Today I was bad eco-blogger.  I needed to grab a late lunch and ran over to my local Wendy's and was tempted by the big glossy advertisment outside the store.  That's right: I had a Spicy Baconator for lunch.

Hey, I'm not perfect.  And before you get your spamming fingers ready to bombard me with PETA information, I've eaten far more veggie burgers than beef burgers in my lifetime, so I really don't need an education on the benefits of mushroom patties.

I've written about the original Baconator before.  I covered the sheer scope and scale of the beef required and calories and fat consumed by an already obese population.  That was half a year ago and with the release of Wendy's new Spicy Baconator I assume that sales have been steady for a popular half-pound sandwich.  If the trend since the launch of the original Baconator has continued then that's 100 million Baconators sold, 80 billion calories consumed and 52 million pounds of beef.

A quick Google of 'Baconator' and you'll find reviews about how filling and satisfying the sandwich is.  As someone who just finished eating one I can confirm that it is indeed filling.  Not only do I feel like my stomach is going to explode, but I'm filled with the guilt of eating such a sloppy and low-quality food item.  I now get to spend the rest of my day drinking water and feeling very regretful.

One commenter on Mr. Bacon Pants said it best:

This burger is possibly the most powerful laxative known to man. It doesn’t taste very spicy going in, but it feels very, very spicy coming out. I seriously haven’t eaten something in a long time that made me feel this awful. File under “Biological warfare”.

Funny, the ad didn't say anything about the after effects.  Wonderful, that's ruined my day! 

I don't eat fast food every day, but many people do.  And looking at the sales numbers there are many, many people who must be eating at least one or two Baconators a week.  That's just crazy.

Not everything we put in our mouths has to be healthy and when luxuries are available there's no reason not to endulge in an occasional treat.  But the Baconator's runaway success has me a little concerned.  It's as if we collectively have forgotten how to control ourselves and all of North America has gone crazy sucking back these mega-burgers on a regular basis.  Those big numbers above are just for one sandwich from one chain.  If you added up all the stats for all the mega-burgers sold in North America it would be scary.

So am I a hypocrite to criticize the fast food industry after admitting I ate a Spicy Baconator?  Perhaps.  But I will be exercising some restraint and eating a lot of tofu, noodles, and fruits and veggies over the next week to atone for my sins. 

And now before I close I'd like to send a message to my poor digestive system: I'm sorry to have done this to you.  Please trust that in the future I will treat you with more care and not fill you with greasy, factory-farmed, mass-produced meat.  Let's enjoy a nice salad tomorrow.

» Mr. Bacon Pants