What’s The Healthiest Fast Food Burger?

With so many fast food options available, it can be hard to choose the healthiest burger when grabbing a quick meal on the go.

However, the Burger King Veggie Burger is one of the healthiest alternatives. When compared to traditional beef hamburgers, the veggie burger is lower in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. It provides a good source of plant-based protein and fiber.

In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the Burger King Veggie Burger to see what makes it one of the healthiest options in fast food.

We will compare its nutritional contents to other common fast food burgers and outline why the veggie burger should be your go-to next time you’re in the drive-thru.

Why Are Burgers Often Unhealthy?

Traditional beef burgers are often loaded with saturated fat, sodium, and calories. A standard burger made from beef usually gets a significant portion of its calories from fat.

For example, a McDonald’s Big Mac contains 550 calories, 28 grams of fat (10 grams saturated), and 950mg of sodium. That’s nearly half the daily value of sodium alone in one sandwich.

Burgers can also be unhealthy when paired with high-calorie and high-fat ingredients like cheese, mayonnaise, bacon, fried onion rings, and large portions of fries on the side. While these ingredients all taste great, they pack a heavy nutritional punch.

What Makes A Healthy Burger?

The healthiest fast food burgers emphasize vegetables, use lean beef or turkey, limit cheese and condiments, and avoid fried extras. The key things that make up a healthier burger include:

• Lean protein: Choosing a patty made from lean beef, turkey, or veggie-based protein keeps calories, fat, and cholesterol down compared to regular beef.
• Whole grain bun: Opting for a whole wheat or multigrain bun adds fiber.
• Vegetables: Piling on veggies like lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and avocado provides nutrients and fills you up.
• Condiments: Mustard, ketchup, and relish add lots of flavor for not many calories. Cheese and mayo should be used sparingly.
• Avoid fried extras: Skip the fried onion rings, bacon, and a large serving of French fries to limit fat and calories.

Keeping those guidelines in mind, here are some of the top picks for the healthiest fast-food burgers.

Healthiest Fast Food Burgers

Burger King Veggie Burger

The Burger King Veggie Burger is one of the healthiest fast food burgers, making it a smart choice for vegetarians or anyone looking for a lighter option.

Here is a nutritional comparison of a Burger King Veggie Burger versus their traditional Whopper Sandwich:

Nutrition Facts	Veggie Burger	Whopper Sandwich
Calories	400	660
Total Fat	18g	40g
Saturated Fat	3g	12g
Sodium	780mg	980mg
Protein	17g	25g
Fiber	4g	2g

With fewer calories, half the fat, and more fiber, the veggie burger is clearly the healthier choice. While it does contain a good amount of sodium, it has 25% less than the beef Whopper.

The veggie patty is made from an array of vegetables and grains. Topped with ketchup, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce on a multigrain bun, it packs a nutritious punch in every bite.

It has less protein than a beef burger but still provides plenty to help keep you full and satisfied.

Wendy’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich

If you want actual meat instead of a veggie patty, Wendy’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich is one of the healthiest options.

Here’s how it compares to a Wendy’s Baconator:

Nutrition Facts	Crispy Chicken	Baconator
Calories	380	920
Total Fat	8g	60g
Saturated Fat	2g	24g
Sodium	890mg	1840mg
Protein	31g	64g

The chicken sandwich has less than half the calories, a third of the sodium, and way less fat while still providing ample protein.

It features a whole grain bun, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and mayo, along with the crispy battered chicken breast.

McDonald’s Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich

McDonald’s also has a solid grilled chicken sandwich option to satisfy your burger craving more healthily:

Nutrition Facts	Artisan Grilled Chicken	Big Mac
Calories	380	550
Total Fat	8g	28g
Saturated Fat	2g	10g
Sodium	820mg	950mg
Protein	32g	25g

With similar calories and sodium compared to Wendy’s grilled chicken but extra protein, this subtly seasoned chicken with lettuce, tomato, and mayo makes for a lighter take on a McDonald’s classic.

Healthiest Plant-Based Burgers

For those wishing to avoid meat altogether without sacrificing taste or texture, several chains now offer plant-based burgers.

These are often still high in sodium but beat traditional beef burgers when it comes to health:

Burger King Impossible Whopper

Burger King made headlines when it added the Impossible Whopper to its menu. The plant-based patty mimics the flavor, aroma, and texture of beef.

With ketchup, mustard, pickles, onions, and tomatoes atop a flame-grilled patty on a sesame seed bun, it mirrors the classic Whopper experience while being lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol.

Nutrition Facts	Impossible Whopper	Whopper
Calories	630	660
Total Fat	34g	40g
Saturated Fat	8g	12g
Sodium	1080mg	980mg
Protein	25g	28g

So, while not relatively as healthy as the veggie burger due to similar sodium levels, the Impossible Whopper still represents a healthier spin on an American classic burger.

McDonald’s McPlant

The McPlant burger is McDonald’s foray into plant-based meat. It features a patty from Beyond Meat, plus tomato, lettuce, pickles, onions, mayo, and ketchup on a sesame seed bun.

Nutrition Facts	McPlant	Big Mac
Calories	570	550
Total Fat	30g	28g
Saturated Fat	4.5g	10g
Sodium	520mg	950mg
Protein	20g	25g

The McPlant comes out well ahead when it comes to saturated fat and sodium versus the iconic Big Mac while delivering a very comparable calorie and protein content.

