Stopping off at the McDonald's drive-thru may be fast and convenient when time is tight or you don't feel like cooking, but not all the items it offers fit into a healthy diet. However, making the right choices can provide you with some necessary nutrients that are important for your health. Help Guide recommends choosing single patty burgers, small orders of fries and skipping soda to keep your calorie count down. This allows you to enjoy a McDonald's meal without derailing your healthy eating habits. Salads are another choice that typically contain more nutrients for less calories.
Protein
Protein is a nutrient that is necessary to virtually every part of your body, including your hair, skin, blood, internal organs and muscles, according to the University of Massachusetts. Many of the items on the McDonald's menu will provide you with a dose of protein, but the trick is to choose one that is also low in fat and calories. A good choice for breakfast would be an Egg McMuffin which weighs in with 17 g of protein and only 290 calories versus a Sausage Biscuit with Egg, which has 500 calories in it and 18 g of protein. A Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken will give you 31 g of protein for only 250 calories while a Big Mac only gives you 25 g of protein with 560 calories.
Fiber
Many of the menu items at McDonald's will help you reach your daily recommended total for fiber, but again, you should choose one that isn't going to wreak havoc on your health by being to high in fat and calories. Getting adequate fiber every day is important because it keeps your digestive tract healthy and moving smoothly and regularly, according to the University of Massachusetts. In addition, fiber helps control cholesterol and reduces your risk of heart disease. McDonald's Fruit and Walnut Salad contains only 310 calories, but packs in 6 g of fiber. In contrast, a large order of fries will set you back 520 calories, but contains 7 g of fiber.
Vitamins
Vitamin C is important for good health because it helps your body heal when it is cut, burned or otherwise wounded and can also help prevent cancer, reports the University of Massachusetts. Vitamin A can also prevent cancer and keeps your eyes healthy. While you may not associate fast food with vitamin intake, several items on the McDonald's menu have a healthy dose of vitamins A and C for a reasonable number of fat and calories. For example, the Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken provides you with 130 percent of your daily recommended totals for vitamin A and 50 percent of your daily needs for vitamin C, but with only 320 calories. Compare that to a Big-n-Tasty burger, which has 460 calories, 6 percent of your vitamin A needs and only 8 percent of your vitamin C needs. The better choice is obvious.
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