Bryan Johnson Takes Apart the McDonald's Menu, One Item at a Time
Bryan Johnson
In this video, Bryan Johnson orders ten of McDonald's most popular items through a drive-thru and goes through them one by one: how each looks and smells, what the nutrition label says, and which ingredients Johnson considers harmful. The premise is that the U.S. is living through what Johnson calls a "fast food epidemic." The video opens with news clips about childhood obesity doubling over two decades, E. coli outbreaks tied to McDonald's, chemicals in American food that are banned elsewhere, and ultra-processed foods making up 73% of the U.S. food supply. Johnson's position is stated at the start and stays the same throughout: in Johnson's opinion, companies like McDonald's are "shortening your lifespans and wrecking your health," and millions of people eat this food without realizing it. Nearly all of the health claims below are Johnson's own, often citing studies by name or description. They are reported here as Johnson presented them.
The Drive-Thru and "Complicated Emotions"
Before ordering, Johnson is asked what's on their mind. The answer is "complicated emotions." The drive-thru takes Johnson back to earlier times in life. Johnson says they have "played this so many times" and can map out the whole experience: the smell, the look, the taste, even the bag. Johnson admits there is "a subconscious version of me" that is excited to be getting McDonald's. That tension between old familiarity and present-day disapproval comes back at the end of the video.
1. Large Fries: Labeling, Seed Oils, and High-Heat Compounds
The first item is the large fry, which Johnson calls the most-ordered item on the menu. Johnson starts with smell and concedes the appeal: it's a distinctive childhood smell, and Johnson says they understand why people eat it. Johnson then reads McDonald's marketing copy aloud ("premium potatoes with zero gram of trans fat per label serving," "crispy and golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside") and jokes that whoever wrote it deserves a raise.
Johnson's first point is about labeling. According to Johnson, "zero grams of trans fat" does not mean there is no trans fat. FDA rules let a product list zero if a serving contains under 0.5 g. Johnson presents this as an example of labels leading consumers to inaccurate conclusions.
The second point is the frying oil. Johnson says the fries are cooked in several refined seed oils. These are unsaturated fatty acids that oxidize quickly and form aldehydes, which Johnson describes as cancer-causing toxins that damage proteins, cell membranes, and DNA. Johnson links them to heart disease, liver disease, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's.
The third point is AGEs, which Johnson describes as toxins that form when starch is exposed to high temperatures. Johnson claims McDonald's fries contain 20 times more of these compounds than a baked potato made at home. Johnson says they contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation, which have been linked to insulin resistance, vascular damage, and accelerated aging. Johnson anticipates the objection ("It's just fries and potatoes. Just live a little") and answers that it simply isn't worth it: "Way too much junk and toxins."
2. The Big Mac: Well Designed, Not Satiating
Johnson gives the Big Mac real credit for its design: the golden bun, the pickles, the cheese spilling out, the paper box that makes you feel like "I'm doing a good thing." Johnson also brings up the well-known idea that Big Macs left out for a decade don't decompose, and jokes, "Did McDonald's build Don't Die?"
On the numbers, Johnson reads 580 calories, 45 g of carbs, and 11 g of saturated fat, which Johnson says is half the daily value. There are only 3 g of fiber. The sodium figure, which the transcript renders unclearly, is almost half the daily value. There are 85 mg of cholesterol and 25 g of protein. Johnson calls the protein "pretty good."
Johnson's main argument about the Big Mac is that it leaves you hungrier, not full. Johnson says the 9 g of added sugar is almost as much as a glazed doughnut, and that together with the ultra-processed carbohydrates it will cause a sharp insulin and blood-sugar spike. About 90 minutes later, in Johnson's account, mood drops and you feel "hangry."
Johnson also questions the "100% beef" claim. Johnson says it isn't that simple, because beef from industrially lot-fed cattle has a different fat profile, with less omega-3 and more omega-6, and the meat is cooked in oils Johnson considers harmful. Johnson also says the emulsifying agents in the pickles disrupt the microbiome and can trigger chronic inflammation and metabolic disease. Johnson's verdict, framed as personal opinion, is that "end to end, this thing is just a death machine."
3. The Hotcakes Breakfast: 1,340 Calories
Johnson calls the hotcakes breakfast the most calorie-dense option on the menu, at 1,340 calories. Johnson finds it "surreal" that people eat it and says they "feel so bad for the body when this goes in." It has 41 g of added sugar, which Johnson says will spike blood glucose, increase fat storage, and make you hungry again.
