McDonald's is a quick-service restaurant chain that was founded in 1955 and has has more than 32,000 locations in 117 countries, as of 2011. McDonald's offers lower prices than traditional sit-down restaurants, however, many of its menu items are high in fat and calories. The franchise does offer some healthy menu items and provides nutritional information so you can make the best choice for your diet.
Breakfast
McDonald's offers a wide selection of breakfast items, including sandwiches, hotcakes and oatmeal. McDonald's breakfast items vary widely in nutritional value, but some of the lower calorie items include the 160-calorie English muffin and the 300-calorie Egg McMuffin. Although the Egg McMuffin is high in fat, with 12 g, it contains 18 g of protein and just 3 g of sugar. According to the November 2009 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism," meals high in protein provide more satiety than meals high in carbohydrates or fat, and may be beneficial for weight loss.
Salads
All of the salads at McDonald's contain less than 450 calories, with the grilled chicken salads being significantly lower in fat and calories than the crispy, or fried, chicken salads. McDonald's offers the option to remove chicken from your salad, which reduces the calorie content but also significantly reduces the protein content. The salads lowest in calories and fat are the side salad, with 20 calories and no fat, and the Premium Caesar Salad without chicken, with 90 calories and 4 g of fat. Note that the salad dressings are all high in calories, with the exception of the two low-fat dressings.
Hamburgers
Hamburgers are the highest calorie items at McDonald's, with up to 770 calories per burger. These burgers contain up to 2 g of trans fat, which is the entire daily recommended intake recommended by the American Heart Association, due to trans fat's potential adverse effects on your cardiovascular health. The lowest calorie burgers are the plain hamburger and cheeseburger, with 250 calories and 9 g of fat, and 300 calories and 12 g of fat, respectively.
Chicken
Although chicken is a low-fat, low-calorie protein source, many of McDonald's chicken menu items are high in calories and fat. However, the chicken wraps are low in calories, as the Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap contains 260 calories and 9 g of fat, while the Ranch Snack Wrap contains 270 calories and 10 g of fat.
Sides
Some of the side dishes at McDonald's are as high in calories as the main menu items, such as large French fries, which contain 500 calories. The four-piece Chicken McNugget side is lowest in calories, with 190 calories, but it does contain 12 g of total fat.
Desserts
Although many of McDonald's desserts, such as the McFlurry drinks and shakes are high in calories and fat, some items are low in calories. The reduced-fat vanilla ice cream cone contains just 150 calories and 3.5 g of fat. Meanwhile, the Fruit 'N Yogurt Parfait contains 160 calories and 2 g of fat, and the Apple Dippers with low fat caramel dip provide just 100 calories and .5 g of fat.
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