Fast food has become a staple in the average American diet, and that's not a good thing. Obesity rates are at an all time high, and the fast food industry deserves a lot of the blame. Consider this: Americans are now spending over $140 billion on fast food each year! There are now over 25,000 fast food chains in the U.S. (an increase of more than 1,000% since 1970). Fast food restaurants spent $294 million on marketing messages aimed at children in 2007. A cheeseburger happy meal with fries and a Sprite at McDonalds has 640 calories and 24 grams of fat. This is over half of the total calories many children should be eating in a day!
Fast food restaurants are like any other company in that their goal is to increase profits in order to please shareholders. The best way to do this is to get people to buy more of their products and they're doing a good job of accomplishing this goal. The average serving size for burgers, fries, and sodas has more than tripled since the 1970's! The always-popular Whopper at Burger King has 670 calories and 39 grams of fat. Add a large order of fries with your order and another 500 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 6 grams of the artery-clogging trans fat. Throw in a large Coke and you add 290 more calories and 79 grams of sugar. The grand total for this "Value Meal?" 1460 calories and 67 grams of fat!
A study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that those who ate at fast food restaurants more than twice per week compared to those who at there less than once a week had gained an extra ten pounds and had a two-fold greater increase in insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Considering the average American eats fast food an average of two times per week, it's not wonder 1 out of every 3 Americans now falls into the "obesity" category.
Despite all the shortcomings of fast food restaurants, there have been more and more additions of healthy menu options because of pressure from consumers, doctors, nutritionists, and public interest groups. Certain states have now required restaurants to post nutritional information, and this is a crucial step in educating people about what they're eating. To write to the legislators in your state about supporting menu labeling, click on the following link to the Center for Science in the Public Interest's website...it only takes a minute and could make a world of difference.
Before we take a look at some of the healthier fast food menu options, here are some tips for being more health-conscious at fast food restaurants:
1. Skip the soda - they're full of sugar and empty calories. A large soda can run over 300 calories and 80 grams of sugar - 2-3 days worth for someone trying to lose weight
2. Skip the fries - they're deep fried in unhealthy oils and often contain trans fats. See above - a large order of fries may contribute over 500 unnecessary calories to a meal. Order just the sandwich and get a side salad instead...your waistline will thank you later
3. Choose your salads wisely - check the nutrition label for the amount of fat, sugar, and sodium. Most fast food chicken is very high in sodium too. Check out the restaurants nutritional information beforehand
4. Stay away from burgers and "crispy" chicken options. Choose grilled chicken options instead
5. Watch out for $1 menus. Some of the worst foods culprits are here. Look for fruits, veggies, baked potato, or chili if they're available
6. Order your sandwich without the sauce. Mayo and other fat-filled sauces contribute a lot of extra calories and saturated fat
7. Choose whole grain bread options if possible
Here are some of the best fast food options at several different restaurants:
McDonalds:
McDonalds has made some progress in recent years, eliminating trans fats from their foods and increasing the amount of healthy options. Here are a few of their healthiest food options:
o Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich: 420 calories, 10g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1190mg sodium
o Honey Mustard Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 800mg sodium
o Chipotle BBQ Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 830mg sodium
o Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: 300 calories, 10g fat, 1g saturated fat, 890mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)
o Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 60mg sodium
o Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12g fat, 5g saturated fat, 820mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich)
o Fruit & Yogurt Parfait (with granola): 160 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 21g sugar
o Apple Dippers: 35 calories, 0g fat
o Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone: 150 calories, 3.5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 18g sugar
McDonalds also has 1% low fat milk and chocolate milk, apple and orange juices, and nonfat latte and cappuccino options. All in all, they have taken steps to get healthier options on their menu, but still have some work to do.
Burger King:
Amazingly, as many fast food places are cutting out trans fats from their menus, Burger King still uses artery clogging trans fats in many of its' foods. They also offer a "Triple Whopper" sandwich that has over 1230 calories and 82 grams of fat, and have the audacity to market it as a "man's meal." BK does have a few halfway decent options on the menu that won't go directly to your waistline and I've listed them below.
o Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich (no mayo): 400 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1090mg sodium
o BK Veggie Burger (no mayo, no cheese): 340 calories, 8g fat, 1g saturated fat, 1030mg sodium
o Side Garden Salad w/ Fat Free Ranch Dressing: 75 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 740mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)
o Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad w/ Fat Free Ranch Dressing: 240 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 1460mg sodium
o Ham Omelet Sandwich: 290 calories, 13g fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 870mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich)
Burger King doesn't have many healthy choices to choose from. They have been one of the last fast food chains to embrace healthy changes such as eliminating trans fats and offering healthy menu options. Look for another option whenever possible.
