To avoid the most unhealthy fast foods, start counting fat grams to see how menu items affect your diet. The use of fatty meats, sauces and frying methods -- sometimes combined in a single entree -- can send both fat content and calorie counts through the roof. The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, recommends no more than 65 g of total fat intake per day. The American Diabetes Association, or ADA, points out that you can reach that total in a single ill-chosen fast-food meal.
Entrees
Breakfast sandwiches made with fatty biscuits top the charts, with 37 g of fat per egg and sausage biscuit entree, as listed by the USDA Nutrient Database. Like these sandwiches, the multiple fatty ingredients in a single large taco gives it the same amount of fat as a large double-patty hamburger, at 32 g. Breading and frying nudge an order of fried shrimp to 25 g and a fish sandwich and chicken fillet sandwich to 29 g of fat. Some moderate fat content fast foods include bean and cheese burritos, 6 g; a cup of chili, 8 g; and English muffin breakfast sandwiches, 12 g.
Sides
Your portion sizes of side dishes can make a difference in the fat totals of your fast-food meals. Avoid super sizing, counsels the ADA. Small, medium and large French fries, at 14, 23 and 29 g of fat, are all considered high in fat by the FDA. Choose sides wisely. Mashed potatoes contain only 1 g of fat in 1/3 cup, while 8 or 9 onion rings have 16 g of fat. Moderate fat content side orders include hush puppies, 12 g; frijoles with cheese, 8 g per cup; and a veggie salad, 6 g -- with Italian dressing, another 4 g of fat per tablespoon.
Beverages
High-fat drinks drive your meal totals upward, with milk shakes posing the biggest threat. In 16 oz., a chocolate shake has 12 g of fat, and a vanilla shake has 22 g of fat. Most fast food restaurants offer 1-percent, low-fat milk, with 2 g of fat per 8 oz.; chocolate varieties have 3 g of fat. While coffee and tea are fat-free, adding cream or whipped cream can add as much as 6 g per tablespoon to your order, the USDA notes. Remember that carbonated sodas, with 0 g of fat, are high in sugar instead.
Desserts
Dessert fat contents may push you over your 65 g daily limit. Fried fruit pies carry 21 g of fat each; a hot fudge sundae has 9 g of fat; and a chocolate chip cookie has 2 g of fat. The ADA relates that some menus offer fat-free frozen yogurt for a healthier dessert choice.
Member Comments