High-calorie foods are a no-no for most riskfactorphobes, but as diet experts are constantly reminding us, drinks contain calories too. And, it appears, lots and lots of calories, especially if they are American milkshakes. Men’s Health magazine (US) has just published its own highly valuable research on the top 20 worst drinks in America – so if you live in the US or are planning to visit, here are the top three beverages to avoid like the plague:
1. The Cold Stone PB&C milkshake. Contains a whopping 2,010 calories (that’s more than a woman’s entire daily calorie requirement), 68g of saturated fat (hear those arteries scream!) and 153g of sugar (work it out: 5g equals one teaspoon). The Men’s Health team has kindly estimated that this is the equivalent of eating 68 strips of bacon or 30 chocolate chip cookies.
2. Taking second place is Smoothie King’s 1,498-calorie Peanut Power Plus Grape, which, says Men’s Health, has the same amount of sugar as 20 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (if you’ve never had one, they’re delish – little chocolate cups with peanut butter, yum… but try to eat 20 of them and keep them all down, it’s not advisable).
3. Next up is McDonald’s large Triple Thick Chocolate Shake with a disappointing 1,160 calories (which I’m reliably informed is the equivalent of 13 McDonald’s hot apple pies – yes, 13!). Makes just the one McDonald’s hot apple pie seem positively saintly.
Whatever happened to a glass of skimmed milk with a teaspoon of strawberry-flavour Nesquick, I wonder? Has the milkshake world taken leave of its senses?