How does McDonald’s nutrition compare?
Fast food is a big part of our lives, whether we eat it or not. We see dozens of commercials every day on TV, billboards, buses, emails, mobile ads, and many more. We are constantly reminded of the convenience, affordability, and improved “healthy” qualities of various fast food items. But how healthy or unhealthy is fast food really? Is it worth saving a few minutes of cooking to eat that double cheeseburger or a hard shell taco? I would like to start a series of posts comparing the nutritional information of various fast food chains with their homemade counterparts. Today I am going to show you some of the nutrition facts for McDonald’s compared to the nutrition facts for a healthier homemade option, then you can judge if the nutritional differences are worth saving a dollar or a few minutes.
McDonald’s Nutrition – Quarter Pound with Cheese
Vs
Homemade Version – Quarter Pound Burger with Wheat Bread and Cheese
Mcdonald’s Quarter Pound with Cheese:
Calories: 520
Calories from Fat: 240
Total fat: 26g
Saturated fat: 12g
Trans fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 95 mg
Sodium: 1100 mg
Total carbohydrates: 41g
Dietary fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 10g
Protein: 30g
Vitamin A: 10%
Vitamin C: 2%
Calcium: 30%
Iron: 25%
Homemade Quarter Pound with Cheese on Wheat Bread
Calories: 401
Calories from Fat: 118
Total fat: 15g
Saturated fat: 7g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6 g
Monounsaturated fat: 4.5 g
Cholesterol: 93 mg
Sodium: 723 mg
Potassium: 469 mg
Total carbohydrates: 31g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 35g
Vitamin A: 16%
Calcium: 57%
Iron: 3%
There you go. Nutrition information for a fast food joint and a homemade burger. Let’s take a minute to discuss the differences in nutrition from McDonald’s and the homemade version. We’ll start with the fat content. the McDonald’s version has more saturated and trans fats (the bad fats) while the homemade hamburger has higher amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats (the OK fats). McDonald’s nutrition shows higher amounts of cholesterol, sodium, sugars and iron. The homemade hamburger shows higher amounts of fiber, protein, vitamins and potassium.
It’s no wonder the homemade version is healthier than the McDonald’s version. The real surprise is how much healthier it actually is. If you avoid McDonald’s nutrition and take a few more minutes to make your own hamburger, you will consume less fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar, and more fiber, protein, potassium and vitamins. In other words, turn McDonald’s nutrition into muscle-building nutrition. A homemade burger with 35g of protein, 4g of fiber, some good fats, and a lot less starch makes a delicious muscle-building dinner.
Stay tuned for my next fast food comparison coming soon!