You'd never walk into a restaurant and order 88 grams of fat. Unless it's under the guise of a bacon cheddar double and a big apple shake at a burger joint.
Now the Center for Science in the Public Interest has released it's latest list of what it sees as the unhealthiest restaurant meals.
Order either the bistro shrimp pasta or the crispy chicken costoletta at the Cheesecake Factory and you'll get calories than you'd need in an entire day, plus 4 and half days worth of saturated fat.
That gut-busting news is from Michael Jacobson and his team at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The CSPI is handing out its annual Xtreme Eating Awards to chain restaurants, based on calorie, sodium and fat content data from each restaurant.
The point is to try to shock people into seeing what goes into their mouths.
"We try to take Americans by the lapels and shake them and say, you know, be careful.. if you want to eat these meals, fine, but you should know what you're getting" Jacobson said.
You'll get more than 6-thousand milligrams of salt -- a four-day supply -- when you order the full rack of baby back ribs at Chili's. The dish comes with homestyle fries and cinnamon apples.
Dietitians say there are ways to eat out and avoid gastronomic gluttony.
Lisa Cimperman, RD from the UH Case Medical Center says, "Instead of starting your meal with a bread basket or fatty appetizer, choose a broth-based soup or even hot tea."
Some studies show people who start their meals with a warm liquid consumer fewer calories.
In a statement -- the National Restaurant Association said it's committed to taking a proactive role in helping the restaurant industry address food and healthy living, including obesity.
Even the Cheesecake Factory offers what it calls a "skinny-licious" menu.
The trick is resisting its namesake.
The National Restaurant Association was also in favor of a nutrition standard that will soon require thousands of chain restaurants nationwide to provide nutrition information at the point of purchase.
You can find more "winners" of the Xtreme Eating Awards at the CSPI website.
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