Domino's Fat-on-Carb-on-Carb Food Porn: BreadBowl Pastas


August 27, 2009

WASHINGTON—Most people wouldn't consider eating an entire medium hand-tossed cheese pizza from Domino's in one sitting. And these days, most folks are carb-concious enough not to order pizza as a side order to pasta, or vice-versa. So why is Domino's trying to turn back the nutritional clock with its 1,300- to 1,500-calorie BreadBowl Pastas—white-flour penne, sauce, cheese, and other toppings entombed in Frisbee-sized white-bread crusts? Domino's BreadBowl Pastas are the most recent Food Porn exposed in Nutrition Action Healthletter, the popular publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

"White-flour pasta with cream-cheese sauce can be a nutritional nightmare on its own," said CSPI senior nutritionist Jayne Hurley. "The last thing it needs is an 800-calorie white-bread pizza-crust bowl."

Savvy eaters will remember that more than a decade ago CSPI famously called fettuccine Alfredo a "heart attack on a plate." Domino's executives seem to have forgotten since the infamous cream sauce tops three out of the five BreadBowl Pastas—the Chicken Alfredo, the Chicken Carbonara and even the innocently named Pasta Primavera. There is also an Italian Sausage Marinara (with Provolone cheese) and Three Cheese Mac-N-Cheese. The items range from 1,340 to 1,480 calories and more than a day's worth of saturated fat (22 to 28 grams) and sodium (1,820 to 2,840 milligrams).

"Topping a pizza crust with an order of macaroni and cheese is probably the most discouraging mac-and-cheese innovation since The Cheesecake Factory decided to ball it up and toss it in the deep-fryer," Hurley said. "What's next, wrapping it in a giant blueberry pancake?"

Nutrition Action Healthletter spotlights a Food Porn in each issue alongside a Right Stuff, recommendation. Past Food Porns include Starbucks' Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, Cold Stone Creamery's Oh Fudge! shake, and Hardee's Thickburger. Introductory subscriptions to Nutrition Action are $10 per year.

 

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