Johnson then makes a broader point. Johnson wonders why McDonald's gets so much "cover" and suggests it's because nearly everyone shares the addiction. Johnson compares it to not being able to speak out against an abuser when you're stuck in the relationship.
4. The 20-Piece McNuggets: Aluminum and TBHQ
The size of the 20-piece box surprises Johnson: "Not four, not six, 20." Johnson says that after being away from fast food for a long time, coming back with some objectivity makes it seem "nuts that they sell this," and adds that the nuggets don't even look like meat.
The ingredient Johnson singles out is sodium aluminum phosphate in the batter. Johnson says there are concerns that aluminum salts contribute to dementia risk, and cites a French study that associated 0.1 mg of aluminum in water with a risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's. By Johnson's calculation, a 20-piece box can expose you to up to 2.8 mg of aluminum, which Johnson describes as 28 times the amount in that study.
Johnson also discusses TBHQ, which Johnson says is used to stabilize the frying oil so it can be reused again and again. Johnson summarizes rodent studies: some of the animals' cells died or stopped working properly, their DNA showed signs of damage, and it helped cells grow into tumors more easily. "That's a hard pass for me," Johnson says. Johnson and the crew also remark that the whole car now carries the familiar McDonald's smell.
5. The Caramel Frappé: "The Worst"
Johnson names the caramel frappé as the worst item of the whole haul. It has 70 g of added sugar, which Johnson compares to drinking a Crumbl cookie. Johnson says few things are as bad as putting 70 g of sugar into your body, and that it's worse in drink form because absorption is so fast. Johnson cites a Swedish study that correlated even a 5% increase in added sugars with a 23% increase in all-cause mortality.
Johnson also points to the caramel coloring, which Johnson says contains 4-MEI. Johnson describes it as a manufacturing byproduct that produced lung tumors in mice and that is listed under California's Proposition 65 as a potential carcinogen. Johnson ties the drink to social rituals, like everyone going to McDonald's after a baseball game, and credits the company, grudgingly, with knowing "how to hook us."
6. The McGriddle: "They've Been Pranking Us"
The McGriddle gets the strongest reaction. Johnson calls it disgusting to touch, says it smells like pancakes with maple syrup, and calls it a "monstrosity." Johnson's view is that on inspection it is "not really food."
Johnson calls the bacon and sausage among the very worst things you can eat. Johnson cites numerous studies linking processed meats to higher all-cause mortality and says processed meats contain nitrites, which Johnson calls a known carcinogen. Johnson says the cheese carries more cancer-causing toxins. Having guessed from the smell that it would be sweet, Johnson finds 13 g of added sugar in a breakfast sandwich and asks why that's there.
This is where Johnson's criticism of the company is most explicit. Johnson acknowledges the appeal: the food is easy and convenient, and it offers a moment of joy and relief from a life that can be "hard and brutal and mean." But in Johnson's words, it "then just [messes] you over." Johnson calls McDonald's "a villain," "not a good player in society," and rejects the defense that the company is just giving people what they want. If people want to do bad things, Johnson argues, you shouldn't enable it.
7. The Egg McMuffin: Less Bad, Still Bad
Johnson treats the Egg McMuffin mainly as a comparison to the McGriddle. Johnson says its texture is better and it has held up well after a couple of hours. Johnson calls it a less harmful version of the McGriddle but says it's still bad for you, because it contains the same kind of heated processed meats that Johnson says increase cancer risk.
8. The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Johnson again praises the look: a browned top bun, thick meat with a little char like a backyard barbecue, ketchup, onions, cheese. "That's a well-designed product. Might kill you, but pretty well designed."
Johnson calls it essentially a bigger, more harmful Big Mac, with more saturated fat, more trans fat, and 740 calories. Johnson notes that it does have 48 g of protein but says they don't know how "clean" that protein is and wouldn't seek it out. Johnson repeats the satiety argument: paired with a sugary Coke or a caramel frappé, it won't leave you satisfied.
9. The Oreo McFlurry and Fructose
For the McFlurry with Oreos, Johnson reads 410 calories and 48 g of sugar. Johnson states a general position on added sugar: there is no good amount, and you should stay as close to zero as possible. Johnson says added sugar is "pure wreckage" for the metabolism, liver, pancreas, and blood vessels, and accelerates aging across the whole body. Johnson adds that fructose is 8 to 10 times faster than glucose at producing AGEs, which Johnson calls a major driver of aging.
10. The Snack Wrap: The "Healthy" Option
The last item is the Snack Wrap, introduced with a clip celebrating its return to the menu. Johnson is puzzled by the "double checked for accuracy" sticker on the bag and asks why only this item got one. Johnson unwraps it and finds fried chicken, sauce, cheese, and lettuce in a tortilla, which reminds Johnson more of Taco Bell.
