APRIL 07, 2003 -- WASHINGTON -- Fast-casual food might be more expensive and trendier than fast-food, but that hardly means it's good for you, according the Center for Science in the Public Interest. In its newsletter, the nutrition nanny praised a number of fast-casual brands for offering genuinely nutritious food, and for making its food more interesting than typical quick-service fare. But it's also advising consumers to be careful of those $6 sandwiches, many of which pile on the fat and calories. "Amidst the bean soups and veggie-laden salads at chains like Panera Bread, Au Bon Pain, and Briazz are some nutritional surprises whose fat, saturated fat, or sodium can eclipse that of the worst fast-food burgers," CSPI said in a release last week. CSPI cited Panera's Broccoli Cheddar soup, Au Bon Pain's 820-calorie mozzarella sandwich and Briazz's 700-calorie Cobb Salad as proof that fast-casual can expand your waistline as quickly as any burger and fries. "Even though there's not a fryolator in sight, pick the wrong dish at Panera, Au Bon Pan, or Briazz and you might be better off at McDonald's," said CSPI's Jayne Hurley, who wrote the review. Among the best choices, according to CSPI: Au Bon Pain's Fields & Feta Wrap, Panera's vegetarian black bean soup, and Briazz's orzo pasta salad.
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