McDonalds Nutrition

While McDonalds nutrition may be perceived as unhealthy, creating a healthy meal is attainable with the right information. We did the work for you so you can make the best decision when relying on this popular fast food restaurant for your next meal.

McDonalds Nutrition Facts

As the highest-selling fast food service chain, McDonalds surpasses its competitors, such as Burger King and Taco Bell, with its more than 12,000 United States locations and more than $19 billion sales in 2000. However, convenience and popularity does come with a price, and a high one at that in terms of health. The nutritional values of most food items on McDonalds menu boards are not favorable. For example, an order of large fries sets you back 570 calories and 30 grams of fat, nearly half of the Daily Value (DV) for a person eating about 2000 calories a day. Additional McDonalds nutrition facts are shown in the following chart.

McDonalds Nutrition

Menu Item	Calories	Fat (grams)	Saturated Fat (grams)	Sodium (milligrams)
Hamburger	250	9	3.5	520
Cheeseburger	300	12	6	750
Quarter Pounder	410	19	7	730
Big Mac	540	29	10	1040
Grilled Chicken Classic	420	10	2	1190
Small Fries	250	13	2.5	140
Six Piece Chicken Nuggets	250	15	3	670
Filet-O-Fish	380	18	4	660
Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich	660	28	8	1860
Egg McMuffin	300	12	5	820
Vanilla Shake (16 ounce)	550	13	8	190

Losing Weight with McDonalds

Challenges arise for a person trying to shed some extra pounds heavily relies on fast food for daily meals. While the quickness and convenience of a meal is often a great benefit, consuming more calories than your body needs does not have to be jeopardized at the same time. Any of the following food items are appropriate meal options on a typical weight loss plan:

* Egg McMuffin (300 calories, 12 grams of fat)
* Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken (220 calories, 6 grams of fat)
* Fruit and Yogurt Parfait (160 calories, 2 grams of fat)
* Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap with Honey Mustard (260 calories, 9 grams of fat)
* Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap with Ranch (270 calories, 10 grams of fat)
* Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken (260 calories, 9 grams of fat)
* Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken (320 calories, 9 grams of fat)

For the salad options, the lowest calorie dressing available at this time is Newman’s Low Fat Balsamic with 40 calories and 3 grams of fat per 1.5 ounce portion.

McDonalds Food Ingredients

Research has determined that saturated fat and trans fat are the worst offenders to the human body, mainly the heart and arteries. For this reason, food items containing these culprits are best avoided as much as possible. Also, risk of liver problems, including damage, is higher with a fat-laden diet, as noted by Morgan Spurlock in his award-winning documentary entitled Super Size Me. Unfortunately, McDonalds nutrition does not address this area in a beneficial way due to its use of partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil, liquid margarine, vegetable shortening, and coconut oil. McDonald’s foods also contain a significant amount of preservatives and artificial flavors and colors which have the potential to cause health problems. For example, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) show evidence of carcinogenic activity in animal trials. Some researchers argue that the high incidence of childhood allergies and asthma may be caused by these chemical preservatives used throughout our food supply.

The sodium content incorporated into McDonalds nutrition may be of concern for certain individuals. It is apparent that the use of sodium in many of the McDonalds food items is extremely high. For example, the Deluxe Breakfast contains 2100 milligrams of sodium which is nearly the total limit (2400 milligrams) for most people. This can be devastating for persons who are salt-sensitive and have high blood pressure as a result.

Additional Information and Resources

A comprehensive view of McDonalds nutrition can be found on their website. While you will not find any items labeled as "super size", thanks to Mr. Spurlock, be careful when ordering any items described as big, deluxe, grand, or ultimate. Also, it is always good habit to order small sizes if weight loss is the goal and for general healthy for all ages. In addition, there are downloadable forms that you can keep with you as a handy guide for making the best possible choices when the McDonalds drive-thru is the last resort. In addition, many fast food restaurants list the nutritional values of their menu items on their websites as well.