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The 10 Healthiest (and Unhealthiest) Fast Food Sandwiches in the United States
One of the best ways to manage your weight and well-being is to eat a nutritious diet consisting of whole foods.
You may find yourself needing a fast meal when you’ve got a tight schedule to keep.
We took a closer look at the nutritional information for sandwiches, including burgers, at 10 of the biggest fast food restaurants in the country to help you make more informed choices when you’re in a hurry.
You’ll often feel less full, but if you’re looking for a healthy sandwich option, choose dishes that are high in protein and low in trans fat, net carbs, and calories.
Key Findings
Here’s how the complete lists compared.
Hers
10. “Carl’s Jr.’s Charbroiled Chicken Sandwich with a side of a small salad has 430 calories and 30 grams of protein.
10. Meat lovers Burger from Five Guys – 1240 calories, 72g of fat, 3g of fiber, and 1620mg of sodium
As you can see, there are plenty of healthy fast food options available in the major cities across the United States. While some options may seem obvious, like grilled chicken sandwiches, others are more surprising, like veggie bowls and seasonal salads.
In addition to that, we reviewed the cities in the United States where it’s easiest to pick a relatively quick and healthy fast food option. To find this out, we looked at the top 50 most populated metropolitan areas in the U.S. and determined the number of each fast food chain per 100,000 people. The more healthy options available, the more you may be likely to choose that one when you need a convenient meal or snack.
Here’s what we found.
Methodology: How Scores Were Determined
To figure out the best and worst fast food sandwich options, we looked at the top 10 restaurants that serve sandwiches, ranked by the chains that make the most money in the U.S.: Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Wendy’s, Popeyes, Jack in the Box, and Firehouse Subs.
From that point on, we examined every sandwich and burger menu option at each establishment.
Next, we located the nutritional facts for each menu item in the following categories:
The healthiest sandwiches were high in protein and low in calories, trans fat, and net carbs. Protein was assigned a 3 times multiplier, while trans fat was assigned a 2 times multiplier. We then averaged each sandwich to determine the final rankings.
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By following these tips, eating at fast food restaurants can be a nutritious option.
Before entering a fast food restaurant for a sandwich, consider the following three strategies to optimize your healthy choices.
Choosing Healthy and Informed Eating Options in Any Location
Eating healthily doesn’t mean you can never grab food at your favorite fast food joint – everything in moderation is okay! Knowing which menu items will help you feel full and give your body what it needs is a great way to make smart choices when eating out that you can feel good about.
Reaching out to a healthcare professional for assistance can assist you in understanding what your body requires, and it can also help you implement lasting changes to your daily habits.
