http://www.google.com/notebook/feeds/06489183147668501159/notebooks/BDRgMSwoQr9uU5LQh/NDQGGDQoQ6KLy6OIj2008-12-12T21:31:33.608Z2009-01-06T21:19:16.014Z<h1>The High Price of Cheap Eats </h1> <div> <div> <div> <ul></ul> <div><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&amp;page=www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/health&amp;pos=Frame4A&amp;sn2=18af8609/8623460a&amp;sn1=f03f638c/fe4da092&amp;camp=foxsearch2008_emailtools_810910d_nyt5&amp;ad=slumdog_d_88x31_11-12&amp;goto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efoxsearchlight%2Ecom%2Fslumdogmillionaire"> <img style="width:0px;height:0px" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/adx/images/ADS/18/63/ad.186336/sdm_aw_88x31_np.gif" height="31" width="88"> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>By RONI CARYN RABIN</div> <div>Published: December 11, 2008 </div> <div> <p>Dollar “value meals” at fast food restaurants may not be such a bargain when you look at the potential health costs.</p> <p>Many of these low-cost menu items are packed with fat, salt, <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/cholesterol/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Cholesterol.">cholesterol</a> and processed meat, notes The <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cancer/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Cancer.">Cancer</a> Project, a nonprofit cancer prevention organization. The group has produced a list of what it says are the five unhealthiest items sold at the nation’s largest fast food chains. </p><p>The organization’s dieticians reviewed so-called value menus at five of the largest fast food chains in the nation, awarding points for such unhealthy characteristics as sodium, fat and low-<a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/fiber/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Fiber.">fiber</a> content. Jack in the Box’s junior bacon cheeseburger topped the list as the worst offender. The burger costs just one dollar but is packed with 23 grams of fat, including 8 grams of <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/fat/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Fat.">saturated fat</a>, 55 milligrams of cholesterol and 860 milligrams of sodium and just one gram of fiber.</p><p>The Cancer Project is affiliated with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which aggressively promotes a low-fat, <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/v/vegetarianism/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="More articles about vegetarianism.">vegetarian</a> <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/food-guide-pyramid/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Diet and Nutrition.">diet</a>. The organization’s list was spurred in part by a concern that during tough economic times, more people will resort to eating inexpensive <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/fast-foods/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Fast foods.">fast foods</a>, said Krista Haynes, a dietitian with the project. </p><p>A spokeswoman for Jack in the Box said that the junior bacon cheeseburger is a “great value” but that diners may also choose from healthier options, like salads and a fruit cup. They’re more expensive, however: an entrée salad with grilled chicken strips is $4.99, and a fruit cup is $2.29.</p><p>“Our guests can also customize their order, so if you’re dining on a budget you have a lot of choices at Jack in the Box,” said Kathleen Anthony, media relations manager at Jack in the Box.</p><p>The other four menu items on the cancer group’s list were:</p><p>* In second-worst place, the 89-cent Taco Bell cheesy double beef burrito, with 460 <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/diet-calories/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Diet - calories.">calories</a>, 20 grams of fat and a whopping 1,620 milligrams of sodium.</p><p>* In third-worst place was the one-dollar Burger King breakfast sausage biscuit, with 27 grams of fat, including 15 grams of saturated fat and over 1,000 milligrams of sodium.</p><p>* Fourth worst went to the one-dollar McDonald’s McDouble, which contains 19 grams of fat and 65 milligrams of cholesterol.</p><p>* Last, and least-worst, was the Wendy’s junior bacon cheeseburger, for $1.53, with 310 calories and 16 grams of fat.</p><p>Being overweight can increase the risk for <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/diabetes/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Diabetes.">diabetes</a> and heart disease, and the <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/a/american_cancer_society/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about American Cancer Society">American Cancer Society</a> recommends limiting high-fat foods, which are associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.</p><p>But Alice H. Lichtenstein, director of the cardiovascular nutrition laboratory at <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/t/tufts_university/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about Tufts University">Tufts University</a> in Boston, questioned whether the declining economy would have much effect on people’s eating habits.</p><p>“It would be nice if they decided it was better for their budget to start preparing food at home more often,&quot; she said.</p></div>djchuang