Premium Salmon, up to Carl Bundig Beef’s 790 mg sodium per 2 ounce serving.

And those salad dressings you buy to compliment your healthy salads? Your salads will be swimming in sodium. Two (that's a mere 2) tablespoons of Newman's Own Lighten Up Italian has 260 mg sodium, 2 tablespoons of Ken's Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame with Ginger and Soy has 450 mg sodium, 2 T's Kraft Organic Vinaigrette has 580 mg sodium, and they don't get much better. Even the lowest calorie dressing, Wish Bone Salad Spritsers Caesar Delight Vinaigrette has 15 calories for 10 sprays and 85 mg of sodium. (It's time to return to homemade oil and vinegar dressing).

And that’s just scratching the surface of the old salt mine. Never mind we’re sucking on the endless sugar teat at the same time. But that’s another post…

The Shocking Truth About Dietary Fats and Saturated Fats

Behavioral stress potentiates the blood pressure effects of a high sodium intake


Effects of low sodium diet versus high sodium diet on blood pressure, renin, aldosterone, catecholamines, cholesterols, and triglyceride

A Randomized Trial Comparing a Very Low Carbohydrate Diet and a Calorie-Restricted Low Fat Diet on Body Weight and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Healthy Women

Good Friday & Links

Good Friday 03 21 2008

I’m busy and preoccupied with Easter preparations (way more fun than tax preparations) so all you’re getting out of me today is some informative links on nutrition and fitness, including a few on Good Friday. Enjoy! Happy Easter!

And remember, don’t drink on Spring Break. Your fat loss will grind to a halt and you’ll turn into an obese under muscled toad overnight! (Must be a full moon).

All About Good Friday

Good Friday Wiki


Cheaters Always Prosper
The OFFICIAL Scivation Guide to Dietary “Cheating”

By: Chuck Rudolph, MEd,RD With Marc Lobliner and Derek Charlebois

Since publishing Game Over—The Final Showtime Cut Diet You’ll Ever Need, we have been bombarded with emails and comments. The one most frequently asked question is how and when it is okay to deviate from the plan. The answer for this is simple…Never! If following the Cut Diet, you should not cheat and if you do cheat, it better not be often. If you do happen to cheat, don’t cry to us that your results aren’t optimal.

The bottom line is that the Cut Diet relies on getting the body primed and in the zone. Cheats throw this off. But what if following more of a lifestyle type Cut Diet where you taper carbs throughout the day or even bulking? These are situations where cheating is acceptable and downright yummy. If you like eating pie and being lean at the same time read on and find out how you can cheat and win!

How much can I cheat?

Let’s set forth some guidelines. While it is okay to have the occasional Thanksgiving-like feast where you eat until your pants don’t fit and your feet are swollen, we do not recommend doing this on a weekly basis. Thus, when following the aforementioned diets, we recommend two to three cheat meals per week with calories at around 150% of your normal meal. Meaning that if a normal meal for you yields 500 calories, you will want the cheat to be around 750 calories. But how do you count cheat calories? You don’t. It is all about moderation and approximating the total. In essence, eat until you are full yet not stuffed.

What can I eat for my cheat meal?

We recommend making healthy choices, but the beauty of a cheat meal is that you can cave in to those cravings! If you feel like a piece of pie, get a nice slice of Pecan Pie. If you feel like cheese, buy some Gouda! Just try to control yourself and not eat the whole pie or an entire cheese wheel. The beauty is that you can kiss those protein to carb to fat ratios goodbye for this meal. Enjoy the freedom! Read more.

Sodium, Your Secret Weapon
by Scot Abel

In ancient times, salt was precious. It was traded as the most valued of all commodities, and having a good supply of salt was as close to life insurance as you could get. Age-old aphorisms like "salt of the earth" and "worth your salt" remind us how important salt has always been.

The answer may surprise you. The anti-sodium campaign actually began as a commercial movement to sell different foods and snacks, under the guise of being healthier. Much like the low-fat movement, manufacturers care more about selling products than they do about scientific accuracy. Read more.

Busting the Great Myths of Fat Burning

Your body burns either fat or carbs depending on the intensity of your activity. But when it comes to losing weight, calories are calories. You burn fat even when you're in couch-potato mode. Yet, a lot of misunderstanding prevails.

Get ready to break down some of the myths people have about burning fat:
Read more.


Fat Roundtable
What's new in fat science?
Refereed by John M. Berardi

During our last roundtable, Cy Willson, Lonnie Lowery, and myself got together to talk protein. There were no holds barred as we threw out our own personal protein theories and suggestions with extreme prejudice. With the theories bouncing around like lotto balls in a billion dollar drawing, we went crazy. Lonnie was screaming about being a real man while whipping out his long, cylindrical? pointer to illustrate his points on the graphs and tables he brought along.

In the meantime, Cy and myself were flipping each other off at each disagreement. All in all we had a real blast while giving you guys some practical suggestions for how to use protein to get bigger.

We had so much fun I couldn't wait to do another roundtable. Only this time we'll talk about fat. Within the last few years there's been a lot of discussion regarding the optimal macronutrient composition of the diet. A wide range of individuals (some of them being very wide themselves) have asked me for advice about what fats to eat and how much.

You see, after the anti-fat surge of the 80s and early 90s, people began to realize that the elimination of dietary fat from our culture was not only nearly impossible, but was downright stupid. Read more.

Marion Nestle’s Sorting out low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate

Several people, among them Kerry Trueman of Eating Liberally, asked my opinion of John Tierney’s column about Gary Taubes’ new book, Good Calories Bad Calories, in today’s New York Times. Taubes’ book arrived while I was in India and I can’t really comment on it until I have had a chance to read it. I gather from Tierney’s piece and Gina Kolata’s review of it on Sunday that it comes down hard on carbohydrates.

I continue to be impressed by how difficult it is to separate the health effects of fat, carbohydrate, and protein from the calories they provide, the foods that contain them, the diets as a whole, or the rest of the lifestyle that goes along with the diet. Finding out what people eat is hard to do. Determining the health effects of dietary factors or patterns is even harder since humans make such awful experimental animals. Plenty of things about human nutrition are reasonably well established–the basic nutrients that are required and the amounts that prevent deficiency diseases, for example. But it is much trickier to figure out the effects of nutrients on chronic diseases that are also affected by activity levels, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and social factors such as poverty, stress, and lack of control. So I can’t help but be skeptical of journalists who think they have answers to questions that scientists have been grappling with for years. Read more.