For many of us, the convenience and appeal of a quick meal from a fast-food joint are hard to pass up. We might have a million things to do and only a few minutes to fit in lunch, so we grab something between our errands.
I feel like we sort of turn our brains off when we enter the drive-through line. We know what we are going to order is horrible for us. Still, we are hypnotized by hunger, order a greasy meal, ruin our diet, and resent ourselves afterward.
Avoid the following ten items at all costs if this sounds remotely familiar. They are the worst items you can order at some of the major chains. Instead, look for options like the last five meals on the list. They are healthier options at some of our favorite fast-food restaurants.
1. Burger King’s Triple Whopper
Stats: 1,300 calories, 90 g of fat, 1,940.3 mg sodium, 59.3 g of carbs, 15 g sugar, 77.5 g of protein
Burger King decided to upgrade its flagship burger, The Whopper, with not one but two added 1/4-lb beef patties cause who doesn’t want almost a pound of meat in one sitting?
The calorie count is over half the recommended amount for an average adult, with the sodium and fat content well over the daily limit. The burger is basically a heart attack wrapped in paper. Steer clear of this beast that is sure to give you massive heartburn.
2. Arby’s Half-Pound Beef and Cheddar
Stats: 1,070 calories, 71 g of fat, 1,980 mg sodium, 54 g of carbs, 53 g of protein
Who would have thought that a half-pound of processed roast beef with a cheddar sauce that is something between a liquid and solid would be horrible for you? Dedicating 1,000 calories to one meal leaves little left over for the rest of your daily calories. Mainly because you will most likely pair these sandwiches with some of the delicious curly fires.
3. Jack In The Box Grande Sausage Breakfast Burrito
Stats: 1,070 calories, 72 g of fat, 2,010 mg sodium, 70 g of carbs, 36 g of protein
There is nothing better to get you up and going in the morning than eating over 1,000 calories wrapped in a tortilla on your way to work. Obviously, I’m kidding. That kind of breakfast would have me running back to bed to sleep off the massive breakfast.
Still, that’s what you get if you order this burrito. Sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, cheese, and spicy cheese sauce give this item little nutritional value. Avoid this burrito at all costs unless you plan on skipping your lunch and dinner.
4. Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s El Diablo Angus
Stats: 1,050 calories, 63 g of fat, 2,440 mg sodium, 79 g of carbs, 37 g of protein
Carl’s Jr., or Hardee’s on the East Coast, wanted to get into the ‘Unhealthiest Burger in America’ conversation by unleashing their El Diablo Angus Burger. This behemoth burger comes loaded with fried jalapeno poppers, smoked bacon, cheese, and ranch sauce. All of these add up to almost 2,500 mg of sodium, enough salt to dehydrate you for a week.
5. Sonic’s SuperSONIC Double Cheeseburger
Stats: 1,070 calories, 71 g of fat, 1,980 mg sodium, 54 g of carbs, 53 g of protein
Sonic is a popular fast-food chain with an old-school drive-up feeling. Servers, or carhops, cruise around on roller skates, delivering food to hungry diners in their cars.
Well, you might need someone to roll you around after you chow down on a double cheeseburger from Sonic. The burger exceeds the daily fat, and most sodium content is allotted daily. Continued diets high in sodium can result in possible stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.
6. Wendy’s Pretzel Bacon Pub Triple
Stats: 1,490 calories, 103 g of fat, 1,780 mg sodium, 50 g of carbs, 89 g of protein
So far, we have discussed some pretty unhealthy sandwiches, but they are looking up at Wendy’s. The Pretzel Bacon Pub Burger has a whopping 1,490 calories and over 100 grams of fat!
How do you ask? Start with three all-beef patties and top them with bacon, fried onion strings, and a rich cheese sauce to really pack in those calories and grams of fat. Combining this burger with a soda and a side of fries, you are going to have a hard time burning those calories off during the day.
7. McDonald’s Big Breakfast with Hotcakes
Stats: 1,340 calories, 63 g of fat, 2,070 mg sodium, 158 g of carbs, 36 g of protein
Out of all the burger and fried food options on McDonald’s menu, the Big Breakfast takes the cake for the unhealthiest item on their menu. A plate with hot cakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, and biscuits, topped with maple syrup (which adds 48 g of sugar), adds up to almost 75% of your daily caloric intake.
If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast option on the go, look for places like Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. We can explore these options more in a little bit.
