Posted on: Thursday, September 13, 2007
Can you eat a healthful fast-food breakfast? It's not exactly simple, but there are some choices that are the lesser of several evils. Keep in mind that breakfast should be about 25 percent of your daily calories.
MCDONALD'S
www.mcdonalds.com
Calorie rip-offs:
Deluxe breakfast (biscuit, eggs, sausage and hash browns) without syrup or margarine: 1,070 calories, 55 g fat, 2,090 mg sodium, 109 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 36 g protein.
Hotcakes and sausage (with two pats margarine and syrup): 780 calories, 33 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 4 g trans fat, 1,020 mg sodium, 106 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 15g protein.
Picks:
English muffin (no butter): 140 calories, 1.5 g fat, no saturated fat, no trans fat, 260 mg sodium, 27 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein.
Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12 g fat, 820 mg sodium, 30 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 18 g protein.
Scrambled eggs (two): 170 calories, 11 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 180 mg sodium, 1 g carbs, no fiber, 15 g protein.
Fit tip: Avoid the biscuits; they start at 250 calories and go up to 570. If you're going to go for something high in calories, you're better off, from a hunger perspective, having an Egg McMuffin. At least it has protein rather than just heavy carbs, which could leave you feeling hungry a few hours later. Also, watch out for the flavored coffees, McDonald's adds syrup, so the calories are up there (190 for a medium).
BURGER KING
www.bk.com
Calorie rip-offs:
Enormous omelet sandwich: 730 calories, 45 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat, 1,940 mg sodium, 44 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 37 g protein.
Double croissan'wich with sausage, egg & cheese: 680 calories, 51 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat, 1,060 mg sodium, 26 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 19 g protein.
Large hash browns: 620 calories, 40 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 13 g trans fat, 1,200 mg sodium, 60 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 5 g protein.
Cini-minis with vanilla icing: 500 calories, 21 g fat, 5.5 g saturated fat, 4.5 g trans fat, 600 mg sodium, 72 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.
Picks:
Croissan'wich egg & cheese: 300 calories, 17 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat, 740 mg sodium, 26 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 12 g protein.
Ham omelet sandwich: 330 calories, 14 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 1,130 mg sodium, 35 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 16 g protein.
Fit tip: If you have a choice of sausage, ham or bacon, skip the sausage — it can be 130 calories more.
STARBUCKS
www.starbucks.com
Calorie rip-offs:
Blueberry scone: 480 calories, 22 g fat, 0.5 g trans fat, 520 mg sodium, 64 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.
Cinnamon chip scone: 490 calories, 25 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 500 mg sodium, 62 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.
Picks:
Ham, egg and cheddar sandwich: 380 calories, 16 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 930 mg sodium, 37 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 21 g protein.
Fit tip: Almost all the baked goods are high in calories and nutritionally void (although they don't have saturated fat). Your best bet is a real meal. Not all Starbucks carry it, but if they do, go for the reduced-fat turkey bacon, cholesterol-free egg, reduced-fat white cheddar sandwich. Starbucks makes good plain coffee; get that with skim milk. (Note: Starbucks nutritional information varies by region.)
JACK IN THE BOX
www.jackinthebox.com
Calorie rip-offs:
Sausage, egg & cheese biscuit: 740 calories, 55 g fat, 17 g saturated fat, 6 g trans fat, 1,430 mg sodium, 35 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein.
Sirloin steak & egg burrito: 790 calories, 48 g fat, 15 g saturated fat, 3.5 g trans fat, 1,320 mg sodium, 52 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 37 g protein.
Picks:
Bacon breakfast jack: 300 calories, 14 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 0.5 g trans fat, 730 mg sodium, 29 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 16 g protein.
Breakfast jack: 290 calories, 12 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 760 mg sodium, 29 g carbs, 1g fiber, 17 g protein.
Fit tip: Again, avoid the sausage choices.
ARBY'S
www.arbys.com
Calorie rip-offs:
Sausage gravy biscuit: 961 calories, 68 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 3,755 mg sodium, 107 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein.
Picks:
Bacon & egg croissant: 337 calories, 22 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 651 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 11 g protein.
Ham & cheese croissant: 274 calories, 12 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, no trans fat, 842 mg sodium, 22 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 13 g protein.
Fit tip: Avoid all gooey goodies, especially things like cinnamon rolls and sticky buns.
Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate, and author of "Breaking the FAT Pattern" (Plume, 2006). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter at www.dietdetective.com.
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