The History of Poutine and the Growing Problem of Obesity

The following article contains unhealthy amounts of fat and cholesterol. Viewer discretion is advised.

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The History

As of the early 2000’s, Poutine has become a staple menu item in Canadian fast-food franchises. The dish is made up of a combination of fries, gravy and cheese curds. Poutine originally debuted in Quebec, Canada in the 1950’s and many people claim it was invented by Fernand Lachance. It’s now mass-produced across Canada in popular fast-food chains such as A&W, Burger King, McDonald’s and KFC. At first, Poutine was just fries with cheese curds, but gravy was later added to keep the dish warm for a longer period of time.

In other parts of the world, Poutine is made with different variations. In Italy, it’s served with slices of sausage and thick spaghetti sauce instead of gravy. In Greece, it’s served with shoestring fries and Mediterranean vinaigrette. In Mexico, it’s served with guacamole, sour cream and hot sauce. Certain restaurants even add bacon, smoked meat, ground beef, turkey, chicken, peas and onions to their versions of Poutine. In fact, in the rich and classy restaurants, Poutine is often served containing caviar and truffles.

Aside from Canada, the dish is popular in New England, Maine and New Brunswick, although mozzarella cheese is often substituted in place of cheese curds. The word “Poutine” is said to have been based off of the English word “pudding” and is also commonly referred to as “Cheese Fries.”

The Controversy

In a time where our society is supposed to be becoming more health-conscious, Poutine stands out as one of the fattest and highest cholesterol fast-foods currently out in the market. In fact, alongside regular fries and pizza, Poutine is one of the most popular junk foods consumed in high schools across the country. Many grade 9 to 12 students, both male and female, have been reported buying Poutine from their high school cafeteria on a regular basis. And you wonder why kids these days are becoming so obese. Having Poutine every once in a while doesn’t hurt, but consuming it on a near-daily basis is dangerous to your health, and it can even clog your arteries.

Nutritional Facts

Here are the nutritional facts based upon an average 284-gram serving of Poutine (or Cheese Fries). This is the information that Poutine-lovers don’t want you to know about.

·         640 calories

·         33 grams of fat

·         30 milligrams of cholesterol

·         2,360 milligrams of sodium

·         67 grams of carbohydrates

·         18 grams of protein

So those are the facts. Sure, your average 284-gram serving contains 18 grams of protein, but it also contains a whopping 640 calories and 33 grams of fat. Let me break down the facts even further:

·         57% of Poutine is carbohydrates

·         28% of Poutine is pure fat

·         15% of Poutine is protein

Ouch! It hurts to see the stunning truth, doesn’t it? A huge and damaging 85% of Poutine is just pure fat and carbohydrates (sugars and starches)! No wonder why the dish is so unhealthy, yet 14 to 18-year-old students, as well as college and university students, don’t seem to care. They keep buying it because it tastes good. Don’t get me wrong – Poutine is absolutely delicious. But you need to ration how often you consume it. So the next time you send your teenager to high school with lunch money, plead with them not to use it to buy Poutine – well, at least not every day.

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