"I Just Ate What?!"

In the January 15, 2009 issue of The Breeze, the article entitled “I Just Ate What?!” had an intriguing thesis that showed the true healthiness of foods many people eat. The thesis of the article was to make the reader think about what they are really eating which could possibly affect what they order next time they go out to eat.  It is a strong thesis because it accomplishes many characteristics of a strong thesis according to The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing and keeps the reader entertained throughout the article.

According to The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing, a strong thesis introduces something new to the reader, surprises the reader, and is supported by specific examples.   In the article, the author asked many students, who cared about their eating habits, what they like to eat.  Many responded with dishes they thought were healthy but to their amazement were not so good for them after all.  The information presented was shocking to both the people mentioned in the article and me as the reader.  Something as simple as a Chicken Caesar salad and a French baguette from Panera Bread, which many people believe to be quite healthy, can add up to 820 calories. Or who would have known that the Japanese Pan Noodles from ElBows in Festival could take up almost all of an average days 2,000-calorie diet at an astounding 1,510 calories.  The more the author began to reveal the number of calories and/or grams of fat in items ordered commonly amongst people, like a Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks or the You-Pick-Two at Panera, the more it kept me interested and reading.  The author was able to get my mind thinking about what I order and eat on a daily basis and put the question that will linger in my mind of really how healthy is the meal I am eating right now.