If you're dieting and want to include a trip to Arby's in your meal plan, stock up on calorie information first. Planning what to eat helps you select the most nutritious foods on the menu to stay within your calorie limits. In choosing fast food items, calculating the percentage of calories from fat will keep you trimmer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets fat intake boundaries at 20 percent to 35 percent of calories. Nutritional amounts are based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet.
Types
The Arby's Restaurant website provides a nutrition chart for these categories: roast beef sandwiches, chicken, Market Fresh sandwiches, toasted sandwiches, chopped salads, sides, kids' meals, beverages and desserts. You can also use the online nutrition calculator to punch in your desired order and receive custom nutrition facts and calorie information.
Size
Serving sizes contain different calorie information and nutrients. For instance, a regular roast beef sandwich has 350 calories (110 calories from fat), while a medium (450 calories, 170 from fat) and large (590 calories, 230 from fat) add to the count. These are all within the USDA calories/fat limit, but the bigger portions take up more of your total daily calorie count. Side dishes, beverages and desserts push the total even higher. This means you must eat less at other meals to stay within a daily 2,000-calorie limit.
Time Frame
The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans do offer some leeway on calorie and fat intake. Sticking to a strict daily count dissuades some people from persisting in weight loss or weight maintenance. Averaging your nutrient intake over a few days during the week lets you enjoy higher-calorie fast foods every now and then.
Benefits
If you're looking for a low-calorie entree, for example, you might choose a ham and Swiss melt (300 calories), a roast chicken ranch sandwich (340 calories) or a Farmhouse Chicken Salad (260). Balsamic vinaigrette dressing adds 130 calories. Low-cal drinks include coffee (0 calories) and diet peach or blackberry tea (5 calories).
Warnings
Some Arby's sandwiches and most sides are very high in calories and exceed the calorie/fat ratio. Watch out for the Ultimate BLT Sandwich (880 calories, 420 from fat) and large curly fries (640 calories, 310 from fat). Even the Crispy Chopped Farmhouse Chicken Salad has 460 calories, half of them from fat, without dressing. Take advantage of the free online nutrition information to locate healthy choices.
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