Fast-food burgers are deeply engrained in American tradition. White Fortress flipped the primary one in 1921–in its iconic sq. slider kind, after all–and our world has been modified ever since. It wasn’t lengthy after that chains like McDonald’s, In-N-Out, and Burger King caught onto the pattern and nonetheless at present that unmistakable steam and sizzle will be seen and heard all throughout the nation, beneath many alternative roofs.
However, that is to not say all these beef and bun combos are created equal. And as this sandwich icon has developed, so to has the talk round what makes one. Some chains prioritize 100% recent, by no means frozen beef patties with no components or preservatives and dangle their hat on recent components. On the flip aspect, others are extra lackadaisical of their strategy. They stack on patty after patty, to not point out creamy sauces and different toppings that considerably jack up calorie and fats depend whereas offering little to no dietary worth.
It is clear that there’s a supersized divide in terms of quick meals burgers and at present we’re separating among the finest from absolutely the worst based mostly on dietary measures. Make smarter choices as you zip by way of the drive-thru and watch out for these burger behemoths slathered with energy, carbs, sodium, and, the worst, trans fat.
Greatest
BurgerFi Single Burger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 521
Fats: 27 g (Saturated Fats: 10 g, Trans fats: 0 g)
Sodium: 685 mg
Carbs: 44 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 9 g)
Protein: 24 g
BurgerFi touts the truth that its burgers are gourmand, chef-crafted, and constructed from 100% pure American Angus beef that’s by no means uncovered to steroids, antibiotics, progress hormones, chemical compounds, or components. And it definitely places its cash the place its mouth is in terms of its basic BurgerFi Burger. As a single patty burger with no cheese, the hand held really incorporates fewer energy and fats (at 521 and 27 grams, respectively) than the chain’s well-known VegeFi Burger. Trans fats can also be saved off the menu (apart from the sprinkles which prime custard treats,) and even with only a single burger, you continue to get 24 grams of protein along with some taste from lettuce, tomato, and a slather of signature Fi sauce.
Culver’s Single Butterburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 390
Fats: 17 g (Saturated Fats: 7 g, Trans fats: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 480 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 20 g
With a reputation like “Butterburger”, it is arduous to imagine that is really some of the nutrition-forward fast-food burgers within the sport. By way of its use of fresh, never-frozen beef made from a blend of sirloin, chuck, and plate, Culver’s begins with a leg up. One in every of its high quality floor beef patties carries simply 170 energy and a single Butterburger sits at simply 390 energy with 17 grams of fats, buttered bun and all. Plus, it nonetheless packs 20 grams of protein. Including “The Works”–a combo of pickles, uncooked onion, ketchup, and mustard–to this straightforward sandwich provides about 20 energy (largely from the ketchup). However, all in all, even 410 energy for this filling burger is not too shabby.
Shake Shack Lettuce Wrapped Veggie Shack
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 310
Fats: 18 g (Saturated Fats: 1.5 g, Trans fats: 0 g)
Sodium: 900 mg
Carbs: 31 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 6 g)
The healthiest burger on the Shake Shack menu isn’t your typical hamburger. First off, the patty itself isn’t made with beef. It is a vegetarian mixture of mushrooms, candy potatoes, carrots, farro, and quinoa. This Veggie Shack additionally comes topped with American cheese, crispy onions, pickles, and Shack Sauce. And while you swap out the bun for a lettuce wrap, the complete factor will solely value you 310 energy with 18 grams of fats, 900 mg of sodium, and 31 grams of carbs. If veggie burgers aren’t your factor, the chain’s single hamburger can also be fairly affordable at 370 energy and the identical quantity of fats.
Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 250
Fats: 11 g (Saturated Fats: 4 g, Trans fats: 0 g)
Sodium: 440 mg
Carbs: 25 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 13 g
It ought to come as no shock that Wendy’s smallest, easiest burger stands as essentially the most diet-friendly. Donning only a recent, never-frozen sq. patty (the small type, not the chain’s ¼ pound type), pickles, onion, ketchup, and mustard on a toasted bun, the Jr. Hamburger delivers 250 energy and 11 grams of fats. Including on a slice of American cheese, making a Jr. Cheeseburger provides 40 energy and three grams of fats. You too can seize a Double Stack on the chain for a lift of protein at 23 grams whereas nonetheless sustaining an affordable 410-calorie quantity.