For burger purists who want that classic McDonald’s flavor without the health ramifications of beef, the McPlant hits the mark.

The Healthiest Burger is..

When analyzing all the options available at major fast food chains, the Burger King Veggie Burger stands out as the healthiest fast food burger choice.

With just 400 calories, 18g fat, 780mg sodium, and 17g protein, it packs a nutritious punch without all the excess calories.

The veggie patty, condiments, lettuce, tomato, onion, and multigrain bun make it a lighter yet satisfying meal.

For non-vegetarians, good options include grilled chicken sandwiches from the likes of Wendy’s and McDonald’s or plant-based burgers like the Impossible Whopper or McPlant.

So next time your stomach starts grumbling for a cheeseburger, consider opting for one of these healthier picks instead. Your body will thank you!

Armed with the nutritional knowledge from this article, you can enjoy a fast food burger without all the guilt.

Which Fast Food Burger is the Healthiest?

If choosing based strictly on nutritional content, Burger King’s Veggie Burger is the healthiest fast food burger available.

With just 400 calories, 18g of fat, 3g saturated fat, 780mg sodium, 4g of fiber, and 17g of plant-based protein, it towers over traditional beef hamburgers for health value.

For non-vegetarians looking for a healthier beef burger alternative, options like the Whopper Jr., Wendy’s Junior Hamburger, or McDonald’s Hamburger are decent picks, coming in under 300 calories. Just beware of adding high-calorie cheese and sauces.

Grilled chicken sandwiches also beat out most hamburgers, with top options being McDonald’s Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

What Makes Fast Food Burgers Unhealthy?

Traditional hamburgers made with fatty beef patties tend to be high in saturated fat, calories, and sodium.

Toppings like cheese, mayonnaise, and bacon, along with fries and fried extras on the side, drive up the unhealthy factors even further.

For example, here’s how a basic McDonald’s Big Mac compares nutrition-wise to their Grilled Chicken Sandwich:

Nutrition Facts	Big Mac	Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Calories	550	380
Total Fat	28g	8g
Saturated Fat	10g	2g
Sodium	950mg	820mg

As you can see, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich clearly surpasses the iconic Big Mac for health value. And that’s comparing it to a Big Mac without added cheese or bacon.

So why do the beef burgers fall short? The saturated fat and sodium content in the beef patties and cheese are the main culprits.

Why are Veggie and Turkey Burgers Healthier?

Veggie burgers win on nutrition thanks to their plant-based protein and fiber while being low in saturated fat and calories.

Turkey burgers are also hailed as healthier than beef due to being lower in fat and cholesterol while still providing plenty of protein.

Most veggie patties are made from ingredients like soy, black beans, quinoa, mushrooms, nuts, or a combination.

These all add nutritional density in the form of protein, antioxidants, healthy fats, and fiber. Popular options include the BK Veggie Burger, Burger King Impossible Whopper, and McDonald’s McPlant burger.

For non-vegetarians who still want a better-for-you beef alternative, turkey burgers generally contain around half the saturated fat of regular hamburgers, with plenty of flavor. Just be careful with what you add in terms of cheese and condiments.

What Are the Most Popular Fast Food Burgers?

1. McDonald’s Big Mac
2. McDonald’s Quarter Pounder
3. Burger King Whopper
4. Wendy’s Baconator
5. Sonic Jr. Burger
6. McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger
7. McDonald’s Cheeseburger
8. Burger King Rodeo Burger
9. Wendy’s Dave’s Single
10. McDonald’s McDouble

As we’ve learned, favorites like the Big Mac, Whopper, and Baconator should be occasional treats rather than everyday picks due to their high calorie, saturated fat, and sodium loads.

Choosing healthier options like grilled chicken on whole grain buns more often can let you still enjoy quick burgers without overdoing it on less nutrient-dense ingredients.

Taking a break from beef altogether by mixing in some veggie burgers or turkey burgers can also give your body a break and add more fiber to your meals.

Healthiest Burger Options by Chain

Here is a quick cheat sheet summarizing some of the best bets for healthier burgers at major chains:

McDonald’s:

• Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• McPlant
• Hamburger

Burger King:

• Veggie Burger
• Impossible Whopper
• Whopper Jr.

Wendy’s:

• Crispy Chicken Sandwich
• Grilled Chicken Sandwich
• Junior Hamburger

Sonic:

• Jr. Burger
• Grilled Chicken Wrap

Making the healthiest choices when eating fast food burgers boils down to limiting fatty beef, cheese, and fried extras while emphasizing vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.

With the nutritional know-how from this article, you can satisfy a burger craving without overloading on calories or sodium.

The Bottom Line

So, what is the healthiest fast-food burger? The answer to this question depends on how it was made and whether you are looking for something low in fat or high in protein.

In general, however, we recommend that people avoid processed meats such as bacon and sausage whenever possible since they typically have higher levels of saturated fats.

Instead, opt for meat from animals like chicken or turkey, which will provide more lean proteins without unhealthy junk!

If you’re still not sure what’s best for your diet after reading this article, then feel free to leave a comment below with any questions.

Our team at Medical Weight Loss Clinic can help answer them, so don’t hesitate to ask!