Twinkies are super-gross. We thought the McRib might be the winner for a while… and the Baconator made us cry tears of pure grease as soon as we saw it. However, all of these thoroughly icky fast foods pale in comparison to their overlord… KFC’s Double Down Dog.
What is it, you ask? It’s an even more monstrous cousin of the Double Down Burger, which KFC sold in Australia in 2011. While the Double Down Burger was a bacon cheeseburger housed between two slices of fried chicken, the Double Down Dog is a hot dog, sandwiched between – again – two fried chicken breasts, and topped with a sticky sauce that mildly resembles cheese.
Where do we even start with this thing? First things first:
The hot dog. For starters, many hot dogs are made of pink slime. Even those that aren’t, however, are a health nightmare. A 2011 study linked processed meats to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, and they’ve also been linked by other research to heart disease and diabetes.
Also, chemicals known as nitrates are used to preserve many hot dogs – and we’ll bet this one is included. Within the body, nitrates can convert into nitrites, which then form nitrosamines when they meet other compounds. Nitrosamines are linked to carcinogenic properties.
The fried chicken. Aside from the fact that these poor chickens are likely raised in deplorable conditions, fed GMO feed and pumped full of growth hormones and antibiotics, there’s the fact that they’re deep fried. Deep frying introduces compounds known as acrylamides into food – and these compounds have been associated with increasing cancer risk.
The “cheese.” There’s no way that stuff is real cheese. At best, it’s a “pasteurized cheese product,” or a “cheese food.” These fake cheeses are often rife with trans fats, which are linked to obesity, heart disease, and increased aggression, artificial colors and flavorings, which may lead to allergic reactions and/or behavior changes, and tons of refined, processed salt.
Combine all of these poisons and you’ve got, as KFC puts it, anyway: “A legendary dish for a legendary appetite.” Riiight… legendary for what, clogged arteries and cancer?
All of you that are fighting the urge to vomit right now…. you need not fear, unless you’re currently in the Philippines – the only place the Dog has been released. If you’re there, you may catch a glimpse (don’t get too close!)… but reports say they’re sold out.
Definitely for the best. Why would anyone want to eat this thing??
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/26/kfc-double-down-dog_n_6547524.html
http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/food-news/kfcs-double-down-dog-takes-frankenfood-to-cheesy-new-level-20150127-12yqjp.html
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0020456#pone-0020456-g005
https://www.thealternativedaily.com/hot-dogs-lunch-meat-never-menu-house
https://www.thealternativedaily.com/stop-eating-french-fries-replace