The Greatest Food in Human History?

Kyle Smith at NyPo makes the case:

What is “the cheapest, most nutritious and bountiful food that has ever existed in human history” Hint: It has 390 calories. It contains 23g, or half a daily serving, of protein, plus 7% of daily fiber, 20% of daily calcium and so on.

Also, you can get it in 14,000 locations in the US and it usually costs $1. Presenting one of the unsung wonders of modern life, the McDonald’s McDouble cheeseburger.

The argument above was made by a commenter on the Freakonomics blog[...]

The outraged replies to the notion of McDouble supremacy — if it’s not the cheapest, most nutritious and most bountiful food in human history, it has to be pretty close — comes from the usual coalition of class snobs, locavore foodies and militant anti-corporate types.[...]

For the average poor person, it isn’t a great option to take a trip to the farmers market to puzzle over esoteric lefty-foodie codes. (Is sustainable better than organic? What if I have to choose between fair trade and cruelty-free?) Produce may seem cheap to environmentally aware blond moms who spend $300 on their highlights every month, but if your object is to fill your belly, it is hugely expensive per calorie.

Junk food costs as little as $1.76 per 1,000 calories, whereas fresh veggies and the like cost more than 10 times as much, found a 2007 University of Washington survey for the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. A 2,000-calorie day of meals would, if you stuck strictly to the good-for-you stuff, cost $36.32, said the study’s lead author, Adam Drewnowski.

For the record, here's the McDonald's take on its McDouble cheeseburger:

Double Cheeseburger
100% BEEF PATTY
REGULAR BUN
PASTEURIZED PROCESS AMERICAN CHEESE
KETCHUP
MUSTARD
PICKLE SLICES
ONIONS
440
Calories

25g
Protein

23g
Fat
(35%)

34g
Carbs
(11%)

1050mg
Sodium
(44%)

Calories from Fat 210 Dietary Fiber 2g (8%) Calcium 290mg (30%)
Saturated Fat 11g (54%) Sugars 7g Iron 3.5mg (20%)
Trans Fat 1.5g Vitamin A 440IU (8%) Vitamin C 1mg (2%)
Cholesterol 80mg (27%) Serving Size 5.8 oz (165 g)

Ingredients
100% BEEF PATTY
Ingredients: 100% Pure USDA Inspected Beef; No Fillers, No Extenders.
Prepared with Grill Seasoning (Salt, Black Pepper).

REGULAR BUN

Allergens: WHEAT, SOY LECITHIN 

Ingredients: Enriched Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup and/or Sugar, Yeast, Soybean Oil and/or Canola Oil, Contains 2% or Less: Salt, Wheat Gluten, Calcium Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Ammonium Sulfate, Ammonium Chloride, Dough Conditioners (May Contain One or More of: Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, DATEM, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Mono and Diglycerides, Ethoxylated Monoglycerides, Monocalcium Phosphate, Enzymes, Guar Gum, Calcium Peroxide), Sorbic Acid, Calcium Propionate and/or Sodium Propionate (Preservatives), Soy Lecithin.

CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY LECITHIN

PASTEURIZED PROCESS AMERICAN CHEESE

Allergens: MILK AND SOY LECITHIN
Ingredients: Milk, Cream, Water, Cheese Culture, Sodium Citrate, Contains 2% or Less of: Salt, Citric Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Lactic Acid, Acetic Acid, Enzymes, Sodium Pyrophosphate, Natural Flavor (Dairy Source), Color Added, Soy Lecithin (Added for Slice Separation).

CONTAINS: MILK AND SOY LECITHIN.

KETCHUP

Ingredients: Tomato Concentrate from Red Ripe Tomatoes, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Natural Flavors (Vegetable Source).

MUSTARD
Ingredients: Distilled Vinegar, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Spice Extractive.

PICKLE SLICES
Ingredients: Cucumbers, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Natural Flavors (Plant Source), Polysorbate 80, Extractives of Turmeric (Color).

ONIONS
Note: Nutrient contributions from individual components may not equal the total due to federal rounding regulations. Percent Daily Values (DV) and RDIs are based on unrounded values.

** Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

I buy on pretty much a daily basis, blueberries, raspberries, hummus etc., it is very expensive. I am far from a nutrition expert and some of the ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup don't suggest a completely healthy meal, but for someone on a very tight budget, a $1.00 McDouble cheeseburger is probably not a bad option, as long as you stay away from the french fries.