A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

So I am not a huge calorie counter, or even someone who really watches too much what I eat. I am very thankful that Jessi takes care of 95% of that for me by shopping and getting foods that would benefit me more than others. If I were the one who did the shopping I would probably not get too far past the Hostess isle where I would be able to justify the raspberry filling in the powdered donut as a “fruit serving.” And the shredded coconut on the other ones has got to account for something…right? I do have a sweet tooth, and I LOVE Costco cake. I am not too sure what food group that falls into but I know there is a milk product in there and some fruit as well. And all those chemicals…come on, those are scientifically created. That is NASA stuff. Hi Tech means "good stuff" in the triathlon world.
So Kathy W. gave me a book called, “Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter.” It’s a great reference book to all kinds of foods. But more specifically, they have a big section in the back that has all the common restaurants, ice cream shops, and of course coffee houses. Once in particular, Starbucks. I have been known to go to Starbucks from time to time, but I am not what some would call a ‘regular,” or “addict.” But I thought I would take a peek at what one of my favorite treats had to offer. That being the infamous Pumpkin Scone. That innocent scone with a gourd for its name hiding under a silky layer of frosting. Yes, you know the one. It’s normally not available after 8:00am because of its popularity.

So what is the verdict? The Pumpkin Scone weighs in at a hefty (good word huh) 510 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 71 grams of carbohydrates. Now, I have to honest and say that these numbers really don’t mean too much to a guy that does not count calories. So I thought I would compare it to some items that would “outweigh” the delicate and delicious Pumpkin Scone.

Take for instance the Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonalds. That has got to be a killer. That grease bomb has 510 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 40 grams of carbohydrates. Pick up your jaw please. Yes, it’s true. I might as well go to McDonalds and get a Quarter Pounder with cheese if I get the Starbucks Pumpkin Scone in terms of base nutritional value. If you sat those two side by side, I would suspect that over 90% of people would think that the Quarter Pounder with cheese would be substantially worse for you. I am not too sure if I want people to se my car I the McDonald’s drive thru getting a coffee and Quarter Pounder each morning…but I might as well.

And those deep fried Chicken McNuggets that we all used to eat, but would not touch now because of how bad they ‘must be’ for us? A 6 piece meal has 250 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 15 grams of carbohydrates. That is practically a Weight Watchers Meal! Granted, if you want the sauce, that’s another 50 cals per container. Pretty disheartening really. I will stop now and simply provide a comparison chart to my once loved, wolf in sheep’s clothing, Pumpkin Scone.

Item_______________________Calories___Fat____Carbs
Starbucks Pumpkin Scone______510____ 22 ____71
McD Quarter Pounder w/Cheese_____510_____26_____40
6pc Chicken McNuggets___________250_____15______15
10pc Chicken McNuggets__________420_____25______26
Big Mac______________________540_____29______45
McD Hot Fudge Sundae___________330_____10______54
12oz Oreo McFlurry_____________560______16______88
Quizno’s Steakhouse Sub (6”)_______510______21______52