Are you a fan of McDonald’s? If so, how often do you eat it, and have you ever wondered if McDonald's is healthy? McDonald's is known as the largest fast-food restaurant in the world. Serving approximately 69 million customers daily in over 40,000 restaurants in over 100 countries. There are more than 2 million McDonald’s employees worldwide. This American international fast-food chain is well-known for its Big Mac hamburgers, French fries, and Happy Meals. However, there has been a long and ongoing debate about whether McDonald's foods are healthy. In this article, we will provide as much information and evidence as possible as to whether McDonald’s can be considered healthy.
©Pavlovska Yevheniia/Shutterstock.com
The History of McDonald’s
McDonald’s was founded in 1940 as a restaurant in San Bernardino, California, by Richard and Maurice McDonald. They renamed their company to a hamburger stand and became a franchise. In 1953, they relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. Ray Kroc joined the business as a franchise agent in 1955 and later bought the chain from the McDonald brothers. Their headquarters were previously based in Oak Brook, Illinois. They later moved their worldwide headquarters in June 2018 to Chicago. Furthermore, in addition to selling fast food, McDonald’s is a real estate firm. This is because the firm also owns the buildings and land of the majority of its franchised outlets. To run a McDonald’s restaurant, franchisees pay rent and a portion of their sales to McDonald’s.
Is McDonald's Healthy?
Well, the short answer to the question of whether McDonald’s is healthy depends. A grilled chicken salad is a healthier alternative to a Big Mac. It is important to note that, apart from cheeseburgers, fries, and coke, McDonald's does offer a variety of options on their menu. These include fruit and oatmeal, burritos, wraps, chicken and fish sandwiches, apple slices, sweet tea, and fruit juice. To further add, some restaurants in the United States have discontinued salads from their menus.
Choosing these options can be part of a healthy and balanced diet. However, the most popular foods purchased at McDonald's that give the impression that they are unhealthy are milkshakes, French fries, and hamburgers, which customers can upsize. It is also tempting to add on extras like cheese and bacon. These meals are often high in calories, sugar, sodium, and fat. One should realize that the choice is ultimately up to you and what you fuel your body with to not gain weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Should McDonald’s Be Held Responsible for the Health Issues Related to Their Food?
In 2004, McDonald’s faced criticism following the release of the well-known documentary Super Size Me, where the director Morgan Spurlock saw a rapid decline in his health while consuming McDonald’s daily for 30 days; this included breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was then, after this criticism, that McDonald’s introduced healthy options and vegan burgers to their menu.
©KIRAYONAK YULIYA/Shutterstock.com
It is important to keep in mind that McDonald’s markets most of its products to children. While Timmy wants a Happy Meal with a toy, Dad or Mom are probably thinking about a burger. In 2013, a study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that eating at McDonald’s is no better for children than eating at Subway. It was discovered that children ate just as many calories at both restaurants and that both may lead to obesity and overindulgence in food. Moreover, another study in 2017 mentioned that McDonald’s had the biggest recall among youngsters who were overweight (62 percent). This is why knowing what healthier options you should choose from when eating at McDonald's is crucial. It is important to remember that high levels of trans and saturated fats can lead to high blood pressure and other health conditions.
A healthy breakfast option would be fruit and oatmeal, and for lunch, you should choose a chicken, fish sandwich, grilled wrap, or salad if salads are available at the franchise you are at. It is best to choose a salad with a light salad dressing over a creamy ranch sauce.
Healthy Wraps and Salads
In this section, we will cover some of the healthy wraps and salads at McDonald's and their ingredients and look at their calorie intake to help you choose a healthier meal.
