When perusing a restaurant's dessert menu, one's focus is typically not on identifying the unhealthiest option. However, it's prudent to avoid a select few dishes that are exceedingly extravagant. Several renowned restaurant chains offer indulgent desserts that raise serious concerns, primarily due to their excessive amounts of sugar, fat, and calories.

To be fair, enjoying a reasonably sized dessert without an alarming array of ingredients is perfectly acceptable for most individuals. Nonetheless, Wan Na Chun, MPH, RD, CPT, emphasizes to Eat This, Not That! that "Desserts containing excessive calories, unhealthy fats, and added sugars can contribute to weight gain and elevate the risk of chronic health conditions. Furthermore, desserts lacking essential nutrients offer little to no nutritional value."

A recent comprehensive study published by the BMJ in 2023 has shed light on the "significant harmful associations" between sugar consumption and various health outcomes. The analysis revealed connections between sugar intake and 18 endocrine/metabolic outcomes, 10 cardiovascular outcomes, seven cancer outcomes, and 10 other outcomes encompassing neuropsychiatric, dental, hepatic, osteal, and allergic conditions. These associations include adverse effects such as weight gain, ectopic fatty accumulation, an increased risk of gout, as well as a heightened likelihood of developing coronary heart disease and experiencing all-cause mortality. It is evident that these findings raise legitimate concerns and emphasize the importance of exercising caution when it comes to consuming excessively unhealthy desserts.

What Makes a Dessert the Most Unhealthy Choice at a Restaurant

The American Heart Association (AHA) highlights that a significant portion of people's sugar intake comes from soda, candy, snacks, and desserts. The AHA recommends women limit their daily sugar intake to 6 teaspoons (around 100 calories), while men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (150 calories). Unfortunately, some desserts surpass these limits in just a single serving.

Cesar Sauza, a Nutrition Specialist at Health Canal and an experienced outpatient registered dietitian, explains, "Dessert options at restaurants are rarely healthy, but some are significantly worse than others. The total sugar content is the first consideration, and desserts with the highest sugar content are generally the worst choices. If desserts have similar sugar amounts, then checking the saturated fat and calorie content becomes important."

"When determining the 'worst' dessert options at a restaurant, various factors come into play," adds Chun. "These include high-calorie content, excessive fat content (especially saturated and trans fats), high sugar content, lack of nutritional value, and portion size."

Chun emphasizes the significance of considering individual dietary needs and preferences when making dessert choices, focusing on informed decisions aligned with specific nutritional goals and requirements.

Now that you are equipped to identify potentially troublesome desserts, take a look at the following list of the unhealthiest desserts found in popular chain restaurants.

1) Olive Garden's Chocolate Brownie Lasagna

This dessert combines layers of fudge brownie and cream cheese frosting, topped with chocolate shavings and drizzle. Each serving contains a staggering 910 calories, 52g of fat (27g saturated fat), 580mg of sodium, 144g of carbs (6g fiber, 103g sugar), and 13g of protein.

2) Applebee's Sugar Dusted Donut Dippers

Coated with powdered sugar and served with caramel and hot fudge sauces, these mini donut puffs may seem innocent, but they are high in calories. A single serving packs a surprising 1,520 calories, 54g of fat (20g saturated fat), 840mg of sodium, 247g of carbs (4g fiber, 178g sugar), and 17g of protein.

3) Chili's Molten Chocolate Cake

This decadent dessert features a hot, melted chocolate center. However, indulging in it comes at a cost of 1,170 calories, 59g of fat (30g saturated fat), 1030mg of sodium, 155g of carbs (5g fiber, 109g sugar), and 12g of protein.

4) Outback Steakhouse's Thunder & Lightning

This dessert combines the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under Brownie with a piece of Butter Cake, topped with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, and strawberry slices. It delivers a whopping 1,920 calories, 126g of fat (60g saturated fat), 190mg of sodium, 870g of carbs (8g fiber, 147g sugar), and 24g of protein.

IHOP offers a variety of milkshakes, including the Oreo Cookie Milkshake, which incorporates pieces of the chocolatey cookie into the creamy ice cream. However, this indulgence comes with 750 calories, 39g of fat (22g saturated fat), 330mg of sodium, 90g of carbs (1g fiber, 66g sugar), and 13g of protein.

6) Texas Roadhouse's Big Ol' Brownie

This chocolatey treat consists of a single layer of brownie, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle of hot chocolate sauce. However, it contains a surprising 1,200 calories, 40g of fat (24g saturated fat), 740mg of sodium, 203g of carbs (8g fiber, 151g sugar), and 12g of protein.

7) TGI Fridays' Brownie Obsession

TGI Fridays' Brownie Obsession is a fudge-based dessert topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and glazed pecans. However, it also comes with 1,180 calories, 58g of fat (29g saturated fat), 480mg of sodium, 154g of carbs (4g fiber, 125g sugar), and 14g of protein.

8) Red Lobster's Chocolate Wave

Red Lobster's Chocolate Wave is a chocolate cake with fudge frosting, served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. However, it packs 1,110 calories, 62g of fat (22g saturated fat), 720mg of sodium, 134g of carbs (6g fiber, 93g sugar), and 11g of protein.

9) Cheesecake Factory's Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake

This dessert features layers of fudge cake, chocolate truffle cream, and chocolate mousse. With a towering 1,770 calories, 111g of fat (60g saturated fat), 970mg of sodium, 192g of carbs (11g fiber, 143g sugar), and 20g of protein, it's an indulgence to be cautious about.

10) P.F. Chang's The Great Wall of Chocolate

P.F. Chang's The Great Wall of Chocolate is composed of six layers of chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. This rich dessert contains 970 calories, 40g of fat (15g saturated fat), 790mg of sodium, 154g of carbs (8g fiber, 115g sugar), and 10g of protein.

11) Cracker Barrel's Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake With Ice Cream

This dessert combines chocolate fudge cake infused with Coca-Cola, topped with ice cream. It delivers 800 calories, 34g of fat (14g saturated fat), 305mg of sodium, 115g of carbs (3g fiber, 96g sugar), and 8g of protein.

12) LongHorn Steakhouse's Chocolate Stampede

LongHorn Steakhouse's Chocolate Stampede is a chocolate lover's dream, featuring layers of chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and an Oreo cookie layer. It contains 1,200 calories, 40g of fat (24g saturated fat), 740mg of sodium, 203g of carbs (8g fiber, 151g sugar), and 12g of protein.

Ruby Tuesday's Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet is a warm cookie topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate, and caramel sauce. This dessert contains 1,350 calories, 71g of fat (40g saturated fat), 1135mg of sodium, 174g of carbs (6g fiber, 110g sugar), and 22g of protein.

14) Red Robin's Mountain High Mudd Pie

Red Robin's Mountain High Mudd Pie is a towering creation of ice cream, fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and an Oreo cookie layer. This dessert contains 1,340 calories, 59g of fat (40g saturated fat), 570mg of sodium, 188g of carbs (7g fiber, 129g sugar), and 18g of protein.

Note: The nutritional information provided is per serving and may vary depending on the specific restaurant location and portion sizes.

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