8. Taco Bell’s Breakfast Crunchwrap with Sausage
Stats: 750 calories, 49 g of fat, 1,220 mg sodium, 53 g of carbs, 21 g of protein
I’m not sure if anyone is going to Taco Bell because they are health conscious, but you might be unaware of how bad their food is for you. The Breakfast Crunchwrap is not that big but comes stuffed with 750 calories, and almost 50 grams of fat.
The flour tortilla is made with bleached enriched wheat flour, and the hashbrowns are fried in vegetable oil, which adds unneeded calories and fats. While it’s not as bad as McDonald’s Big Breakfast, it is about half the size, making it easy to overconsume.
9. Chick-fil-A’s Hash Brown Scramble Burrito with Sausage
Stats: 720 calories, 47 g of fat, 1,450 mg sodium, 46 g of carbs, 28 g of protein
Many people assume that Chick-fil-A is a healthy option because it serves chicken instead of greasy burgers. Still, it is fried chicken wrapped with cheese and sausage. All of these ingredients add up to a breakfast you should consider passing on. There are many low-calorie options available on their menu, so you could easily swap this choice out for a better one.
10. Dairy Queen Brownie Dough Blizzard
Stats: 1,440 calories, 65 g of fat, 610 mg sodium, 193 g of carbs, 27 g of protein
Ice cream can be a nice treat on a hot summer day. While it’s not a secret that ice cream is junk food, we often forget how fast calories can add up when adding extra ingredients.
The Brownie Dough Blizzard combines chocolate ice cream with rich brownies. The result is enough sugar to keep your children up for 48 hours. One cup has over 150 grams of sugar combined with 1,440 calories. Next time you visit your local Dairy Queen, you might want to split that sweet snack four ways.
11. Healthier Options – Jack in the Box Chicken Fajita Pita
Stats: 330 calories, 9 g fat, 35 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 4 g fiber, 790 mg sodium, 27 g protein
Suppose you are looking for a healthy option, and you are in a rush. In that case, The Chicken Fajita Pita is an ideal option for a low-calorie and high-protein meal, according to Prevention.
Grilled chicken mixed with vegetables and a tangy salsa, the pita adds up to almost a quarter of the calories the other cheeseburgers on this list have. Saving those calories could mean you can splurge on a dessert after dinner.
12. Wendy’s: Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
Stats: 460 calories, 23 g fat, 26 g carbs, 18 g sugar, 5 g fiber, 1090 mg sodium, 39 g protein
Remember that triple bacon burger we talked about earlier? The one with over 100 grams of fat and almost 1,500 calories?
Well, Wendy’s wants to balance out its dining options. That is why it offers this fresh salad for customers looking to stick to their diet. This salad has a third of the calories, 75% less fat, and still has 39 grams of protein to help you stay full throughout the day. Yeah, that burger sounds good, but you won’t regret this fresh salad.
13. Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Stats: 370 calories, 5 g fat, 49 g carbs, 1210 mg sodium, 33 g protein
Substituting a piece of grilled chicken for a greasy burger patty is going to save you a ton of calories and grams of fat. This chicken sandwich will save you 700 calories, 55 grams of fat, and 1,200 mg by choosing it over the El Diablo Angus Burger.
You can even make this a smarter option by asking for the BBQ sauce on the side or choosing no sauce at all. That brings the sandwich down to just 210 calories. As far as fast food goes, it is hard to beat this option.
14. Chick-fil-A 12-Count Grilled Nuggets
Stats: 200 calories, 4.5 g fat, 2 g carbs, 660 mg sodium, 38 g protein
This might be the best bang for your buck regarding nutritious fast-food meals. You get all the flavor of chicken nuggets without the carb-heavy breading and the added fat of deep frying them.
Chick-fil-A also offers sides like fruit cups, side salads, and low-calorie dipping sauces. With these, you can easily create a meal under 300 calories with almost 40 grams of protein. Pass up that fried chicken for these scrumptious little bites.
15. Dunkin’ Wake-Up Wrap With Turkey Sausage
Stats: 240 calories, 15 g fat, 15 g carbohydrates, 680 mg sodium, 11 g protein
I mentioned earlier I would include a better option than the McDonald’s Big Breakfast. Well, I am true to my word. Dunkin’s has a variety of healthy options, but my favorite is their turkey sausage wrap. The turkey sausage provides a great source of protein, without the high levels of fat and calories.
You can grab your coffee and breakfast on your way to work without worrying about consuming half of your daily calories before you step into the office.
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Source: Eat This