| Name | Ingrediants | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| The Caesar & Bacon Chicken, One-Grilled | Grilled chicken, large tortilla wrap, Caeser-style sauce, lettuce, crispy onions and beechwood smoked bacon | 403 |
| The Sweet Chilli Chicken, One-Grilled | Large tortilla wrap, grilled chicken, lettuce, cool mayo, cucumber, and sweet chili sauce | 340 |
| The BBQ and Bacon One-Grilled | Grilled chicken, large tortilla wrap, tomato slice, smokey BBQ sauce, lettuce, cool mayo and beechwood smoked bacon | 364 |
| The Spicy Veggie One | Veggie dippers, large tortilla wrap, spicy relish, tomato slice, lettuce, and red onions | 365 |
| Side Salad | Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and McDonald’s balsamic dressing | 18 |
| Grilled Chicken Salad | Lettuce, grilled chicken, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and McDonald’s balsamic dressing | 139 |
| Grilled Chicken and Bacon Salad | Grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, beechwood smoked bacon, red onions, and McDonald’s balsamic dressing | 185 |
| Crispy Chicken Salad | McCrispy patty, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onions, and McDonald’s balsamic dressing | 274 |
| Crispy Chicken and Bacon Salad | McCrispy patty, lettuce, beechwood bacon, red onions, cucumber, tomato, and McDonald’s balsamic dressing | 320 |
Meals Under 400 Kcal
If you aren’t in the mood for a wrap or salad alone, there are a few meals with under 400 calories to choose from to maintain a balanced diet. As an extra side, you could consider adding an apple, grapes, or carrot bag, too. These are healthier alternatives than fries. When purchasing a Happy Meal, you can swap the fries for an apple and grape bag.
| Name | Ingredients | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| The Sweet Chili Chicken One-Grilled Meal | Large tortilla wrap, grilled chicken, lettuce, cool mayo, cucumber, and sweet chili sauce. A shaker side salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and 1 x 500 ml bottle of Nestle Pure Life water, still or sparkling | 358 |
| Veggie Dippers – 4 Pieces Meal | 4 x veggie dippers A shaker side salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and 1 x 500 ml bottle of Nestle Pure Life water, still or sparkling | 339 |
| Grilled Chicken Salad Meal | Lettuce, grilled chicken, tomato, cucumber, red onion, a carrot bag, and 1 x 500 ml bottle of Nestle Pure Life water, still or sparkling | 173 |
| Chicken McNuggets – 6 Pieces Meal | 6 x chicken McNuggets A shaker side salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and 1 x 500 ml bottle of Nestle Pure Life water, still or sparkling | 279 |
| Filet-o-Fish Meal | A fish filet portion on a bun with a slice of cheese, tartar sauce, a shaker side salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and red onion, and 1 x 500 ml bottle of Nestle Pure Life water, still or sparkling | 337 |
| Apple and Grape Bag | Apple slices and grapes | 46 |
| Crispy Chicken Salad Meal | McCrispy patty, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onions, McDonald’s balsamic dressing, and 1 x 500 ml bottle of Nestle Pure Life water, still or sparkling | 274 |
| Carrot Bag | Slices of carrots | 334 |
| Egg and Cheese McMuffin Meal | Egg, cheese, McMuffin, black regular coffee, apple, and grape bag | 347 |
| Muffin with Jam Meal | English muffin, jam, apple and grape bag, black regular coffee | 266 |
Vegetarian and Vegan Options
McDonald’s also caters to vegetarian and vegan customers who prefer a meat-free diet. For those who want to consume fewer calories when opting for fast food and not a beef burger, these options may also be a healthy alternative.
| Name | Ingredients | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| McPlant | Sesame bun, plant-based burger, iceberg lettuce, tomato, tomato ketchup, vegan sandwich sauce, vegan cheese alternative, pickle slices, onions, and mustard | 429 |
| Vegetable Delux | Red pepper and pesto goujon, sesame bun, iceberg lettuce and sandwich sauce | 361 |
| Veggie Dippers 4 Piece | 4 x Red Pepper and Pesto Goujon | 321 |
| The Spicy Veggie One | Veggie dippers, large tortilla wrap, spicy relish, tomato slice, lettuce, and red onions | 365 |
| Hash Brown | Hash Brown | 127 |
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, McDonald’s has been around for many years. However, the company has been criticized, and they have added healthy options to their menu and eliminated the super size option. Their menu also shows the amount of calories in each meal, so it would be wise to investigate before ordering. Whether you choose to eat foods that are high in fat and calories daily is entirely up to you. Remember, moderation is key. While there are healthier options on McDonald’s menu, you should still keep in mind the portion sizes. It is best to incorporate more fruits and vegetables when ordering to maintain a balanced diet.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Pavlovska Yevheniia/Shutterstock.com.