What's Really Inside McDonald's Chicken McNuggets?
ABSTRACT
Are McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets truly made from real chicken, or do hidden additives like TBHQ, MSG, and dimethylpolysiloxane raise serious health concerns? Discover the startling truth about fast food nutrition, how these ingredients can undermine weight loss goals, and why your Denver personal trainer would instead steer clear. Learn what’s really in that “white boneless chicken” and get the facts on McNuggets to make healthier choices on your next fast food run.
Keywords
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets
McNuggets real chicken
Fast food nutrition
Chicken nugget ingredients
Hydrogenated soybean oil
MSG in chicken nuggets
TBHQ in fast food
Dimethylpolysiloxane
Denver personal trainer advice
Fast food health concerns
McDonald’s nutrition facts
White boneless chicken
Autolyzed yeast extract
Sodium aluminum phosphate
Weight loss and fast food
McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets / Photo: Jorge Medina
Introduction
Are McDonald's Chicken McNuggets the real chicken that they claim? You may be suspicious, but you probably don't know the actual makeup of this cheap go-to. Without a doubt, you may want to rethink chicken as the health alternative on your next fast food trip (especially if you're trying to lose weight). Your Denver personal trainer will thank you. Check out this recent article from www.livestrong.com to learn the real truth.
OVERVIEW
McDonald's started out as a beefy burger joint back in 1948, but the world-famous fast-food chain has been offering another high-protein meat – chicken – since the specially molded McNugget made its debut in 1983.
Perhaps now as iconic as the Big Mac or Quarter Pounder, these tiny deep-fried chunks seem harmless on the surface. And over the years, McDonald's has added dipping sauces that make these bite-sized bits appealing to the taste of just about anyone – adults and kids alike.
White meat from poultry has less saturated fat than red meat. While that might appear to be a healthy advantage, the other ingredients McDonald's adds make its nutritional value questionable. If you're not too squeamish or too chicken to hear all the details, read on to get some nuggets of truth about these little golden treats.THE SUSPECT: MCDONALD'S MCNUGGETS (6-PIECE SERVING SIZE, 3.4 OZ)
THE DETECTIVE
Christopher Ochner, Ph.D.,a research associate at New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center. Ochner is very familiar with McDonald's menu. A few years ago, he conducted his own “Super Size Me”-type diet experiment: Every day for two months he ate one meal at the fast food restaurant as part of a study.
NUTRITION LABEL
Without sauce: 280 calories, 18 grams fat, 18 grams carbs, 13 grams protein, 0 grams sugar, 540 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
With barbeque sauce: 330 calories, 18 grams fat, 29 grams carbs, 13 grams protein, 10 grams sugar, 800 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
LISTED INGREDIENTS
Chicken McNuggets: White Boneless Chicken, Water, Vegetable Oil (canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil), Enriched Flour (bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Bleached Wheat Flour, Yellow Corn Flour, Vegetable Starch (modified Corn, Wheat, Rice, Pea, Corn), Salt, Leavening (baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Calcium Lactate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Spices, Yeast Extract, Lemon Juice Solids, Dextrose, Natural Flavors.
*Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil with TBHQ and Citric Acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.
Tangy Barbeque Sauce: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Tomato Paste, Red Wine Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Contains 2% Or Less: Modified Food Starch, Spices, Soy Sauce (water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Soybean Oil, Dextrose, Xanthan Gum, Natural Smoke Flavor, Garlic Powder, Cellulose Gum, Chili Peppers, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Onion Powder, Sherry Wine Powder, Natural Flavors. Contains: Wheat, Soy.1st Question: HOW MUCH ACTUAL CHICKEN IS IN MCDONALD'S MCNUGGETS?
It's always good to see the actual food listed as the first ingredient —white boneless chicken.
“The first item on the nutrition label means the food contains more of that one item than any other single ingredient,” said Ochner. So while McNuggets are "made with 100 percent USDA Grade A chicken," as McDonalds.com states (note it says “made with” not “made of,” Ochner pointed out), there's no way of knowing what percentage of the whole nugget is actually chicken.
“White boneless chicken is almost a pure protein, boasting a phenomenal 0.2 protein (grams): kcal ratio with less than 20 percent fat,” explained Ochner. “McNuggets, on the other hand, have a very mediocre 0.046 protein:kcal ratio with 57 percent of kcal from fat. This seems to suggest that the other ingredients, besides chicken, are the primary driver of the macro-nutrient profile,” he said.
