Knott explained further, “It’s important to realize that many of the vegan meat alternatives, like the KFC Beyond Fried Chicken, aren’t automatically a healthier alternative simply because they’re meat-free. One is the fact that most of the vegan meat alternatives are cooked on or in the same equipment as meat (making it not vegan), and two, the vegan meat alternatives are often confused as a healthier alternative.” “The addition of vegan meat to fast-food menus has not been met without controversy,” Knott added. My biggest concern, however, is the ‘health halo’ that surrounds these options, which can result in people overeating these plant-based alternatives simply because they ‘think they’re healthier.’ When in fact, the nutritional comparisons do not necessarily make them lighter alternatives,” Fine said. “These options are questionable from a nutrition standpoint given the high sodium levels. In fact, Rachel Fine, MS, RD, a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and founder of To The Pointe Nutrition, said these foods are heavily processed and should be treated just like their meatier counterparts. KFC released plant-based chicken from Beyond Meat at a single restaurant in Atlanta, selling out in hours.īut this vegan chicken may not be healthy enough to eat regularly. Just as Popeyes and Chick-fil-A were going head-to-head in the drive-thru and on Twitter, another chicken company was staking claim to a new chicken trend: plant-based chicken. “Fried chicken isn’t the greatest choice compared to grilled, but if you love a good ol’ fried chicken sandwich every now and again - which isn’t wrong - you may go to Chick-fil-A to keep your nutrition in check,” Crowder said. What’s more, the chicken sandwich from Popeyes likely exceeds the daily sodium recommendation, since Chick-fil-A’s, at more than 1,500 milligrams (the Deluxe version), is very near the maximum. You could always ditch half the bun if you wanted to lower the calorie and carb count.” “The brioche bun also tends to have more calories, carbs, and fat than a traditional hamburger bun. More bread equals more oil absorption during frying,” Crowder said. “It appears that the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich packs a heavier caloric punch, which can be attributed to what looks like thicker breading, than the Chick-fil-A sandwich. It has lower sodium and less saturated fat, said Christina Crowder, MS, RDN/LD, CNSC, CDE, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in nutrition support. “It will be interesting to see which one of the sandwiches is lower in sodium and saturated fat, but either way, neither is recommended as an option on a regular basis.”īut if we’re declaring the overall nutrition winner, that title goes to the Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich. “Even though we don’t have the confirmed nutrition facts for the new Popeyes Chicken Sandwich, it is safe to say that it is similar to the Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, which is over 200 calories lower than the Popeyes version,” Knott said. Indeed, every dietitian Healthline spoke with made it clear there’s nothing healthy about either of the sandwiches. “One thing is for sure, the fried chicken sandwich wars have nothing to do with nutrition,” Allison Knott, MS, RDN, CSSD, a registered dietitian based in New York City, told Healthline. While we can’t vouch for the flavor of either - and wouldn’t dare if we wanted to as opinions and feelings are quite strong on both sides - we can venture to look at these options from a health and nutrition standpoint. Restaurants were inundated, with lines of cars and people wrapping around buildings and blocks. The sandwich, which Popeyes said in a press release was “a delicious buttermilk battered and hand breaded white meat chicken filet, served on a buttery, toasted brioche bun with two barrel cured pickles and guests’ choice of classic mayo or spicy Cajun spread” has sold out. Indeed, their motto - We didn’t invent the chicken, just the chicken sandwich - tells you how firmly they plant their flag in their signature item.īut as other restaurants have been coming for their claim with not so cleverly disguised menu items like “Southern Chicken Sandwich” (Chick-fil-A is headquartered in Georgia), the Popeyes offering seemed the most threatening. It’s a war over chicken - chicken sandwiches, to be precise.įast-food chain Popeyes released a fried chicken sandwich in August, a direct shot at competitor Chick-fil-A, which has held a firm grip on the chicken sandwich market for quite some time. The country has been embroiled in a contentious battle in recent weeks.
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