Taco Bell:
With the addition of the Al Fresco menu options (where you get a nice pico de gallo topping instead of cheese and fattening sauces), Taco Bell has made significant progress in offering more healthy menu options.
o Crunchy Taco: 150 calories, 8g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 370mg sodium
o Spicy Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 6g fat, 2g saturated fat, 580mg sodium
o Gordito Nacho Cheese - Chicken: 280 calories, 11g fat, 2g saturated fat, 790mg sodium
o Gordito Nacho Cheese - Beef: 270 calories, 12g fat, 2g saturated fat, 680mg sodium
o Grilled Steak Soft Taco: 160 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 550mg sodium
o Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 4g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 730mg sodium
o Bean Burrito: 350 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 190mg sodium
o Cinnamon Twists: 170 calories, 7g fat, 0g saturated fat, 12g sugar
Taco Bell is an easy place to get yourself in trouble if you overindulge because many of their menu items are loaded with fat and sodium but if you stick to 2 or so items and order them Al Fresco, or minus the ranch sauces and cheese then this is actually a fairly healthy option (for fast food).
Subway:
Subway has made great strides in recent years to introduce healthier menu options. They offer several sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less and you can load as many veggies as you want on top of them. Always choose wheat bread, no cheese, lots of veggies, and either honey mustard, red wine vinaigrette, sweet onion, vinegar, or light mayo if you prefer a sauce on your sub. Here are some of their healthiest choices (note: subs include wheat bread, no cheese or sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles, and olives).
o Oven Roasted Chicken Breast: 310 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 830mg sodium
o Veggie Delight: 230 calories, 3g fat, 1g saturated fat, 500mg sodium
o Turkey Breast: 280 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1000mg sodium
o Turkey Breast & Ham: 290 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1210mg sodium
o Ham: 290 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1260mg sodium
o Roast Beef: 290 calories, 5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 900mg sodium
o Subway Club: 320 calories, 6g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1290mg sodium
o Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki: 370 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1200mg sodium
Subway has the most healthy menu options out of any fast food restaurant. They also have salads available with fat free Italian dressing, all of which are good options. The one thing that they could stand to improve upon is the high sodium content in a lot of their food. However, overall, I would rate Subway at the top of the list of healthiest fast food options.
Fast food restaurants are like any other company in that their goal is to increase profits in order to please shareholders. The best way to do this is to get people to buy more of their products and they're doing a good job of accomplishing this goal. The average serving size for burgers, fries, and sodas has more than tripled since the 1970's! The always-popular Whopper at Burger King has 670 calories and 39 grams of fat. Add a large order of fries with your order and another 500 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 6 grams of the artery-clogging trans fat. Throw in a large Coke and you add 290 more calories and 79 grams of sugar. The grand total for this "Value Meal?" 1460 calories and 67 grams of fat!
A study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that those who ate at fast food restaurants more than twice per week compared to those who at there less than once a week had gained an extra ten pounds and had a two-fold greater increase in insulin resistance, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Considering the average American eats fast food an average of two times per week, it's not wonder 1 out of every 3 Americans now falls into the "obesity" category.
Despite all the shortcomings of fast food restaurants, there have been more and more additions of healthy menu options because of pressure from consumers, doctors, nutritionists, and public interest groups. Certain states have now required restaurants to post nutritional information, and this is a crucial step in educating people about what they're eating. To write to the legislators in your state about supporting menu labeling, click on the following link to the Center for Science in the Public Interest's website...it only takes a minute and could make a world of difference.