With over 30 ingredients listed, it's easy to see how chicken may actually play a minor role in this dish. It may also explain why the chicken seemed to disappear in an alarming YouTube time-lapse video shot in March 2013, showing McNuggets left at room temperature over a two-day period.
When Ochner performed this experiment himself (he left them in the fridge for 10 days), the so-called chicken in the McNuggets pieces remained intact. This disturbing mystery remains unsolved.2nd Question: DID YOU KNOW THAT MCNUGGETS ARE 57 PERCENT FAT?
Holy cow, er, chicken: McNuggets are 57 percent fat!
One big fat contributor may be hydrogenated soybean oil, which is loaded with trans fats. “I don’t suspect there is a ton of it in there because the saturated fat is relatively low,” Ocher said. “However, some of it is almost certainly still partially hydrogenated, which also helps with preservation.”3rd Question: WHAT THE HECK IS TBHQ (TERTIARY BUTYLHYDROQUINONE) AND WHY IS IT IN MCNUGGETS?
You might recognize this hard-to-pronounce ingredient (hence the acronym) from our “What's Really Inside those McDonald's French Fries” exposé.
This powerful petroleum-based preservative (which is also found in varnishes, lacquers, pesticide products, cosmetics, and perfumes) may be used to help the chicken and other ingredients maintain their distinct shapes.
Eaten in high doses – and it's hard to determine exactly how much is added to McNuggets – this chemical can be toxic.
Possible side effects include nausea, delirium, collapse, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and vomiting. Some studies have linked it to hyperactivity in kids, asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis, aggravated ADHD symptoms and restlessness.
Furthermore, animal studies have reported that it may cause DNA damage. This mounting scientific evidence was enough that McDonald’s entirely removed this bad-news ingredient from the version of their McNuggets sold in the United Kingdom.
Oh America, can we please take a cue from the British on this one with regard to concern for our citizens’ health?A thought: THE BRITISH WON'T STAND FOR DIMETHYLPOLYSILOXANE, BUT AMERICANS EAT IT IN THEIR MCNUGGETS
Here's another ingredient the British won't stand for in their McNuggets: Dimethylpolysiloxane. But Americans are still eating it.
This silicone-based anti-foaming agent has been removed from the United Kingdom's McNugget ingredient list – and with good reason.
While McDonalds.com admits that “a drop of an additive in vegetable oil is added to simply prevent foaming on the surface that naturally occurs in cooking,” what it isn't telling you is that this same chemical is found in silly putty, contact lenses, medical devices, shampoos, lubricating oils, heat-resistant tiles and breast implants.
“No studies have suggested any toxic effects,” Ochner said, “but it's definitely gross to think about.”AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, A.K.A. MSG IN YOUR MCNUGGETS
This sneaky ingredient -- Autolyzed Yeast Extract in the McNuggets' seasoning -- contains monosodium glutamate (also known as MSG) which allows McDonald's to create the illusion that you're getting more protein with each bite than you actually are.
This cheap, flavor-enhancing filler is FDA-approved (even though approximately 15 percent of Americans have MSG sensitivity and suffer from headaches, nausea, and heart palpitations when they consume it).
That said, even if you’re not one of the people affected with MSG sensitivity, including MSG in the McNuggets recipe is still a devious way of cheating you the consumer out of real chicken (seriously, how much poultry is in those things?!), cutting corners on costs and avoiding listing the word “MSG” on the label.THOSE MCNUGGETS CONTAIN SODIUM ALUMINUM PHOSPHATE TOO
Key word here is “aluminum.” You know, the silvery metallic element you use to line your oven rack before baking or roasting?
Ochner explained that this ingredient is synthetically produced from aluminum as well as phosphoric acid and sodium hydroxide.
While this all sounds highly unappetizing, its function isn't to entice you but rather to act as a leavening agent that's often used in flour mixes, like the breaded part of the McNugget.
In terms of its safety, the FDA allows a daily aluminum intake that ranges from 10 to 100 mg, so as long as McDonald's stays within that range, it's within the legally acceptable limit.THE FINAL VERDICT ON MCDONALD'S CHICKEN MCNUGGETS
McNuggets are McNasty.
THE SENTENCE: Though they're supposedly made of good-for-you lean white meat chicken, McDonald's McNuggets are far from healthy and nutritious. So, if your options are all about deciding whether to nosh on a McNugget or not, your best bet is to fly the coop.
Picture Credit: www.livestrong.org - Are McDonald's Chicken McNuggets really what they seem?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