Burger King Hamburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 250
Fats: 10 g (Saturated Fats: 4 g, Trans fats: 0 g)
Sodium: 560 mg
Carbs: 29 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 13 g
In the case of diet, Burger King serves up fairly a number of heavy hitters on its sturdy burger record. However, it additionally dials issues again with smaller picks just like the Whopper Jr., Cheeseburger, and customary Hamburger. BK’s hamburger rendition comes with pickles, mustard and ketchup. It gives the identical quantity of energy because the Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger at 250 and the identical quantity of protein at 13 grams. You do get a bit extra carbs and sodium at Burger King, but additionally rather less fats.
McDonald’s Hamburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 250
Fats: 9 g (Saturated Fats: 2.5 g, Trans fats: 0 g)
Sodium: 510 mg
Carbs: 30 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 12 g
Over on the Golden Arches, the Basic McDonald’s burger matches each Wendy’s and Burger King by way of calorie depend and incorporates even much less fats general at 9 grams. It begins with a 100% pure beef patty seasoned with only a smidge of salt and pepper after which topped with pickles, onion, ketchup, and mustard. For slightly extra sustenance and protein, you might additionally go together with a McDouble. With an additional patty and only one slice of cheese, the burger incorporates 390 energy and 20 grams of fats, however 22 grams of protein.
In-N-Out Protein Fashion Hamburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 200
Fats: 14 g (Saturated Fats: 4.5 g, Trans fats: 0 g)
Sodium: 390 mg
Carbs: 8 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 12 g
To not be confused with “animal-style”, which includes grilled onions and In-N-Out’s well-known unfold, “protein-style” refers to a burger wrapped in hand-leafed lettuce relatively than a bun. This straightforward swap saves you 160 energy and a few grams of fats in terms of the chain’s easy hamburger with onion, lettuce, and tomato, leading to one of many healthiest burgers you may snag on the drive-thru. Altering out the Thousand Island-like unfold with ketchup and mustard also can assist you to reduce considerably on fats.
Worst
5 Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,060
Fats: 62 g (Saturated Fats: 29.5 g, Trans fats: 0 g)
Sodium: 1,310 mg
Carbs: 40 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 9 g)
Protein: 51 g
Regardless of its use of 100% actual recent, by no means frozen beef, 5 Guys is dwelling to the unhealthiest fundamental fast-food cheeseburger, in response to knowledge collected by the telehealth firm Plushcare. That is already a shaky begin. Then, throw bacon into the combo, and the hand held actually goes off the rails. With two patties smothered in American cheese and Applewood-smoked bacon on a sesame-seed bun, this creation stacks as much as 1,060 energy with 62 grams of fats and 29.5 grams of saturated fats. And that is earlier than you tack on further toppings for taste. A dollop of mayonnaise will value you one other 111 energy, and an additional slice of cheese will add 70 plus 310 milligrams of sodium.
Triple Meat Whataburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,070
Fats: 63 g (Saturated Fats: 21 g, Trans fats: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 1,720 mg
Carbs: 62 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 65 g
What a burger it’s, laden with over 1,000 energy and 63 grams of fats, 21 of that are saturated and a couple of.5 trans–that is already over your daily recommended amount of trans fat based mostly on a 2,000-calorie weight loss program. The Whataburger Triple Meat Burger comes on a big bun, the primary indication of its huge measurement. Three massive beef patties are then piled on prime in addition to tomato, lettuce, diced onions, pickles, and mustard. Unsurprisingly, these veggies do not tip the dimensions far by way of diet, and you could have observed that cheese does not make the reduce. Which means the mixture of bread and meat makes up all that fats and energy, along with 1,720 milligrams of sodium and 62 carbs.
Wendy’s Large Bacon Basic Triple
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,220
Fats: 86 g (Saturated Fats: 36 g, Trans fats: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 1,850 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 9 g)
Protein: 75 g
If this burger seems intimidating, it is as a result of it’s. The Large Bacon Basic Triple from Wendy’s comes on robust with 1,220 energy and 86 grams of fats. Examine that to a way more affordable Dave’s Single with 590 energy and 37 grams of fats. The additional half a pound of beef from two extra patties clearly makes a giant distinction, in addition to the slices of Applewood-smoked bacon, which pack a salty punch, contributing to the 1,850 milligrams of sodium. Tomato, lettuce, onion, and pickles do not have a powerful affect however three slices of American cheese and mayonnaise undoubtedly exacerbate the problem.
