Vitamins in Fast Foods

Fast foods are made from food. This means that, despite a general air of unhealthiness, they do contain some nutrition. The meat, breads and condiments all deliver some vitamins. However, according to Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett, compared to the sodium, calories and saturated fats they deliver as well, the nutritive content of fast food is negligible.

Cheeseburgers

According to information at TheCalorieCounter.com, a single-patty cheeseburger like a Whopper Junior or Quarter Pounder carries nearly 500 calories. That's one quarter of the USDA recommended calorie allowance for your day. The condiments on your burger deliver 2 percent of your daily vitamin A and 4 percent of your vitamin B. Bumping up to a Whopper or Big Mac adds 100 calories with no significant increase in vitamins.

Fried Chicken

A fried chicken drumstick, like you'd find at Popeye's or KFC, carries about 400 of your daily 2,000 calories, while delivering 4 percent of your daily vitamin A and no other vitamins. Though you can cut the calories down to only 45 by eating the skinless, roasted variety now available at most fried chicken restaurants, you lose all of the vitamin A in the process.

French Fries

A small serving of French fries delivers 16 percent of your daily vitamin C, an amount comparable to a similar sized serving of spinach. However, those fries bring with them 291 calories; that helping of spinach is 16.

Fast Food Salad

By far your best nutrition option when eating at a fast food restaurant, a green salad brings 24 percents of your vitamin A and 40 percent of your vitamin C to the table. This is at the cost of just 17 calories, assuming you skip the dressing. Dressing can add as many as 100 calories per serving without contributing any additional vitamin content.