Category - News
Study Names the Healthiest Fast Food Burgers in America
A survey conducted by Delish, the foodie site known for “recipes that get people excited to cook,” determined the healthiest hamburgers at major North American chains.
To determine its results, the outlet worked with registered dietician and nutritionist Lauren Manaker to examine the nutritional facts of various burgers from 15 major chains to find the seven “healthiest” options, a relative term in the world of fast food. Special attention was paid to the amount of sodium and saturated fats in each burger, which can respectively lead to heart problems and high cholesterol.
Perhaps surprisingly, the top three healthiest burger options came from the three largest chains on the list. At number three was the Classic McDonald’s Burger, the legendarily unfussy option made with an all-beef patty seasoned with salt and pepper and topped with pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard. The Golden Arches’ staple contains 250 calories; 30 grams of carbs; 13 grams of protein; a scant 3.5 grams of saturated fat; and 510 milligrams of sodium.
Coming in hot at number two was Burger King’s Whopper Jr., which the fast food chain touts as “the same big Whopper taste but in a regular size.” It’s pretty similar to McDonald’s offering, with tomatoes and lettuce joining the pickles and onions and mayo taking the place of ketchup. BK’s burger, served on a seeded bun, is slightly healthier than McD’s in all ways with a total of 310 calories; 28 grams of carbs; 15.2 grams of protein; and 5.5 grams of saturated fat. The Whopper Jr. also had the lowest sodium content of all items listed at 390 mg.
Related: 15 Healthiest Burgers You Can Eat at In-N-Out, Shake Shack, and More
Barely scraping into the top spot, almost identical to Burger King in nutritional value and composition, is the cheese-free version of Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger. Though it boasts a higher sodium level at 440 mg and slightly less protein at just 15 grams, Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger squeaks into first place due to its lean calorie count (280) along with a low level of carbs (25 grams) and saturated fats (four grams).
The rest of the list was filled out by regional chains In-N-Out Burger, Whataburger, Culver’s, and Shake Shack. Shake Shack’s option, the basic hamburger, was found to have significantly more protein (25 grams) and sodium (850 mg) than any other item listed. Three out of the seven selections are so-called “Junior” versions of their respective chains’ larger offerings, leading to the rather obvious conclusion that the smaller burger is usually the healthier burger.
You can head here to check out the complete survey and results.