Nutrition Take Out Series – Pizza, Burgers and Chinese Takeaways

• Project start date: 1 December 2010
• Project status: Completed
• Project type: Nutrition
• Discipline: Food reviews
• Principal researcher/s: Dr Fidelma Kirwan, Eolas International Research Ltd., Co. Cork
• Collaborator/s: Food Analytical Laboratories, Oxford Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast

Research objective

To provide a snapshot of the nutritional composition of

• a sample of Chinese meals purchased from a selection of Chinese takeaway outlets, and Chinese restaurants with a takeaway service on the IOI.
• a sample of cooked burgers purchased from a selection of takeaway outlets and takeaway vans on the IOI.
• a sample of cooked pizzas purchased across the island from a selection of fast food outlets and restaurants.

Research report

• Title: Nutrition takeout series reports
• Publication date: 5 October 2012
• Summary: Demand for takeaway foods has been primarily driven by current social and economic trends such as the increase in the number of women in the work place, the move away from the traditional evening meal and a rise in disposable income levels. In order to provide up-to-date information on the nutrient content and for the specific purposes of this study, beef burgers, pizza and Chinese food (from a selection of catering outlets) was collected on a phased basis and the nutritional composition determined.
• Findings:

  Chinese takeaway

  • A typical Chinese takeaway, consisting of a portion of vegetable spring rolls and sweet and sour chicken with egg fried rice, provides approximately 2,184 calories, 74 grams of total fat, 14 grams of saturated fat and 10 grams of salt.
  • Portion sizes varied considerably and were large. Five-fold differences were found among portions of prawn crackers. Main course portion sizes were found to be enough for two people with the average portion of beef curry exceeding the Food Standards Agency’s recommended average portion size by 195 grams. The average portion of boiled (323 grams) and egg fried rice (359 grams) was enough for two.
  • A portion of prawn crackers contained on average 608 kcals and 39 grams of total fat. A portion of vegetable spring rolls had the lowest amount of calories, total fat and saturated fat when compared to the other starters.
  • With an average of 1,106 calories and 41 grams per portion, sweet and sour chicken had the highest energy and total fat content respectively, while a beef curry had the highest saturated fat and salt content with 10 grams and 7 grams per portion respectively.
  • A portion of egg fried rice contained on average 727 calories, 14 grams of total fat and 3 grams of saturated fat. Boiled rice provides 160 less calories, 12 less grams of total fat and 2.5 less grams of saturated fat per portion making it the healthier option.
  • This survey found that Chinese takeaways are a major source of salt. Each starter type had on average 2 grams of salt per portion. Average portions of beef curry and king prawn satay both contained over 100 per cent of the adult GDA for salt. The average portion of egg fried rice was found contain 4 grams of salt while boiled rice had negligible salt values.

  Burgers

  • An average Quarter Pounder, without any toppings or side orders, was found to provide approximately 622 kcals per burger (31% of the adult GDA) and 25.7 grams of total fat per burger (37% of the adult GDA). At 27.4 grams per burger, it was also found to provide over half the adult GDA for protein.
  • The addition of toppings, side dishes or a soft drink could potentially provide up to 100% of an adult or child’s GDA for all nutrients assessed. For example, an adult ordering a Quarter Pounder with all the trimmings (Bacon and Cheese topping), a portion of chips and a medium soft drink would be consuming, in one sitting, approximately 1,480kcals, contributing to over two-thirds of the adult GDA for energy (kcals) without accounting for other food consumed during the day.
  • Almost 50% of takeaway outlets offer a variety of children’s options, however, an average Kids’ burger does not necessarily mean a smaller burger. Across the burgers surveyed, both the average Kids’ burger and the average Regular burger weighed approximately 4 oz. One in three burgers sold as Kids’ burgers were found to be larger than the average Regular burger.

  Pizza

  • The ‘average’ pizza was found to contain more than the GDA for most of the nutrients examined.
  • Deep base Pepperoni pizzas were shown to be the least healthy, whereas thin base Cheese and Tomato pizzas were found to be the healthiest option when choosing a pizza.
  • Overall, there was limited availability of ‘healthy eating options’ across pizza outlets, with only 10 per cent of those included in this research providing such options.
  • Thin and deep base pizzas differ significantly from each other. Deep base pizzas were found to be generally less healthy, with higher levels of energy and salt levels per pizza.
  • In general, pizzas from take away outlets were higher in energy and nutrient values compared to the equivalent shop bought frozen pizzas.

  Recommendations

  Key messages for consumers

  • Take away chinese food, burgers and pizzas are high in fat and salt compared to many products prepared at home. Consider them  as ‘occasional foods’ (e.g. once a week or less often) but be discerning in your purchases.
  • Dishes labelled deep fried, pan fried, battered, breaded or crispy should be avoided as these are very high in calories, total and saturated fat and salt.
  • Choose boiled rice over egg fried rice, and share.
  • Order items with more vegetables without sauce and where possible, choose leaner meats.
  • Minimise intake of sauces as these are usually high in calories, fat and salt.
  • Drink water with takeaway meals – soft drinks are a considerable source of hidden calories and if consumed with takeaway meals may push a consumer towards or above their GDA calorie intake.

  Key messages for the catering industry

  • Provide calories on menus.
  • Offer smaller portions and indicate which serving sizes are suitable for sharing.
  • Offer sauces ‘on the side’ and allow consumers to add as little or as much as they want themselves at home.
  • Offer alternatives to deep fried and battered dishes.
  • Offer meals with more vegetables.
  • Consider developing healthier menu options lower in salt, fat and calories.
  • Give customers a wider range of low-fat options and provide healthier burger options, such as novelty burgers (e.g. chickpea or chicken burger with salad topping). They should also provide and promote healthier side portions.
  • Provide and promote healthy eating options e.g. smaller burgers, chicken or turkey burgers,  low-fat cheese  on pizzas and burgers.
  • Provide children’s options such as mini pizzas or smaller novelty pizzas. They should also provide and promote healthier side portions.

Similar research

• Nutrition Take Out series – wrap style sandwiches and Indian takeaway foods (2013)
• Salt levels in ready-to-eat soup purchased in catering establishments (2010)
• Survey of artificial colours in selected ethnic foods in takeaways (2012)
• An investigation into the usage of Monosodium Glutamate in the ethnic food catering industry (2010)