Wendy’s
Flavor:
Classic Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients:
Classic Chicken Breast: Chicken Breast Fillets with Rib Meat, Water, Seasoning [Salt, Oat Bran, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Oat Fiber, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Spices (including Celery Seed), Natural Flavors, Chicken Broth, Chicken Fat, Citric Acid, Cooked Chicken, Grill Flavor (from Sunflower Oil)], Modified Potato Starch, Sodium Phosphates. Battered and Breaded with: Wheat Flour, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Natural Flavors, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Spices, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Lactic Acid, Extractives of Turmeric. Breading Set in Vegetable Oil. Cooked In Vegetable Oil (Soybean, Canola, Corn and/or Cottonseed), Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Dimethylpolysiloxane (To Reduce Foaming). CONTAINS: WHEAT. COOKED IN THE SAME OIL AS MENU ITEMS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, MILK, EGG, SOY, SESAME, AND FISH.
Premium Bun: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup and/or Sugar, Yeast, Soybean Oil, Contains less than 2% of each of the following: Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Calcium Peroxide, Calcium Propionate (Added as a Preservative), Calcium Sulfate, Canola Oil, Citric Acid, Corn Starch, Dextrose, Enzymes, Maltodextrins, Modified Food Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate, Monoglycerides, Salt, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate (SSL), Starch, Sunflower Oil, Vegetable Oil, Vegetable Proteins (Pea, Potato, Fava Bean), Wheat Dextrose, Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Wheat Maltodextrins, Sesame Flour. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SESAME. BUNS ARE TOASTED IN A COMMON TOASTER WITH PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN WHEAT, SOY, MILK, SESAME.
Tomato: Tomato.
Crinkle Cut Pickles: Cucumber, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Lactic Acid, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80 and Turmeric.
Mayonnaise: Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolks, Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Mustard Seed, Calcium Disodium Edta (To Protect Flavor). CONTAINS: EGG
Lettuce: Lettuce
Rating: We Avoid
- 1 out of 5
Ingredient Score:
Rated at 1/5 green leaves, the Wendy’s Classic Chicken Sandwich falls significantly short of cleaner food standards. This sandwich is not made with organic ingredients and includes genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The presence of added sugars, such as sugar, citric acid, and fructose, detracts from its nutritional profile. More concerning is the inclusion of dextrose and corn syrup, both of which are considered more harmful types of added sugars.
The product also contains a range of additives that raise health concerns. These include natural flavors, enriched flour, monoglycerides, polysorbate 80, calcium disodium EDTA, modified food starch, and corn starch. Each of these contributes to the low rating, as they are often associated with negative health effects. More alarmingly, the sandwich includes additives like sodium benzoate, maltodextrin, and monosodium glutamate, which are recognized for their potential harm.
Furthermore, the sandwich is prepared with oils like canola, soybean, and unspecified vegetable oils, which are flagged for their potentially harmful effects. The use of high fructose corn syrup is particularly disquieting, as this sweetener is linked to various health issues and thus heavily penalizes the product’s score.
The sandwich comprises a classic chicken breast that is battered and breaded with several ingredients, including wheat flour and MSG, and served on a premium bun that contains added sugars and preservatives. Accompaniments like pickles, mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato do little to mitigate the overall health concerns.
The Wendy’s Classic Chicken Sandwich is a product that does not align with the criteria for cleaner, healthier food options. Its composition includes a multitude of non-organic, GMO, and potentially harmful ingredients. The sandwich’s low rating reflects these attributes and positions it as a choice to avoid for those seeking healthier alternatives in their diet.
Certifications:
None
Product formulations and certifications may change. For current nutrition facts and ingredient
line information, check product packaging.
Categories:
None
Alternatives
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