Arby's is well known for its roast beef sandwiches, but the menu also offers up other sandwiches, salads and sides. Eating fast food typically means getting more fat, calories and salt than you need in an entire day, reports HelpGuide.org. However, It is possible to enjoy a healthy meal at Arby's by choosing the right foods and the appropriate cooking method.
Calories
Eating too many calories causes weight gain, unless you are able to burn them off each day. Being overweight increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease. If you're concerned about calories, choose Arby's Ham and Swiss Melt with 300 calories over a large Roast Beef sandwich with 560 calories, or a regular order of Prime Cut Chicken Tenders with 360 calories instead of the Ultimate BLT sandwich with 820 calories. A large order of curly fries adds 710 calories and a large order of Mozzarella Sticks weighs in with 660 calories.
Fat
Based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, you should limit your fat intake to 44 to 78 g of total fat a day, according to MayoClinic.com. A high-fat diet puts you at an increased risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. Arby's Roast Beef and Swiss sandwich has 35 g of fat and the Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich has 30 g. Better options are the regular Roast Beef sandwich with 11 g of fat or the French Dip and Swiss toasted sub with 15 g of fat. Four Potato Cakes adds 30 g of fat to your meal and a large order of Jalapeno Bites increases your intake by 27 g. A Chopped Side Salad only has 5 g of fat, making it a healthier side option.
Sodium
Daily intake recommendations for sodium are between 1,500 and 2,300 mg, according to MayoClinic.com. Just one a fast food meal, Arby's included, can surpass that daily recommendation. Arby's doesn't have selections that are low in sodium. A Reuben sandwich contains 1,870 mg of sodium, the Large Beef 'n Cheddar has 2,270 mg and the Roast Ham and Swiss sandwich weighs in with 2,010 mg. A medium order of Curly Fries has 1,550 mg of sodium and the Steakhouse Onion Rings contain 1,400 mg.
Healthy Tips
Eating at Arby's may not be something you want to do on a regular basis because the menu items are all very high in salt, which can increase your risk of high blood pressure. Even the low-fat and low-calorie options are high in sodium. However, when you do eat at Arby's, for a healthier meal, HelpGuide.org recommends ordering small size sandwiches on whole grain bread when available, going easy on cheese in favor of extra vegetable toppings on your sandwich, and limiting how much mayonnaise and sauce your put on your Arby's sandwich. Additionally, choose a side salad over fries or onion rings and have water or unsweetened iced tea rather than a soda.
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