How Bad Is a Big Mac For You, Really? (2024)

FAQs

Is a Big Mac really that bad for you? ›

The real dangers lie in the saturated fats and other additives found in the burger and fries (and plenty of other foods that may be in your own home). "Excessive consumption of saturated fats can lead to elevated cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease," Richards warns of the Big Mac.

Yes it is, everything in moderation obviously McDonald's isn't the healthiest thing in the world but as you exercise and eat well there should be no issue.

Regular consumption of fast food, such as McDonald's unhealthy options, can contribute to weight gain, obesity, and various health issues due to the high caloric density, unhealthy fats, and sugar content in many of their menu items.

Apple slices

A side of apple slices is the healthiest food you'll find at McDonald's, so feel free to pair it with anything else on the menu. One serving has just 15 calories, zero fat, and just three grams of sugar.

If this is true, a single Big Mac really can make you feel sluggish. However, dietician Priya Tew disputes these claims as likely exaggerations, although she admits that a Big Mac can be taxing on the body and should be eaten only occasionally.

"Eating fast food once a week should not affect anyone as long as they have a balanced diet rich in whole foods besides that one time," he says. "Fast food should be limited as much as possible but one time a week is usually the recommendation since many people are eating fast-food at least three times per week."

Fast food is convenient and cheap, but you pay a bigger price in the long run. Those burgers, fries, and shakes usually have more fat, calories, and highly processed carbs than your body needs in one meal. This can quickly lead to weight gain and obesity if you eat it often.

Excess calories from fast food meals can cause weight gain. This may lead toward obesity. Obesity increases your risk of respiratory problems, including asthma and shortness of breath. The extra pounds can put pressure on your heart and lungs, and symptoms may show up even with little exertion.

Fast food is also high in sodium and low in fiber, which means it is digested quickly and can induce what feels like a sugar crash, which can negatively affect mood and trigger fatigue. Eating diverse foods is also associated with a stronger gut microbiome, which helps protect us from illness.

What's healthier, Taco Bell or McDonald's? ›

Furthermore, around 60% of Taco Bell meals fall between 220 and 410 calories from fat whereas 60% of McDonalds meals fall between 420 and 650 calories from fat. Additionally, around 77% of Taco Bell meals have less than 400 calories from fat whereas only around 18% of meals at McDonalds have the same quality.

As a lean-meat protein, Chick-Fil-A's nutrition profile can offer great choices for a healthy meal-all depending on the cooking method. Breading and deep frying both add unnecessary fats and calories to the meal, taking away from some of its nutritional value.

Plenty of healthy options exist at Subway, but less-balanced choices do, too. Certain meats contain hard-to-pronounce additives, excess sodium, and unhealthy fats. Other items include added sugar.

To put on one pound of fat, you'd need to consume 3,500 calories over your maintenance per day. So you'd need to eat five Big Macs to put on one pound of fat each day.

A Quarter Pounder contains 1/4 pound, or four ounces, of beef, before cooking. A Big Mac contains two 1/10th pound patties, or 1.6 ounces each, or 3.2 ounces total, before cooking.

The Big Mac was at a major disadvantage in this taste test because of the overpowering amount of special sauce. But even if there was less sauce on my Big Mac, it still wouldn't have won. McDonald's dry, small patties are simply no match for the flavorful and juicy grilled patties that Burger King uses.

The Big Mac as a whole clocked in around 200 grams, while the steroidal, double-beef version weighed about 270 grams. Based on my calculations, my Big Mac was about 30 percent beef, and the double meat variation about 44 percent.