Emma Miller
It doesn’t really matter if you’re in McDonald’s, a fancy restaurant, or a grocery store. Let’s face it, no one goes to McDonald’s expecting to eat healthy and nutritious food. We all know that the food from the Golden Arches is full of fat and seasoned with sugar. We all remember how Morgan Spurlock completely transformed his body for the Super Size Me show.
Eating only McDonald’s food for 30 days, he gained 11 kg and added a large amount of fat to his liver and bloodstream. But, as with any restaurant, there are better options than others.
If you’re in the mood to treat yourself, there are foods that won’t ruin your health. There are also some that will completely ruin your diet. Here are some of the most serious offenders, as well as some of the friendlier options.
Give up soda
It doesn’t really matter if you’re at McDonald’s, a fancy restaurant, or a grocery store. It’s time to start giving up soda. It’s just calories and sugar. A small Coca-Cola on the McDonald’s menu contains 150 calories and a whopping 42 grams of carbohydrates. Add that to a typical McDonald’s meal and you’re well over the recommended daily carbohydrate intake (which is about 225-325 grams per day).
Sweet tea is slightly better-90 calories and 21 grams of carbohydrates. If you want to avoid serious damage, choose cold water or unsweetened iced tea instead.
Milkshakes
In fact, no milkshake on the McDonald’s menu is safe. The standard shake menu contains from 490 calories in a small vanilla shake to 530 calories in a small chocolate shake. And if you’re watching your carbs, stay away from them-they all contain about 80 carbs per shake (and that’s just a small portion!). They also all contain quite a bit of sugar: technically, vanilla can be considered a “low sugar” option, as it is only 59 grams (still about twice the daily allowance) compared to 74 grams of chocolate.
McCafe drinks
Almost all of these drinks are high in calories and sugar, but frappes (frozen coffee drinks) take it to the next level. One medium caramel McCafe frappe contains 510 calories, 21 grams of fat, and 72 grams of carbohydrates. These are big numbers for a morning coffee.
Breakfasts with hash browns, eggs, and pancakes
This order contains 790 calories, 35 grams of fat, and 103 grams of carbohydrates. McDonald’s favorite dish, consisting of hot patties and sausages, is a nightmare for a health-conscious person. It doesn’t take long to realize that the combination of bread and sugar and high-sodium meat is not good for your waistline, let alone your poor heart. These numbers take into account whipped margarine and syrup, but keep in mind that the numbers only go up with each additional product added.
If you really want to eat something sweet in the morning, try ordering a fruit and yogurt parfait instead. It contains 150 calories and 2 grams of fat, so it’s slightly sweet, filling, and nutritious at the same time. Although it’s definitely a ready-made breakfast on the go, this menu item gives you a chance to start the day right.
Chicken burger
Chicken sandwiches are hard to pass up. It contains a whopping 620 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 63 grams of carbohydrates. Yes, breaded and fried chicken is delicious, but you probably know that eating so much fat is unhealthy. Combined with fatty mayonnaise and huge buns, this dish contains a lot of calories and saturated fat.
Although McDonald’s sandwiches may seem tempting, try not to succumb to their fatty charm. Of course, in an ideal world, we should be able to consume fatty bacon, eggs, cheese, and lots of butter served on pastries without any consequences. In the real world, the combination of these processed ingredients with high cholesterol, sodium, and fat is sure to kill any diet. What’s more, the impact on your heart isn’t too great either. With 52 percent of the daily value of sodium, 195 milligrams of cholesterol, and eggs that contain five ingredients besides, um, just eggs, you’re better off passing. Your heart and your waistline will thank you.
World-famous French fries
A medium-sized portion of your favorite fries at McDonald’s boasts 340 calories, 16 grams of fat, and 44 grams of carbohydrates. Although it may seem like a sin not to order fries with your burger, try to resist the pressure of society. If vegetarians think this side dish is safe to eat, think again. French fries contain a natural beef flavor. As if that wasn’t enough, dextrose (sugar) is the third ingredient listed on the company’s website.
So what does all this leave you with?
The truth is grim. Most of the dishes on the McDonald’s menu are terrible for anyone who cares about their health. That said, sometimes you may find yourself in a place where you have no choice but to stop by McDonald’s to eat.
