How Does Mcdonald’s Nutrition Stack Up?
Fast food is a huge part of our lives whether we eat it or not. We see dozens of ads 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 hard shell taco? I’d like to start a series of posts comparing the nutrition facts of various fast food chains vs their homemade counterparts. Today I’ll show you some of Mcdonald’s nutrition facts compared to the nutrition facts of a healthier, homemade option, then you can be the judge on whether saving a dollar or a few minutes is worth the nutritional differences.
Mcdonald’s Nutrition – Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese
Vs
Homemade Version – Quarter Pound Burger w/ Wheat Bun and Cheese
Mcdonald’s Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese:
Calories: 520
Calories from fat: 240
Total Fat: 26g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Trans Fat: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 95mg
Sodium: 1100mg
Total Carbs: 41g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 10g
Protein: 30g
Vitamin A: 10%
Vitamin C: 2%
Calcium: 30%
Iron: 25%
Homemade Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese on Wheat Bun
Calories: 401
Calories from fat: 118
Total Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Polyunsaturated Fat:.6g
Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5g
Cholesterol: 93mg
Sodium: 723mg
Potassium: 469mg
Total Carbs: 31g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sugars: 7g
Protein: 35g
Vitamin A: 16%
Calcium: 57%
Iron: 3%
There you have it. The nutrition facts for a fast food joint and a homemade burger. Let’s take a minute to discuss the differences in Mcdonald’s nutrition and the homemade version. We will start with the fat content. the Mcdonald’s version has more saturated fat and trans fat (the bad fats) while the homemade burger has higher amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fat (the OK fats). The Mcdonald’s nutrition shows higher amounts of cholesterol, sodium, sugars, and Iron. The homemade burger shows higher amounts of fiber, protein, vitamins and potassium.
It is no surprise that the homemade version is healthier than the Mcdonald’s version. The real surprise is how much healthier it actually is. By avoiding the Mcdonald’s nutrition and taking a few extra minutes to make your own burger, you’ll be taking in less fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar, and more fiber, protein potassium and vitamins. In other words, you turn Mcdonald’s nutrition into muscle building nutrition. A homemade burger with 35g of protein, 4g of fiber, some good fats and much less starch makes for a muscle building, delicious dinner.
Keep an eye for my next fast food comparison coming soon!
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