Are the Golden Arches are calling your name? Skip the famous Big Mac and chow down on these guilt-free, dietician-approved orders.
Fast and furious
Despite knowing all the ways fast food is bad for us, more than one-third of Americans are still eating it every day, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics. Our nationally beloved McDonald’s is the number two restaurant (and still number one at the drive-through). To the chain’s credit, it has made some strides toward better options. It nixed its “Super Size” combo options, vowed to curb antibiotic use in its beef, and, it’s been reported that the chain may be bringing a vegan burger to the United States.
While nutrition experts will never endorse a daily drive-through run, they understand that sometimes you run out of time or other options. And that’s OK. It happens to all of us, dieticians included. Turns out, you can comb the menu and find a few diamonds in the rough. We asked the pros what to order when you don’t want to completely destroy your nutritional goals, and they gave us the following picks.
Yup, the Golden Arches’ standard isn’t all that naughty on its own. It’s got 250 calories and eight grams fat, only three of which are saturated, so that’s still less than 20 percent of your of recommended daily allowance (RDA), says dietitian Amy Shapiro, RD, owner of Real Nutrition NYC. And with 13 grams of soon-to-be antibiotic-free protein, this burger will tide you over until you’re less hangry and desperate. Find out what the 10 best-selling McDonald’s items of all time are.