Healthy fast food choices – huh? Healthy fast food choices sounds oxymoronic. Is there such a thing as healthy fast food choices? Some diet experts and self-appointed diet gurus claim that there could not be any healthy fast food choices, because, well, fast food cannot be healthy. Others argue it is possible to make healthy fast food choices, but it all depends on how one defines “healthy.”
Healthy fast food choices deconstructed In my opinion, it is impossible to make healthy fast food choices because fast foods contain a lot of processed ingredients and artificial additives. That said, if your goal is to lose weight, making healthy fast food choices simply comes down to controlling how many calories you consume each day. In other words, just because you want to eat fast food does not mean that doing so should derail your diet. So here is how to make healthy fast food choices without overloading your diet with unwanted calories:
Sonic’s grilled chicken salad contains 285 calories and 10 grams of fat. Top this veggie-heavy entree with fat-free Italian dressing. “I love that the salad contains cabbage, which is a great source of vitamin C. And the meal with chicken has 28 grams of filling protein!” says NYC nutritionist Keri Glassman, author of The O2 Diet.
Domino’s 12-inch veggie pizza (one slice) contains 180 calories and 6grams of fat. Many people claim that eating pizza makes them happy. If you are one of them, there is nothing wrong with having a slice or two once in a while. Glassman also recommends grabbing a slice of this pie (“Mushrooms help boost immunity”) and pairing it with a big salad, especially if you choose one of the healthy salads.
Subway’s 6-inch veggie delite sandwich contains 230 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. Glassman gives a thumbs-up to this sub. “Even if you are not vegetarian, it is good to have a few nonmeat meals per week to keep your cholesterol and saturated fat consumption low. And there is only 410 milligrams of sodium,” she says.
Burger King’s hamburger contains 250 calories and 11 grams of fat. When I want a burger, I want the best burger in San Francisco. The best burger in Los Angeles is also great, but they are loaded with insane amount of calories and fat. But this burger is almost guilt-free. Says Classman, “The fat grams and calories are pretty low.” I agree.
McDonald’s premium grilled chicken classic sandwich contains 370 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. “The 32 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber will keep you feeling full,” says Glassman, adding, “You also get some vegetables, thanks to the slices of tomato and lettuce.” Just hold the mayo and opt for mustard instead.
Taco Bell’s fresco ranchero chicken soft taco contains 170 calories and 4 grams of fat. While it goes without saying that the Taco Bell’s Drive-Thru Diet is pretty sad, this taco is not. Glassman applauds the 12 grams of satisfying protein, the salsa (“It is full of lycopene, which may prevent UV damage”) and the onions (“They contain immunity-boosting compounds”).
Au Bon Pain’s large vegetarian chili contains 300 calories and 3 grams of fat. I can totally get behind this stuff. Why? Because it contains a lot of fiber. How much fiber? “It contains about as much fiber [27 grams] as you need in a day,” says Glassman. “And it is loaded with antioxidant-rich beans.”
Dunkin’ Donuts’ egg white veggie flatbread sandwich contains 290 calories and 9 grams of fat. Glassman says that “the protein and fiber will fuel you all A.M.” [via]