Bruin Cafe menu higher in calories than students think
By Shauntel Lowe
March 10, 2005 9:00 p.m.
Students looking to cut calories by choosing Bruin Cafe over
other dining options might be surprised by the actual calorie
counts on the nutrition information chart for the cafe.
Bruin Cafe opened at the beginning of this school year with
three components: a Coffee Bean coffee bar, a smoothie bar and a
main sandwich bar that also serves chili and clam chowder. One meal
plan swipe gets students one entree and a side dish, or a
smoothie.
Every day, long lines and a full seating area show the
spot’s popularity, which students say stems from its
convenience and different menu from the normal selections at dining
halls and Puzzles eatery.
Many students say they come because they see it as the
healthiest dining choice on the Hill.
“I think it’s healthier than all the rest of them,
than Puzzles and the dining halls,” said Delphenia Sparks, a
fourth-year physiological science student.
“I thought I was taking the first step in changing my diet
(by eating at Bruin Cafe). I want to lose weight,” said
Kieulia Blackmon, a second-year geophysics and space physics
student.
A trip to the UCLA dining Web site indicates the food may be
more caloric than students think. The average calorie count for the
sandwiches at Bruin Cafe is 842. Bruin Cafe’s clam chowder
bowl contains 879 calories compared to Puzzles’ which only
has 401. The sandwich with the least amount of calories is the
roasted turkey, coming in at 763 calories.
But physiological science professor Christian Roberts said
calories are not the only factor to consider when judging the
healthiness of food students eat.
Roberts says students should also look at the amount of
partially hydrogenated oils, which contain trans fatty acids that
raise cholesterol and increase risk of heart disease. Students
should also take note of the amount of sodium.
“Sodium is not that critical but high sodium can
contribute to raising blood pressure,” said Roberts.
More important than the amount of sodium, Roberts says, is the
amount of sugar, particularly refined or processed sugar. Students
should look at the ingredients and see what type of bread their
sandwiches come on and find out if they are made with refined
carbohydrates. Eating sandwiches on whole wheat without cheese and
mayonnaise is a healthy choice, says Roberts.
Roberts advises students to pay attention to total fat, total
calories and amount of sugar to determine whether the food choices
are best for them.
He said the view of sandwiches as a healthy option can be
misleading.
“(Students) get a false sense of eating healthy when
it’s not really that healthy,” said Roberts, who
teaches “Issues in Human Physiology: Diet and
Exercise.”
“They could be eating 763 calories worth of pizza and
essentially it’s the same thing.”
Charles Wilcots, assistant director of Dining Services, also
said students should not focus solely on nutritional numbers, which
is partially why UCLA Dining does not post nutritional information
at its restaurants.
“One of the reasons for that, though, is that dining is
really concerned about students in terms of how they take that
information and utilize that information having not spoken to a
nutritionist or a dietician. They may misinterpret it,”
Wilcots said.
Joanne McGill, the support services manager in dining services
who deals with food nutrition for Hill eateries, was unavailable
for comment.
