When dining out at a fast food restaurant, some menu items at popular chains are healthier than others. Whether your goal is to create a more balanced diet, lose or maintain weight, or just be more aware of what you consume frequently, it doesn’t hurt to reevaluate the menus at your favorite restaurant, and find options that best suit your health needs (while still treating yourself!)
With that said, we reached out to health experts to learn more about one commonly perceived ‘healthy’ item at many fast food places that might not be as beneficial as if you made it at home. Read on for tips and suggestions from Trista Best, MPH, RD, registered dietitian and Seamus Sullivan, B.S., CSCS, PN1, online performance and nutrition coach.
Drawbacks of Fast Food Oatmeal
Oatmeal seems like a naturally heart-healthy option anywhere you are, as many variations of the popular dish contain antioxidants and promote healthy bacteria in your gut. However, at chains like McDonald's or Burger King, hidden calories are often snuck in as well as immense amounts of sugar, our sources explain. "This popular fast food breakfast is relied upon for the idea that it is healthy," Best says. 'Unfortunately, this is not the case and consumers may want to opt for an at home oatmeal instead."
The oatmeal, a typically healthy breakfast item, contains 32 grams of sugar at McDonald's, for example, which Best points out is the equivalent of eating eight sugar packets. "To put this further into perspective, the McDonald's Apple Pie has only 13 grams of sugar, less than half of what is in the oatmeal," she adds.
Sullivan agrees, and notes thaat the McDonald's oatmeal "has a lot of add-ins like maple brown sugar, added cream and additional fruit." While fruit will improve any meal health-wise, this version of the oatmeal isn't the wisest option to eat frequently due to its other additives, he says.
How To Make This Healthier & Other Alternatives
Fast food oatmeal bowls can be made "healthier" by not having the additional sugar and cream, Sullivan says. "If one wants to be very conscious they can even take it a step further by only having half of the serving of oatmeal. This is a great way to guarantee that breakfast will not be heavy on unwanted carbs and a great way to control calories," he adds.
"To make healthier options make sure to be informed," Sullivan advises."Be informed on the foods you are purchasing, what restaurant you are ordering from and if all else fails, just do a quick search on your phone to make the right purchase."When it comes to delicious fast food oatmeals, many, Sullivan says are "laced with sugars, additives and food colorings that make us want to come back to them, but just the fact that they can be "marketed in a certain way does not make them healthy, it's a false narrative."
For those that must eat on the go at McDonald's, Best concludes, it may be "more beneficial to opt for the Egg White Delight, which is low in added sugar and lacks much of the saturated fat in other breakfast items."
