Burger King can fit into a nutritious diet that is designed around variety, moderation and balancing food with physical activity. Let federal recommendations guide ordering at Burger King and take every opportunity to choose lean proteins and low-fat dairy products, add fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and cut out unhealthy fat, sodium, cholesterol and sugar.
Calories
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says consuming excess calories leads to weight gain, obesity and chronic diseases. High-calorie foods are okay on occasion but should be balanced with lower-calorie items and physical activity. Reduce calories at Burger King by sharing entrees, downsizing instead of super-sizing, passing on dessert and avoiding deep-fried items. Ordering a whopper Jr. instead of a regular whopper cuts calories by 330, and a small order of French fries has 200 fewer calories than a large order. A deep-fried tendercrisp chicken sandwich has 280 more calories than the grilled version.
Fat
Fat is high in calories and too much fat, especially saturated and trans-fats and cholesterol, increases the risk of heart disease, according to the USDA. The triple whopper with cheese is the highest-fat item at Burger King, with 84 g of fat and 225 mg of cholesterol. That is 127 percent of the fat and 75 percent of the cholesterol recommended for an entire day in a single burger. Beverages and breakfast items can also be high in fat, such as the medium oreo BK chocolate sundae shake, which has 28 g of fat, and the sausage, egg and cheese biscuit, which has 37 g of fat. Lower-fat options at Burger King are the BK veggie burger without mayonnaise and the tendergrill chicken garden salad with fat-free ranch dressing, which contain 7 g of fat each. Order pancakes at breakfast, which only has 4 g of fat.
Sodium
The body needs sodium to function but too much sodium raises blood pressure in certain individuals. Federal guidelines recommend less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. Order unsalted French fries to reduce sodium by 150 mg and get burgers without mayonnaise, which reduces sodium by 140 mg. Limit or avoid items like the Texas triple whopper and the A1 steakhouse XT burger, which each have more than 1,900 mg of sodium. Be aware that condiments like the buffalo and barbeque dipping sauces contain more than 300 mg of sodium and many of the salad dressings have more than 500 mg of sodium.
Added Sugar
Added sugar adds calories without providing essential nutrients. Too much sugar raises blood glucose, which is unhealthy for diabetics and pre-diabetics, and causes tooth decay. Limit regular soda, desserts and breakfast sweets like the 32 oz. chocolate milkshake, which has 153 g sugar, and a medium soda, which has 79 g sugar. Drink sugar-free beverages like water, diet soda, coffee or fat-free milk, which only has 14 g of sugar.
Menu Modifications
Modifying menu items at Burger King can improve their nutritive value. Order burgers and sandwiches with extra vegetables to increase fiber. According to the USDA, fiber benefits health and may help prevent chronic diseases. Reduce fat and calories by limiting or avoiding extras like mayonnaise, cheese and salad dressing. One slice of American cheese has 50 calories and 4 g of fat and the original chicken sandwich has 210 more calories and 33 g more fat when ordered with mayonnaise. Requesting fat-free ranch dressing instead of regular ranch reduces calories by 130 and fat by 20 g.
Member Comments