Carl’s Jr. Double Guacamole Bacon Angus Burger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,340
Fats: 93 g (Saturated Fats: 31 g, Trans fats: 4 g)
Sodium: 2,300 mg
Carbs: 57 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 13 g)
Protein: 73 g
With simply two patties, this Carl’s Jr. creation manages to outdo the earlier two triples by way of general calorie depend. At 1,340, it is also essentially the most calorie-dense merchandise on the chain’s menu, apart from a 20-count field of hen tenders. 93 grams of fats (31 grams saturated, 4 grams trans) and a couple of,300 milligrams are additionally squished between the sandwich’s prime and backside buns within the type of three beef patties, two bacon strips, PepperJack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, Santa Fe sauce, and a beneficiant glob of guacamole.
Checkers and Rally’s Smokey BBQ Bacon Buford Triple
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,360
Fats: 107 g (Saturated Fats: 36 g, Trans fats: 2 g)
Sodium: 2,740 mg
Carbs: 41 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 58 g
The award for the very best stage of sodium goes to the Smokey BBQ Bacon Buford Triple discovered at each Checkers and Rally’s. This burger stacks on nearly every part however the kitchen sink. It options three beef patties with Swiss cheese, two smoked bacon slices, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, candy & smoky BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, and much more chopped-up bacon. It is a salty particular with 2,740 milligrams of sodium–or 114% of your every day worth. Let’s additionally not overlook in regards to the 1,360 energy and 107 grams of fats.
Burger King Texas Double Whopper
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,600
Fats: 113 g (Saturated Fats: 41 g, Trans fats: 3 g)
Sodium: 2,185 mg
Carbs: 57.5 g (Fiber: 3.6 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 102 g
The Texas Double Whopper is a specialty burger at BK and one which packs a Texas-sized punch within the taste division and the diet division. It consists of two flame-grilled patties, two slices of American cheese, bacon, jalapenos, pickles, white onions, tomatoes, BBQ sauce, and mayonnaise–that is a mouthful in additional methods than one. The colossal sandwich tops our record of unhealthy burgers with loads of fats, sodium, carbs, and the like. In whole, it sits at 1,600 energy, additionally surpassing different Burger King favorites just like the Triple Whopper.
Fatburger XXXL Triple Kingburger
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,686
Fats: 96.5 g (Saturated Fats: 33.5 g, Trans fats: 6.5 g)
Sodium: 2,179 mg
Carbs: 69 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 129.5 g
Fatburger is an applicable identify for this monstrosity. With three whole patties, the Triple Kingburger (or XXXL burger) weighs in at 1.5 kilos of pure beef. Certain, it meets–if not exceeds–your protein targets for the day at 129.5 grams. However, when you order it with “The Works” (lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, pickles, relish) for the complete fats expertise, you then’re additionally practically all of your energy for the subsequent 24 hours. Inevitably, fats ranges are additionally elevated within the Triple Kingburger, and with the very best quantity of trans fats at 6.5 grams, it could possibly be argued that it’s the worst choice on our record.
Burger King Bacon King
Diet (Per burger):
Energy: 1,710
Fats: 119 g (Saturated Fats: 48 g, Trans fats: 2.8 g)
Sodium: 2,405 mg
Carbs: 59 g (Fiber: 2.9 g, Sugar: 15.6 g)
Protein: 107 g
By now, we all know that a number of burger patties and bacon is a dangerous combo, and it culminates in Burger King’s Bacon King. The burger is infamous for its six items of bacon hiding beneath the bun. They sizzle subsequent to 2 ¼ pound burger patties, every with its personal slice of American cheese plus ketchup and mayonnaise. All of it provides as much as a whopping 1,710 energy, 2,405 milligrams of sodium, 59 carbs, and 119 grams of fats, together with excessive ranges of each trans and saturated. For these causes, it has been topped because the unhealthiest burger within the fast-food kingdom.
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