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CNN Live Today

McDonald's to Use Healthier Oil for Fries

Aired September 03, 2002 - 12:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: If you have McDonald's on the brain for lunch today, you'd better listen up. The fast-food giant says it's come up with a new cooking oil for its famous french fries.
Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here to tell us what this means and can we eat them now without that guilty feeling.

ELIZABETH COHEN, MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That is what everyone wants to know. Have fries become a health food? The quick answer to that is no. Sorry -- I know that is disappointing. I did bring some here just in case you were hungry; you might want to have some later.

PHILLIPS: You know I can't lie. They're so cold. They're what, five hours old?

COHEN: Yes, they're five hours old. We've been using these for a while.

PHILLIPS: But if you heat them up, I bet they'd be pretty good.

COHEN: That's if we had a microwave. Yes, maybe that will work.

Let's talk a little bit about what McDonald's is going to -- going to -- I was going to say what McDonald's was going to McDo, but what McDonald's is going to do. You can see those are fries frying now. What they are going to do is they are going to take the oil that they fry these fries in, as well as their nuggets and other products like that, and take out some of the bad fat -- not all of it. The bad fat is the kind that clogs your arteries. What they are going to do is they are going to increase the amount of good fat. Good fat will still make you fat, but it doesn't clog your arteries.

So let's take a look: The old fries have 9 grams of artery clogging fat; the new fries -- the ones that go on sale starting next month -- will have 6 grams of artery clogging fat. That is a big difference: That is down by 1/3.

But nutritionists have said to me today, You know what, let's put this in perspective: The maximum amount that you are supposed to have per day of artery clogging fat is 20 grams. So one large fries gives you about 1/3 of the amount of artery clogging fat you are supposed to have in an entire day. Now, when you consider that with those fries you are probably going to have a hamburger, and let's say you had bacon for breakfast and let's say you are having a steak for dinner; you have probably put yourself over the limit of the amount of artery clogging fat. So 1/3 of the amount of artery clogging fat that you are supposed to have in a day is in this one little side item. So nutritionists have said to me, Let us remember this is a good thing -- it's a good thing that they took some of bad fat out of these, but these are not a health food; you are not going to lose weight eating fries. Five hundred forty calories in one large fry. And that doesn't change just because they change the oil -- still the same number of calories, 540 in one thing of large fries.

PHILLIPS: Wow!

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: So you were talking about what nutritionists had to say, and I was reading that McDonald's chief nutritionist said, "A majority of nutrition professionals have maintained that McDonald's food can be part of a healthy diet based on the sound nutrition principles of balance, variety and moderation."

OK, what does that mean? Does that mean we can have this every day and remain on a healthy diet?

COHEN: It depends what else you have every day.

PHILLIPS: Like you said, no steak, no bacon and a McDonald's hamburger and fries.

COHEN: That's depends. If you are watching the amount of artery clogging fat that you want to get, then you need to look at what else you east. Anything can be part of a healthy diet. Foods are not poison. You can eat anything and make it part of a healthy diet. It depends what else you do. If you have McDonald's -- a large fries and a hamburger and a shake -- for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you are probably going to go way over the amount of fat and calories that you are supposed to have in a day. So does this fit in into a health diet? Of course, but it is still very high in calories and still, even with the change, has quite a bit of artery clogging fat.

PHILLIPS: So when you come back, we'll talk about these new cooking oils that they are using.

COHEN: Right.

PHILLIPS: I want to know if I can get my hands on them.

COHEN: That's right. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) go to the store and get them, in a different form -- but yes, you could get them

PHILLIPS: All right, very good. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.

COHEN: OK, thanks.

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