Johnson grants that it's a smaller portion: 390 calories compared with the 780 of another item on the table. But Johnson says it still "smuggles" 6 g of saturated fat and has 900 mg of sodium, which Johnson likens to "licking from a salt stick." Johnson also says the chicken breading contains the same sodium aluminum agent as the McNuggets, which Johnson again links to cognitive decline and dementia.
Should Johnson Take a Bite?
The team invites Johnson to take a bite, and Johnson describes how their feelings changed over the course of the shoot. When told they were going to McDonald's, Johnson says they had "fear in my heart." On the drive, Johnson started replaying the smells, textures, and memories, and found themselves somewhat curious. When the food reached the car, and then the table, Johnson felt a slight pull toward it. After handling the food and going through the ingredients and the science, Johnson says the feeling is now repulsion.
Johnson says they understand why people eat it without thinking about it. People tell themselves it's just one time, that there are vegetables in it, pickles and lettuce, and that maybe the meat is fine. Johnson says they didn't want to eat it before filming, but the exercise changed their opinion further. Johnson calls it "evil" and says they can't believe a company does this, "especially to our kids." Johnson objects that McDonald's markets to children behind a friendly face and a clown that makes it all look fun while, in Johnson's view, causing real harm. Johnson concludes that the company "should be put out of business."
Johnson closes with a direct appeal to viewers: when you're deciding whether to eat it, "I believe in you. You are better than this," and you can choose a better option for your life. Johnson invites viewers to suggest another fast food chain to "roast" next. The video ends with a playful staged moment in which the crew says Johnson has been "caught," and Johnson jokes about being "dying to eat" one of the items, before thanking the team for getting the food.
Hey, how are you? How you doing? Thanks. It's a big order, right?
I'm about to order the most popular items at McDonald's to show you what's exactly in them and what these weird ingredients will do to your body. Why? Because we're living through a fast food epidemic.
Obesity among children doubled over the past two decades. The regular hamburger and the cheeseburger, those are all between 40 and 50% bad. How is it that some chemicals that are in our foods have long been banned elsewhere? Outbreak of E. coli tied to McDonald's. Ultra-processed foods now make up 73% of the US food supply.
Millions of people eat this stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Without realizing that, in my opinion, these companies are shortening your lifespans and wrecking your health.
We're about to go through the drive-thru and order McDonald's. What's on your mind?
Complicated emotions. It takes me back to earlier times in my life. I feel like I've played this so many times. I can smell it before we do it. I know what it looks like, what it smells like, what it tastes like, feels like. I know the bag. Like I know the experience so thoroughly. I can map out the entire thing. I've done it so many times.
Wow. Okay, let's do it. Really? Let's do it.
There's definitely a subconscious version of me that's like, we're getting McDonald's. I'm excited.
We're going to start with the most ordered item on the menu, which is the large fry. Let's first assess for smell. I mean, this takes me back to my childhood. This is such a distinct smell. This really is appealing. I understand why people eat this.
Everybody wants to know why McDonald's French fries taste so damn good. It's a simple answer. McDonald's world famous fries are made with premium potatoes with zero gram of trans fat per label serving. These epic fries are crispy and golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside. But man, whoever that copywriter is, they need a raise.
First, let's tackle the trans fat claim. So, that does not mean it's without trans fat. It means the FDA says that you can be under 0.5 g and list zero. So just note that sometimes labeling leads you to inaccurate conclusions.
Secondly, these are fried in a number of refined seed oils. This is a problem because these refined seed oils are unsaturated fatty acids which oxidize very quickly which form aldehydes and these are cancerous toxins. These damage proteins, cell membranes and DNA which can lead to heart disease, liver disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Next, we have AGEs, which are toxins that form when the starch is exposed to high temperatures. The AGEs you find in fries at McDonald's is 20 times higher than you'd have in a baked potato that you make at home. These compounds contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation throughout the body, which has been linked to insulin resistance, vascular damage, and accelerated aging.
But Bryan, chill out. It's just fries and potatoes. Just live a little, man. But you know what? I just don't think it's worth it. Way too much junk and toxins. I wouldn't do it.
All right, next up, let's reach into the magic bag and see what we have. We've got a Big Mac. Everybody loves Big Macs.
McDonald's Big Mac. It's more than just another hamburger.
