When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, fast food chains like McDonald’s are often seen as off-limits. Many fast food items are high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium, which can contribute to weight gain and other health issues. However, with careful selection, it is possible to enjoy a meal from the Golden Arches without sabotaging your weight loss goals.
By making informed choices, you can find menu items that provide essential nutrients without the excess calories and harmful ingredients. Luckily, health experts recently helped rank McDonald’s menu items from several categories in Eat This, Not That. Here are some top picks that nutritionists recommend for a balanced, low-fat meal at McDonald’s.
Healthiest Breakfast Food: Fruit and Maple Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast foods out there. It's packed with benefits for your whole body, which is why it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook told Eat This, Not That it's at the top of the list as far as McDonald's breakfasts go.
"This oatmeal provides you with 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein to help you power through your morning without overdoing it on calories," she says. "And, not to mention, this is the lowest in saturated fat and sodium out of all of their breakfast options."
Other good options include the Egg McMuffin, which she ranks at number two thanks to its "17 grams of high-quality protein," and the Sausage Burrito, coming in at number three.
Worst Breakfast: Big Breakfast with Hot Cakes
Sorry, pancake lovers! If you're watching your weight, it's best to skip the Big Breakfast with Hot Cakes at McDonald's. This meal, which comes with hotcakes, a biscuit, scrambled eggs, sausage, and hashbrowns comes to a whopping 1,340 calories, 63g fat, and 2,070mg sodium. Yikes!
"The Big Breakfast with Hotcakes provides more than your daily value for saturated fat and almost your daily value for sodium, which can be a major concern for those watching their blood pressure or trying to reduce their risk of heart disease," Goodson warns. "Not to mention, it provides almost your daily amount of added sugars." We'll stick to a sandwich.
Healthiest Chicken, Fish, & Fries: Chicken McNuggets
Craving some crispy nuggets? You're in luck. As far as the chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches, and fries go on the McDonald's menu, Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT, a.k.a. The Nutrition Twins, rank Chicken McNuggets as the healthiest option available. Yum!
"Chicken nuggets tend to be a decadent-feeling option, yet you get 13 grams of satisfying protein and less than one-quarter of your saturated fat allotment, which is far better than most other items on the menu," they told Eat This, Not That. "Plus, at only 280 calories, you can step up the nutrition by adding apples and still have far fewer calories than most other items on the menu." Sign us up!
If you're craving a sandwich, you can go with the McChicken for a decent choice for your health; The Nutrition Twins rank it as number two.
Worst: Spicy McCrispy Chicken Sandwich
Although Chicken McNuggets may be a health-conscious choice, a McCrispy Chicken Sandwich like this one is a different story. This spicy sandwich comes out to 530 calories, 26g fat, and 1,320mg sodium, which is why ETNT ranked it last in the chicken and fish category. In fact, it has the highest amount of sodium on the list. No thanks!
Healthiest Burger: Hamburger
Burger time! McDonald's is perhaps most well-known for their delicious, juicy burgers. And while a burger may not always the best option when you're watching your weight, that doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself when cravings strike. If you pull up to the Golden Arches craving some beef, go with a classic hamburger, which is only 250 calories.
"This hamburger tops the list of best items when it comes calories, saturated fat, and sodium," says the Nutrition Twins. "Add apple slices or a healthy side from your own house or car to step up the fiber, antioxidants and nutrients." Yum!
Want to add some cheese? It won't kill you. In fact, the Twins rank a Cheeseburger just below a Hamburger. This sandwich is 300 calories.
Worst Burger: Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese
We love a double cheeseburger as much as the next person, but for those aiming for a healthier body, it's best to avoid the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald's. This single sandwich contains 740 calories, 42g fat, and 1360mg sodium.
"Let's face it, double the meat and added cheese in this burger doesn't exactly sound like the picture of health," the Nutrition Twins warn. "With 740 calories, you're not far away from the calories that a small, inactive female needs for her entire day, yet you would have consumed 7 grams more than the daily saturated fat recommended by the AHA. This burger also has more trans fat (2.5 grams) then any other meal, which means it's not good for the heart since it lowers good cholesterol and raises bad cholesterol." Noted!
Healthiest Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookie
Got a sweet tooth? While it's important to remember that added sugar can lead to a range of risks when consumed in excess, it's okay to treat yourself every now and then. If you want to make the healthiest choice at McDonald's, Greene recommends opting for a cookie. This dessert adds just 170 calories to your intake.
"For anyone paying attention to their caloric intake, the chocolate chip cookie has the least amount of calories on the dessert menu, and though it is not a significant amount, one cookie does contain one gram of fiber, and when it comes to fiber intake, every gram counts," she tells ETNT. Yum!
And for another option, Baked Apple Pie comes in at number two. Not bad!
Worst: McFlurry With M&Ms
We're sorry to break the news to ice cream aficionados, but according to ETNT, the McFlurry with M&Ms is the worst dessert you can order from McDonald's. At 640 calories, 21g fat, and a staggering 83g of sugar, this could do even more damage to your health than a greasy sandwich. Reach for the Vanilla Cone for a slightly healthier option—your body will thank you.
