How to make fast food healthier: These burgers are the best options for calorie-counters

Burgers are a staple of many Americans’ diet: research shows that over a third of the U.S. population visits fast-food restaurants that specialize in the dish - such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s - multiple times a week.

Indeed, 13% of Americans say they frequent such establishments every day, according to data collected by the hospitality-industry experts OysterLink.

“Shouldn’t be a regular part of your diet”

Burgers may come with a high calorie count and (if made with a beef patty) significant quantities of saturated fat. Cuisine served at fast-food restaurants, moreover, is often highly processed in nature. “Fast-food burgers shouldn’t be a regular part of your diet,” warns SaVanna Shoemaker, a registered dietitian with Healthline.

Regular consumption of ultra-processed food has been linked to “a range of adverse health outcomes”, explains John Sanford, a research dietitian at Stanford Medicine. These include obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, depression, anxiety and cancer, Sanford warns.

But, even among fast-food restaurants’ less frequent visitors, there are times when no amount of medical evidence is going to dissuade us from fulfilling that desire to scoff down a juicy burger.

With this in mind, Shoemaker has perused the menus at numerous nationwide establishments to offer up a selection of burgers whose nutritional properties place them among fast food’s more advisable options. They include:

Freddy’s Single Steakburger

• 280 calories
• 12g of fat (of which 10g saturated)
• 24g of protein
• 30g of carbs

Wendy’s Jr. Cheeseburger

• 280 calories
• 14g of fat (of which 6g saturated)
• 14g of protein
• 25g of carbs

Plant-based option: White Castle Veggie Slider

• 190 calories
• 10g fat (of which 1g saturated)
• 5g of protein
• 22g of carbs

Check out Shoemaker’s full list of options and recommendations for Healthline.

How many calories do I need per day?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), adult females typically need between 1,600 and 2,400 calories per day. Adult males normally require between 2,000 and 3,000 calories per day.

How much saturated fat should I eat per day?

Per the American Heart Association (AHA), eating too much saturated fat can lead to problems with your body’s levels of cholesterol - a fatty, wax-like substance that’s found in your blood.

Consuming excessive saturated fat can raise your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is also known as “bad” cholesterol. If you have too much LDL in your blood, this may increase your chances of suffering heart disease or stroke, the AHA warns.

Saturated fat should account for less than 6% of your calorie intake per day, the AHA says.

“For example, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 of them should come from saturated fat,” the organization explains. “That’s about 13 grams or less of saturated fat per day.”

How much protein do I need per day?

Your body needs protein to help repair cells and form new ones, notes the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). Per the British Heart Foundation, the average adult woman needs around 45g per day; the average adult man needs about 55g per day.

How many carbs do I need per day?

Carbohydrates are chiefly broken down by your body into blood sugar, which is “the main source of energy for your body’s cells, tissues, and organs”, says the NLM. Typically, the government agency adds, a 2,000-calories-a-day diet should include 275g of carbs.

Carbs can be refined or unrefined; it’s important to prioritize consumption of the latter, as refined carbs have undergone a process that “removes some of the nutrients that are good for your health”, the NLM says.

Refined carbs may, for example, be present in your burger bun. Indeed, Shoemaker declares: “The least healthy part of most fast-food hamburgers may be the highly processed, refined-flour bun.”

Related stories

Wellbeing

Trouble sleeping? Try this

Psychology

Leave your bed unmade can reveal these traits

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.