And yet, if you peruse the nutritional listings of America's favorite fast food restaurants, quite a different picture of the egg emerges -- and it's anything but simple.
I took a look at the publishedingredientlists for six fast food mainstays that sell breakfast: McDonald's, Burger King, Chik-fil-A, Subway, Dunkin' Donuts, and Hardee's. I wanted to know just one thing: what's in their eggs?
I found several interesting ingredients, and one big surprise (at least it was surprising to me). I fully expected that McDonald's or Burger King would take the prize for the most unrecognizable ingredients, but neither one stacks up to the egg manipulation of Subway. McDonald's still takes second prize, but as you'll see, it's the "Eat Fresh" folks whose list is easily the most baffling.
On the other end of the spectrum, Hardee's, Burger King and Dunkin' Donuts all come out looking decent withrelativelyshort lists of ingredients. For the most part, they stick to nature's simple delight.Chik-fil-A sits in the middle of the pack with ordinaryanddubious ingredients.
What's most intriguing is the comparison between lists. For example, Hardee's sells its customers eggs with only one preservative added, while Subway sells aconcoctionthat includes eggs and "premium egg blend" containing at least ten preservatives and additives nowhere to be found on most of the other lists.
Let me stress that this information has been published by the companies and is there for all to see; just follow the links (you'll not find any secret formulas ahead). The ingredientexplanations below the lists were added by me and not included in the published list.
1.Subway
EggOmeletPatty (Regular): Whole eggs, egg whites, water, nonfat dry milk, premium egg blend (isolated pea product, salt, citric acid, dextrose, guar gum, xanthan gum, extractive of spice, propylene glycol and not more than 2% calcium silicate and glycerin to prevent caking), soybean oil, butter alternative (liquid and hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavors, beta carotene (color), TBHQ and citric acid added to protect flavor, dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent added), salt, beta-carotene (color).
A few words on the ingredients:
Propylene glycol, a solvent for food colors and flavorings, is also used in anti-freeze, to lubricate air-conditioner compressors, and in deodorant sticks.
Isolated pea product is a protein additive often used as a substitute for animal-derived protein.
Guar gum is a thickening agent.
Xanthan Gum is used to prevent oil separation.
Glycerin is a solvent that is found in soap, moisturizers and some brands of shaving cream.
TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) is used to preserve vegetable oils against oxidation, and can also be found in varnishes,lacquers, and perfumes.
dImethylpolysiloxane is a type of silicone used to prevent cooking oil from foaming after repeated uses. It’s also found in Silly Putty and many lubricants.
Calcium silicate is used to prevent caking and is also a popular antacid. In addition, it's a sealant used on roads, roofs and concrete.
Pasteurized whole eggs with sodium phosphate (preservative), citric acid and monosodium phosphate (added to preserve color), nisin preparation (preservative). Prepared with liquid margarine: Liquid soybean oil and hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, salt, soy lecithin, mono-and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color).
A few words on the ingredients:
Mono and diglycerides are used to blend substances together that would otherwise not blend well (oil and water, for instance).
Potassium sorbate is a preservative that inhibits the growth of molds and yeasts. It's also used in personal care products as a replacement for the controversial chemical, paraben.
Cottonseed oil, when fully hydrogenated, is 94% saturated fat.
3. Chik-fil-A
Whole egg, citric acid, butter oil (soybean oil, palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavor, TBHQ and citric acid added as preservatives, and artificial color).
A few words on the ingredients:
Palm kernel oil is roughly 50% saturated fat.
TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone)is explained in theSubwaysection above.
Whole Eggs, whole milk, soy oil, water, modified foodstarch, salt, xanthan gum, white pepper, citric acid.
Whole eggs, skim milk (water, nonfat dry milk) vegetable oil (soy and/or corn oil), salt, xanthan gum, natural egg flavor, natural butter flavor.
6.Hardee's
Whole eggs, citric acid, 0.15% water added as carrier for citric acid (Citric acid added to preserve color).
Certainly! Let's break down the concepts mentioned in the article about the ingredients in fast food restaurant eggs:
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Ingredient Analysis:
- Subway's Egg Omelet Patty: This contains a mixture of whole eggs, egg whites, water, nonfat dry milk, and a "premium egg blend" which includes isolated pea product, salt, citric acid, dextrose, guar gum, xanthan gum, spice extract, propylene glycol, calcium silicate, glycerin, soybean oil, and other additives. The breakdown of these ingredients includes explanations of their uses, such as preservatives, thickeners, and colors.
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McDonald's Eggs: Their eggs are prepared with liquid margarine consisting of soybean oil, hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, along with various preservatives like sodium phosphate, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and additives like mono-and diglycerides, artificial flavors, citric acid, and colorants. Details about these ingredients, including their purposes and potential effects, are provided.
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Chick-fil-A Eggs: They contain whole egg, citric acid, butter oil (composed of soybean oil, palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavors, TBHQ, and artificial color). This list includes details about the saturated fat content of palm kernel oil and an explanation of TBHQ.
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Dunkin' Donuts Eggs: Comprised of whole eggs, whole milk, soy oil, modified food starch, salt, xanthan gum, white pepper, and citric acid. It has a shorter list of ingredients with explanations about xanthan gum and modified food starch.
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Burger King's Eggs: Their eggs contain whole eggs, skim milk, vegetable oil (soy and/or corn oil), salt, xanthan gum, natural egg flavor, and natural butter flavor. The list is shorter and includes explanations about xanthan gum and natural flavors.
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Hardee's Eggs: These consist of whole eggs with citric acid and added water to preserve color. The simplicity of the ingredient list is highlighted, along with the use of citric acid for color preservation.
The article emphasizes the differences in ingredient complexity across various fast food chains and the presence of preservatives, artificial flavors, and additives in some compared to others. It draws attention to specific additives like TBHQ, calcium silicate, glycerin, and their varied uses, including preservation, color enhancement, and texture modification. Additionally, it provides insights into the nutritional aspects such as saturated fat content in certain oils used.
Each analysis within the article provides a detailed breakdown of ingredients, highlighting their functions and potential implications, allowing consumers to make more informed choices about the food they consume from these fast food establishments.
