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Now you can eat McSmart at Mac's

McDonald's meals under 700 calories get seal of approval

Joyzelle Davis, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 11, 2007 at midnight

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McDonald's cheeseburger Happy Meal now comes with a new side - a nutritional seal of approval.

McDonald's 108 Denver-area restaurants on Tuesday began offering options bearing the state's "Smart Meal" seal, indicating the food has a calorie count of 700 or fewer and meets other guidelines established by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

McDonald's 11 Smart Meals also must contain two or more servings of beans, whole grains, fruits or vegetables, as well as no more than 30 percent total fat, 1,500 milligrams of sodium and 0.5 grams of trans fat.

"We found that consumers don't really know what a healthy choice is unless it's clearly labeled," said Shana Patterson, a registered dietitian with the Colorado Department of Public Health.

Among McDonald's Smart Meal offerings are the Egg McMuffin Sandwich with a small orange juice and a hamburger or cheeseburger Happy Meal with Apple Dippers and apple juice. The Smart Meal choices are indicated on menu boards inside the restaurant and at the drive-through as well as at promotional materials inside each store.

All of the Smart Meals are combinations of existing McDonald's menu items, said Denver franchisee Tom Carlson.

McDonald's is the first fast- food provider to join the two- year-old Smart Meal program, whose 19 other participating restaurants include Beau Jo's Pizza and The Delectable Egg.

The program is part of a state effort to reduce obesity and related diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, by encouraging healthy lifestyles.

The restaurants don't pay any fees to put the Smart Meal seal on their dishes, though they must cover the cost of the nutritional analysis.

McDonald's plans to expand the Smart Meal program to its more than 200 Colorado restaurants.

Several other states have indicated they'd like to create programs similar to Colorado's, Patterson said.

Smart Meal combos

• Hamburger, side salad with low-fat Italian dressing: 330 calories, 11 grams fat (3.2 grams saturated)

• Premium grilled chicken classic sandwich (no mayo), fruit and walnut salad, apple juice: 670 calories, 13 grams fat (2.5 saturated)

• Caesar salad with grilled chicken (no Parmesan cheese), low-fat Italian dressing: 220 calories, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated)

• More information: livewellcolorado.com

or 303-954-2514