McDonald's is the largest fast food chain in the world, serving burgers, chicken and fish sandwiches, breakfast and salads. McDonald's Cheddar/Jack blend of shredded cheese is in its Ranch, Honey Mustard and Chipotle BBQ Snack Wraps with grilled or crispy chicken as well as in its Premium Southwest or Ranch Bacon salads with grilled or crispy chicken or without chicken.
Calcium
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, calcium is an essential mineral for muscle contraction, blood pressure regulation and secretion of some hormones. It is also the main constituent of the mineral in bones and teeth. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services state that many Americans are at risk for deficiency leading to bone disorders such as osteoporosis. The Cheddar/Jack blend from McDonald's on a Snack Wrap or Premium Salad has between 5 and 10 percent of the daily value for calcium.
Dairy
The Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health lists cheese as a major source of calcium for Americans. Someone on a 2,000-calorie diet should have three daily servings of dairy products such as milk, yogurt or cheese. You should choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products to reduce your intake of calories and saturated fat, and Mayo Clinic recommends reducing your risk of heart disease by avoiding full fat dairy products. The Cheddar/Jack blend provides less than a serving of full fat cheese.
Sodium
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines suggest decreasing your sodium intake to control blood pressure and possibly reduce the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease and kidney disease. Most of the sodium in the American diet comes from the salt in processed foods, but natural sources of sodium include shellfish and meat. Milk and cheese have sodium, and the Cheddar/Jack blend in McDonald's Snack Wraps provides 75mg sodium. The Premium Southwest Salad has 55mg sodium and the Premium Bacon Salad has 100mg sodium. The daily value is 2,400mg for someone on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Other Nutrients
The Cheddar/Jack blend in McDonald's Snack Wraps has 40 calories and 2g protein, the cheese in the Premium Southwest Salad has 30 calories and 1g protein and the blend in the Premium Bacon Salad has 50 calories and 2g protein. They have between 2.5g and 4g total fat and 1.5g to 2.5g saturated fat. The blend in each menu item has about 2 percent of the daily value for vitamin A and 1g carbohydrate.
Considerations
You will probably not eat McDonald's Cheddar/Jack blend by itself because it comes as a topping or filling for some McDonald's menu items. The menu item you order and any special requests that you make might have a greater impact on the total nutritional value of your meal than whether or not you have cheese. For example, choosing a Premium Southwest Salad without chicken instead of with crispy chicken would save you 230 calories, 13g fat and 670mg sodium.
References
- McDonalds: Bag A McMeal
- Mayo Clinic: Heart-Healthy Diet: Eight Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
- U.S. Department of Health And Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2005
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium
- McDonalds: Ingredients
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