All right, first impressions. I mean, they really did a good job. And this is a golden bun. Looks like it's just like baked to perfection. You've got pickles. The cheese is kind of pouring out in places. The cream is there. I have to give it to them. It is a really compelling design. The box is nice. It's in paper. You're thinking, "I'm doing a good thing." Good job, McDonald's. You really made this thing appealing. Thanks.
All right. If we dig into the Big Mac, one factoid, which is interesting, is people have had these out for a decade and they just don't die. There it is. My gosh, it hasn't changed. Did McDonald's build Don't Die?
Okay, so this guy's got 580 calories, 45 carbs. He's got 11 grams of saturated fat. That's half of your daily value. Fiber is only 3 g. Not great. Sodium. Wow. 1,060 mg of sodium, almost half of your daily value. 85 mg of cholesterol, 25 g of protein. All right, so pretty good protein content.
Now, there's a twist here with the Big Mac is you see this, you imagine eating it and imagine yourself being satiated. Actually, it's going to leave you more hungry. Why? There's a bunch of added sugars and ultra-processed carbohydrates, making you even more hungry. The 9 g of added sugar is almost as much as a glazed doughnut. That will give you an extreme insulin and sugar spike, and then 90 minutes later, your mood is going to plunge and make you feel hangry.
Okay, so what about the patty? It's 100% beef. Why not do that? When McDonald's says 100% beef, it's not so simple. But first of all, beef that comes from industrial lot-fed cattle have different fat profiles. There's less omega-3 and more omega-6. The meats are also cooked in oils that are bad for you.
Now, you may be thinking the pickles are great, but the emulsifying agents they use in the pickles actually disrupt the microbiome, which can trigger chronic inflammation and metabolic disease. In my personal opinion, end to end, this thing is just a death machine. So, I wouldn't do it.
All right, next up, let's go into the lucky bag. What do we have here? We've got the hot cakes breakfast. This is the most caloric dense option on the McDonald's menu. Check out this. 1,340 calories.
Honestly, surreal people eat this. This is not... Oh, man. I just feel so bad for the body when this goes in. This can't be doing good things inside. 41 g of added sugar. It's going to spike blood glucose. It's going to increase fat storage. And the kicker, it's going to make you hungry again.
But it's interesting how much cover McDonald's gets. It's probably because everybody shares this addiction. Everybody. And so everyone, like, you can't speak out against your abuser because you're stuck.
All right. Next up is the 20 piece chicken McNugget set. Not four, not six, 20. What is this? What does 20 even look like? Man, that is a lot of chicken nuggets. I've been out of the fast food game for quite some time now. And with a little objectivity, I'm coming back and seeing this. This is just nuts that they sell this. This doesn't even look like meat.
The weird ingredient here is sodium aluminum phosphate. This is McNugget batter. There are concerns that these aluminum salts contribute to dementia risk. A French study found that 0.1 mg of aluminum in water was associated with a risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's. One 20 McNugget box can expose you to up to 2.8 mg of aluminum. That's 28 times more than in the French study.
The frying oil they use for these chicken McNuggets is called TBHQ, which means they use this to stabilize the oil so they can continually use it again and again. Scientists have studied TBHQ on rodents and they have shown it can have the following effects. Some of the animals' cells died or stopped working properly. Their DNA showed signs of damage. It helped cells grow into tumors more easily. I don't know about you guys, that's a hard pass for me.
Let's see. This is what happens, right? The whole car is... Yeah, it's that... it's that smell. Everybody knows this smell.
All right, next up is the caramel frappe. And spoiler alert, this is the worst. There's 70 g of added sugar. That's like a Crumbl cookie as a drink. There's few things you could do as bad as jamming 70 g of sugar into your body, especially in drinks where absorption is very fast. A Swedish study showed that even a 5% increase in added sugars was correlated with a 23% increase in all cause mortality.
The caramel coloring has 4-MEI. Let's put that big word on the screen here. This is a manufacturing byproduct that produced lung tumors in mice and it's listed under California's Prop 65 as a potential carcinogen.
After the baseball game, everybody gets together. If you go to Mickey D's, you get one of these guys. They know how to hook us. You got to give it to them. Like, those are clever mother.
All right, let's go into the happy bag and see what we pull out. It's the McGriddle. I'm scared. Oh man, this is disgusting. This is so... Oh, man. Even touching it is so disgusting. This just smells like sugar. It smells like pancakes with maple syrup. What is this? What is this monstrosity? Pull it apart.
I mean, I want to look at this under a microscope. We will find upon inspection this is not really food. They've been pranking us. This bacon and sausage are among the very worst things you can consume. Numerous studies have shown the increase of all cause mortality with processed meats. These processed meats also have nitrites which are a known carcinogen. The cheese, which like I guess this is going for cheese, has additional cancer-causing toxins. And just as I thought I could smell it, it has 13 g of added sugar. Why is there 13 g of added sugar in a breakfast sandwich?
