Daily Cyn

The McRib is Back....
Click here for the McDonald's Video........

Yes, folks, that delicious, spicy, saucy "pork" sandwich has returned for a limited time. People are racing to McDonalds right now to enjoy them.

I must confess, when the McRib sandwich was first introduced back in the early 1980's, I loved it! I couldn't believe how tasty a sandwich could be. I couldn't get enough! Several times a week I was at McDonalds, ordering my sandwich, french fries and a Diet Coke to go! That was long before I knew anything about the dangers of fast food. It was before I was responsible to love and nourish my own child or cook for a husband. It was before college, research, illness, weight gain and weight loss. It was long before I knew anything about REAL food!

The McRib: a barbequed boneless pork rib sandwich. Now I happen to be a vegetarian, but I do remember what ribs taste like. My family is from the South. We invented BBQ and this sandwich, although quite tasty, is not it!

So...what is it then?

A little nutritional info first...........
490 calories, 220 calories from fat, 25 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 1040 mb sodium, 44 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 24 g protein, 11 g sugars.

If all you are going to eat is the sandwich (no fries, no chocolate milkshake, nix the hot apple pie for dessert) the calorie content is not so terrible. Half the calories are pure fat, however, and that much sodium in any meal scares the heck out of me.........

What's actually is in this sandwich that makes it taste so good?
McRib Ingredients

McRib Patty: Boneless pork (Pork, water, salt, dextrose, citric acid, BHA, TBHQ).
McRib Bun: Flour (wheat flour bleached and enriched with thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron, folic acid, malted barley flour), water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, cottonseed oil). Contains 2 percent or less of dextrose, fumaric acid, calcium sulphate, salt, acetic acid, soy flour, monocalcium phosphate, ammonium sulphate, cornstarch, fungal protease, natural culture, ammonium chloride, ascorbic acid, azodicarbomide, mono- and diglycerides, propionic acid, phosphoric acid, corn flour, calcium peroxide, calcium propionate, dicetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides.
McRib Sauce: Water, high fructose corn syrup, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, molasses, natural smoke flavor, modified food starch, salt, sugar, soybean oil, spices, onion*, mustard flour, garlic *, xanthan gum, caramel color, sodium benzoate (preservative), natural flavor (vegetable source), corn oil. *Dehydrated
Pickle Slices
Cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, alum, natural flavorings (vegetable source), polysorbate 80, turmeric (color).
Slivered Onions
Allergens: Wheat, Soybean Food Sensitivities: Gluten

Ok. Unless we are completely ignorant, we already know this sandwich is mostly made up of artificial flavors, preservatives, additives, sugar and salt. One of the ingredients really spurred my curiousity- Fungal Protease. I had to know what it was, so I looked it up. What is it? Fungal Protease is a digestive enzyme. It is an additive to help you actually process and digest what you are eating. Why on earth would McDonalds need to add a digestive aid? Why do you think?

Still tempted? If you absolutely cannot resist, here is a suggestion. Go ahead and order it. Avoid the salty, greasy fries, chocolate shake, and hot apple pie. Order the sandwich, remove it from the bun ( feed it to the birds in your yard later), and put the McRib on top of a McDonald's tossed side salad. You probably won't even need dressing if you eat it this way. You will avoid all those carbs in the huge white flour roll it is served on. Later on this weekend, you can enjoy a nice slice of delicious home-made apple pie without guilt!

The McRib- Revealed..........