McDonald's ingredients are notoriously concerning, and dissecting the anatomy of the chain's McRib sandwich is no exception. We're in the midst of McRib hysteria, the fast-food "season" when McDonald's offers the pork-based sandwich for a limited time only. But that seemingly simple sandwich contains much more than pork, condiments, and a bun. "It's basically 500 calories' worth of white flour and factory-farmed, highly processed, and fatty meat that has been flavored, texturized, colored, and preserved with a bunch of both safe and questionable additives," says Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
CSPI recently analyzed the ingredients in the McRib, finding cancer-causing and potentially hormone-disrupting chemicals and excessive salt, among other ills.
Here's what else the nonprofit found:
• In the patty: BHA and propyl gallate
CSPI recommends you avoid BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and propyl gallate. Although the Food and Drug Administration allows BHA in food, the Department of Health and Human Services says it is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen." It's often used with propyl gallate, a potential hormone-disrupting chemical, to prevent fats and oils from going rancid.
• In the sauce: HFCS and questionable colors
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the culprit behind America's sugar overload, excess that's been blamed for heart disease, distressed arteries, and type 2 diabetes. HFCS has also been found to harbor mercury, a dangerous neurotoxin. CSPI says McDonald's caramel coloring in the McRib could be produced with ammonia, in which case it could contain carcinogenic by-products.
• In the bun: Heart-killing trans fats
The white flour bun contains partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cotton oil seed, AKA trans fat. This potent heart disease promoter will soon be banned, but it still lurks in the McRib. Refined flour also acts like added sugar in the body—NOT a good thing.
Read More: 11 Crazy Things Sugar's Doing to Your Body
• In the entire sandwich: Excessive salt Combine the pork, bun, cause, and pickles, and you have an industrial-produced sandwich that contains roughly half of all the sodium you should get in a day. Salt overload leads to high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, and other heart problems. The McRib boasts a whopping 980 milligrams of sodium. Besides that, it contains 10 grams of saturated fat, nearly half of your max level for a whole day. We're not saying you should nix all pork from your diet, but Drew Ramsey, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, suggests sourcing pork that can actually do your body good, not send it into an unhealthy tailspin.
FREE Download: 27 Foods You Should Never Eat
Dr. Ramsey, coauthor of The Happiness Diet, suggests looking for pasture-raised pork from a farmer who raises animals sustainably and without drugs. In general, pasture-raised meats and eggs have an improved fat profile, providing more of the omega-3 fatty acids that improve brain health and your mood. "The issue with the McRib sandwich is it's something designed to make you eat a lot of calories, regardless of nutrient density," he says. "It's sweet, fatty, designed so you barely need to chew it…it's a far cry from a real rib sandwich." To find local farmers who raise the type of pork you'd want to eat, check LocalHarvest.org. For more gross fast food news, read What's Really in That Chicken Nugget? (Hint? Tendons and bone fragments.)
Read More: 11 Crazy Things Sugar's Doing to Your Body
• In the entire sandwich: Excessive salt Combine the pork, bun, cause, and pickles, and you have an industrial-produced sandwich that contains roughly half of all the sodium you should get in a day. Salt overload leads to high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, and other heart problems. The McRib boasts a whopping 980 milligrams of sodium. Besides that, it contains 10 grams of saturated fat, nearly half of your max level for a whole day. We're not saying you should nix all pork from your diet, but Drew Ramsey, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, suggests sourcing pork that can actually do your body good, not send it into an unhealthy tailspin.
FREE Download: 27 Foods You Should Never Eat
Dr. Ramsey, coauthor of The Happiness Diet, suggests looking for pasture-raised pork from a farmer who raises animals sustainably and without drugs. In general, pasture-raised meats and eggs have an improved fat profile, providing more of the omega-3 fatty acids that improve brain health and your mood. "The issue with the McRib sandwich is it's something designed to make you eat a lot of calories, regardless of nutrient density," he says. "It's sweet, fatty, designed so you barely need to chew it…it's a far cry from a real rib sandwich." To find local farmers who raise the type of pork you'd want to eat, check LocalHarvest.org. For more gross fast food news, read What's Really in That Chicken Nugget? (Hint? Tendons and bone fragments.)