I understand. I understand it's easy and convenient and that it has all the characteristics that make you feel better because life is hard and brutal and mean and this is like the moment of joy and reprieve you have from life's awfulness and then it just you over.
McDonald's is a villain. They're not a happy place. They're not a good player in society. And even if they say we're just giving people what they want, don't do that. If people want to do bad things, don't enable it. Like that's not a good argument.
All right, let's go to the bag and see what comes out next. Going in. What is it coming out? The Egg McMuffin. What do we got here? Okay. All right. I mean, the texture is better. This guy, the McGriddle, that's just brutal. This guy, I mean, holding up nicely after a couple hours. Okay.
Let's take a look. All right. So, the McMuffin is a less harmful version of the McGriddle, but it's still bad for you. It's got heated processed meats like the McGriddle, which as we know increases cancer risk.
All right, wrap there. Let's go into the grab bag. What do we have coming up next? The Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese. Mmm. This is a tasty burger.
All right, let's see. Let's see how it shows. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I mean, that is a beautiful, again, a brown top bun. The meat is thick. It's got a little char to it like you would see in a backyard barbecue. The ketchup, the onions, the cheese. That's a well-designed product. Might kill you, but pretty well designed.
So essentially this is a bigger, more harmful version of the Big Mac. It has more saturated fat, more trans fat, and has 740 calories. It does, however, have 48 g of protein. How clean that protein is, I don't know. I wouldn't be seeking it out. And again, you're not going to be satiated if you pair this with a sugary Coke or a caramel frappe.
All right, next up is the McFlurry with Oreos. So, what do we have to say about this guy? First of all, this has an insane amount of calories and sugar. 410 calories and 48 g of sugar. Now, when it comes to added sugar, there really is no good amount. You should be as close to zero as possible. It's just pure wreckage for your metabolism, your liver, your pancreas, and blood vessels. And it just accelerates aging over your entire body. Compared to glucose, fructose is 8 to 10 times faster at producing those terrible AGEs, the major driver of aging across your body.
Let's go to the last item. What do we have? It's the healthy item, which is the Snack Wrap. I love it. The Snack Wraps are back. It's official. We have been waiting forever.
Double checked for accuracy. What does that even mean? Why does this guy get a sticker? No one else does. Was my other food not double checked for accuracy? Why do I get a sticker on this? Okay. Very expected. Tortilla. What's inside? I'm still thinking this is Taco Bell. What is this? Okay, it's chicken. It's fried chicken. Okay, fried chicken, some sauce, some cheese, and lettuce.
All right, so I guess to begin, it's a smaller portion. It's 390 calories versus like the 780 for this guy. It still smuggles 6 g of saturated fat. The big issue here is it's jam-packed with 900 mg of sodium. Why? You're licking from a salt stick. Now, the breading in this chicken has that same sodium aluminum agent which is in the... what do you call these guys again? Chicken McNuggets, which can lead to cognitive decline and dementia.
The team is inviting me to take a bite of this and I have to say honestly, they told me we're going to McDonald's and I had fear in my heart. We started driving there and I started replaying in my mind all of the smells, textures, feelings, memories of life and I thought, "Huh?" And then it got into the car and I was like, "This is kind of interesting." I maybe feel a little bit. I got it on the table and I thought, "Honestly." But now that I've actually touched it, I've talked about the ingredients. I know the science behind it. Honestly, I just feel repulsed by it.
And I get it. Like when you don't understand these things, like I didn't understand it, and you think, like, I'm just going to do it one time. Not a big deal. It's got some good vegetables in there. Pickles, lettuce, maybe the meat's okay. Guys, honestly, I've really changed my opinion. Like I didn't want to eat it before, but I really changed my opinion after doing this. This is just like evil. I honestly can't believe that a company does this.
It's just awful. And especially to our kids. They market this, then they put a pretty face. They dress this clown up, show it's like fun and dandy, but they're like causing legit... It's just awful. Like these guys just should be put out of business.
I am the voice of courage and strength. When you are faced with a decision on whether or not you're going to eat it, I believe in you. You are better than this. You will rise up and choose a better option for your life. Now, if McDonald's is not your jam and you want me to roast another fast food place, leave it in the comments below.
Caught. Are we caught? Yep. Caught. Man, I'm dying to eat this guy. I have this up. I'm doing this. I'm doing this. You guys, thanks for getting me the food.
Article published