Before we take a look at some of the healthier fast food menu options, here are some tips for being more health-conscious at fast food restaurants:
1. Skip the soda - they're full of sugar and empty calories. A large soda can run over 300 calories and 80 grams of sugar - 2-3 days worth for someone trying to lose weight
2. Skip the fries - they're deep fried in unhealthy oils and often contain trans fats. See above - a large order of fries may contribute over 500 unnecessary calories to a meal. Order just the sandwich and get a side salad instead...your waistline will thank you later
3. Choose your salads wisely - check the nutrition label for the amount of fat, sugar, and sodium. Most fast food chicken is very high in sodium too. Check out the restaurants nutritional information beforehand
4. Stay away from burgers and "crispy" chicken options. Choose grilled chicken options instead
5. Watch out for $1 menus. Some of the worst foods culprits are here. Look for fruits, veggies, baked potato, or chili if they're available
6. Order your sandwich without the sauce. Mayo and other fat-filled sauces contribute a lot of extra calories and saturated fat
7. Choose whole grain bread options if possible
Here are some of the best fast food options at several different restaurants:
McDonalds:
McDonalds has made some progress in recent years, eliminating trans fats from their foods and increasing the amount of healthy options. Here are a few of their healthiest food options:
o Premium Grilled Chicken Sandwich: 420 calories, 10g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1190mg sodium
o Honey Mustard Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 800mg sodium
o Chipotle BBQ Grilled Snack Wrap: 260 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 830mg sodium
o Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken: 300 calories, 10g fat, 1g saturated fat, 890mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)
o Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 60mg sodium
o Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12g fat, 5g saturated fat, 820mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich)
o Fruit & Yogurt Parfait (with granola): 160 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 21g sugar
o Apple Dippers: 35 calories, 0g fat
o Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone: 150 calories, 3.5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 18g sugar
McDonalds also has 1% low fat milk and chocolate milk, apple and orange juices, and nonfat latte and cappuccino options. All in all, they have taken steps to get healthier options on their menu, but still have some work to do.
Burger King:
Amazingly, as many fast food places are cutting out trans fats from their menus, Burger King still uses artery clogging trans fats in many of its' foods. They also offer a "Triple Whopper" sandwich that has over 1230 calories and 82 grams of fat, and have the audacity to market it as a "man's meal." BK does have a few halfway decent options on the menu that won't go directly to your waistline and I've listed them below.
o Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich (no mayo): 400 calories, 8g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1090mg sodium
o BK Veggie Burger (no mayo, no cheese): 340 calories, 8g fat, 1g saturated fat, 1030mg sodium
o Side Garden Salad w/ Fat Free Ranch Dressing: 75 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 740mg sodium (Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing adds 90 calories, 2.5g fat, and 790mg sodium)
o Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad w/ Fat Free Ranch Dressing: 240 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 1460mg sodium
o Ham Omelet Sandwich: 290 calories, 13g fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 870mg sodium (not healthy by normal standards but by far their healthiest breakfast sandwich)
Burger King doesn't have many healthy choices to choose from. They have been one of the last fast food chains to embrace healthy changes such as eliminating trans fats and offering healthy menu options. Look for another option whenever possible.
Taco Bell:
With the addition of the Al Fresco menu options (where you get a nice pico de gallo topping instead of cheese and fattening sauces), Taco Bell has made significant progress in offering more healthy menu options.
o Crunchy Taco: 150 calories, 8g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 370mg sodium
o Spicy Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 6g fat, 2g saturated fat, 580mg sodium
o Gordito Nacho Cheese - Chicken: 280 calories, 11g fat, 2g saturated fat, 790mg sodium
o Gordito Nacho Cheese - Beef: 270 calories, 12g fat, 2g saturated fat, 680mg sodium
o Grilled Steak Soft Taco: 160 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 550mg sodium
o Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco: 170 calories, 4g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 730mg sodium
o Bean Burrito: 350 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 190mg sodium
o Cinnamon Twists: 170 calories, 7g fat, 0g saturated fat, 12g sugar
Taco Bell is an easy place to get yourself in trouble if you overindulge because many of their menu items are loaded with fat and sodium but if you stick to 2 or so items and order them Al Fresco, or minus the ranch sauces and cheese then this is actually a fairly healthy option (for fast food).
Subway:
Subway has made great strides in recent years to introduce healthier menu options. They offer several sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less and you can load as many veggies as you want on top of them. Always choose wheat bread, no cheese, lots of veggies, and either honey mustard, red wine vinaigrette, sweet onion, vinegar, or light mayo if you prefer a sauce on your sub. Here are some of their healthiest choices (note: subs include wheat bread, no cheese or sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles, and olives).
o Oven Roasted Chicken Breast: 310 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 830mg sodium
o Veggie Delight: 230 calories, 3g fat, 1g saturated fat, 500mg sodium
o Turkey Breast: 280 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1000mg sodium
o Turkey Breast & Ham: 290 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1210mg sodium
o Ham: 290 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1260mg sodium
o Roast Beef: 290 calories, 5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 900mg sodium
o Subway Club: 320 calories, 6g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1290mg sodium
o Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki: 370 calories, 5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 1200mg sodium
Subway has the most healthy menu options out of any fast food restaurant. They also have salads available with fat free Italian dressing, all of which are good options. The one thing that they could stand to improve upon is the high sodium content in a lot of their food. However, overall, I would rate Subway at the top of the list of healthiest fast food options.
http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/restaurantnutritionfacts.html
http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/healthyeatingguidelines.html
http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/healthyeatingguidelines.html
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