Fast food ‘healthy’ meals packed with extra carbs FAT LOT OF DIFFERENCE

FAST food giant KFC is packing salad and ricebox meals with more calories than some chicken and burger dishes.

We found a series of examples where “healthier” choices had more calories than favourites such as the Zinger Tower.

A Zinger Salad Meal contains a hefty 695 calories – more than a Popcorn Chicken Meal at 595 cals and a 4-Piece Boneless Dips Meal at 650 cals.

The salad option also contains more total calories than the Daddy Burger with its 100% chicken breast fillet burger, hash brown and bacon.

Dubbed “a big burger for a big appetite”, the Daddy has 641 cals.

A Veggie Ricebox Meal at KFC contains 675 cals, more than a Fillet Tower Burger (620 cals) and the Zinger Tower Burger (also 620 cals).

The findings come just weeks after it was revealed McDonald’s was also packing some of its “healthy” options with more calories than some burgers, soft drinks and desserts.

Researchers found dishes including the 250 cals Hamburger contained less energy than the Crispy Chicken Salad (265 cals), while a Cheeseburger at 301 cals had fewer than a Crispy Chicken and Bacon Salad at 316.

British Dietetic Association spokeswoman Sioned Quirke told us: “Most people think that a ricebox meal is healthier than a burger meal because rice is perceived as a healthy option.

“They will automatically assume that burgers and chips are unhealthy and rice is healthy.

“People assume ricebox and salad options are healthy and therefore lower in calories, especially if they are trying to lose weight.

“Unfortunately, as that perception is already there, people won’t think to check the calorie content of the meal like they would when having a burger meal.”

She added: “The other thing with the rice and salad boxes is they are quite colourful. Again, that will make the mind associate the meal with being healthy.

“When you look at the picture of the ricebox or salad meal your brain has already decided it is a healthier option as it is so colourful.

“People think that if there is a vegetable or some salad in it, it must be healthy.”

We approached KFC but they have declined to comment on our story.