If you’re eating a hamburger from a fast food restaurant, you might as well be eating asbestos, right?
Hamburgers are often dismissed as an unhealthy combination of red meat and carbs—but in reality, they can be part of a balanced diet.
(Building your best body requires drive, sweat, and the right food. Fuel Your Fat-Burners With 101 Muscle Meals from Men’s Health.)
With the help of Nancy Rodriguez, Ph.D., R.D., professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Connecticut, we studied the nutritional value of 12 different fast food chain hamburgers to find the healthiest ones, with some clear differences between them in the amount of calories, protein, fiber, and sodium.
We were looking for the burgers that offered the most proteinand fiberbang for their caloric buck (bonus points for vegetables!).
Here’s our ranking from the worst to best.
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#12: Hardee’s Single All-Natural Burger
Keep in mind that we only looked at the most basic burger on the menu.
Yes, this burger is grass-fed, but it delivers a payload of calories and carbs, as well as a salt lick of sodium.
(740 calories, 25 g protein, 56 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 930 mg sodium)
Related: How to Cook the Ultimate Burger
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#11: SmashBurger Hamburger
High in calories, low in fiber, and shockingly high in sodium, the SmashBurger is saved from the bottom rung by its high protein content.
(574 calories, 34 g protein, 37 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 1,093 mg sodium)
Related: The Fit Man’s Guide to Surviving Fast Food
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#10: Five Guys Hamburger
This burger ties for second highest in calories and falls in the middle ground for sodium, but it has the highest protein count of the burgers we looked at.
Think of a burger in terms of the rest of your day. If you’re low on protein or just lifted hard, the extra calories might be worth it.
Related:The 5 Worst Things On Fast Food Menus Right Now
But if you’re looking for a hangover meal after a night of wings and beer, skip this.
(700 calories, 39 g protein, 39 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 430 mg sodium)
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#9: Shake Shack Single ShackBurger
This fast-casual newcomer prides itself on good beef and delivers a quality burger with a well-rounded nutritional profile.
It’s salty, though, which could make you want a milkshake to wash it down.
(550 calories, 28 g protein, 39 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 824 mg sodium)
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#8: Checkers All American Hamburger
Let’s call it what it is: a McDonald’s hamburger by a different name.
Only, unlike Mickey D’s version, it has more calories and sodium.
(310 calories, 15 g protein, 37 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 940 mg sodium)
Related:10 Restaurant Meals You Should Eat After Your Workout
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#7: In-n-Out Hamburger with Onion
Secret menu tip: Order it “protein style” and you’ll cut the carbs by swapping the bun for a lettuce leaf.
(390 calories, 16 g protein, 39 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 650 mg sodium)
Related: The 5 Best Burger Toppings You’ve Never Tasted
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#6: Sonic Junior Burger
It carries a sane amount of calories for a decent protein count.
Ask for extra pickles, lettuce, and tomato, to up the fiber count.
(330 calories, 16 g protein, 32 g carbs, 1g fiber, 680 mg sodium)
Related: The 10 Smartest Fast Food Meals
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#5: Jack in the Box Hamburger
Here’s where we move into the section of the list where many of the burgers are indistinguishable in terms of nutrition, save for a few calories and/or sodium.
The next few are good picks, but are either too high in sodium or too low in protein.
(280 calories, 14 g protein, 25 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 680 mg sodium)
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#4: Wendy’s Junior Hamburger
Comparable to healthier options in calories and fiber, this burger offers slightly more protein, but is higher in sodium.
(240 calories, 14 g protein, 25g carbs, 1g fiber, 620 mg sodium)
Related: This Salmon Burger Gives Beef a Run For Its Money
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#3: White Castle Original Slider
Although technically White Castle offers better numbers for calories and sodium, their burgers are undersized so we doubled their values (assuming that no one stops at one).
While they’re slightly higher in protein and fiber than Burger King and McDonald’s, White Castle’s burgers almost double the sodium of our healthiest pick.
(140 calories, 7 g protein, 13 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 360 mg sodium)
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#2: McDonald’s Hamburger
It’s similar to Burger King’s hamburger in size and numbers, but takes second because of its higher sodium content.
(240 calories, 12g protein, 32 g carb, 1g fiber, 480 mg sodium)
Related: McDonald’s or Chipotle: Which One Is Better For Your Waistline?
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#1: Burger King Hamburger
This burger has the fewest calories and lowest amount of sodium of the burgers we looked at.
The patty is on the smaller size but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Build it up with more vegetables to give yourself a bigger, healthier meal with filling fiber.
(220 calories, 11g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 380 mg sodium)
Note: By publishing this article Men’s Health is not endorsing that you eat fast food hamburgers for weight loss. Extrapolating this advice is careless and a misrepresentation of the purpose of this article, which is to provide a guide for the best “healthy-ish” burgers when few other options exist. We are fully aware, however, that Internet trolls will not read this disclaimer.
As a nutrition expert with a deep understanding of the field, I can attest to the importance of making informed choices about the food we consume, especially when it comes to fast food options. The article you provided offers a comprehensive analysis of the nutritional value of hamburgers from various fast-food chains, and I'd like to delve into the key concepts mentioned in the piece.
The article emphasizes the need to consider factors such as calories, protein, fiber, and sodium when evaluating the healthiness of fast food hamburgers. These metrics play a crucial role in determining the overall nutritional profile of a meal. Now, let's break down the information provided in the article and discuss the rankings of the fast-food hamburgers from the least to the most healthy:
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Hardee's Single All-Natural Burger (#12):
- 740 calories, 25g protein, 56g carbs, 3g fiber, 930mg sodium.
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SmashBurger Hamburger (#11):
- 574 calories, 34g protein, 37g carbs, 1g fiber, 1,093mg sodium.
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Five Guys Hamburger (#10):
- 700 calories, 39g protein, 39g carbs, 2g fiber, 430mg sodium.
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Shake Shack Single ShackBurger (#9):
- 550 calories, 28g protein, 39g carbs, 3g fiber, 824mg sodium.
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Checkers All American Hamburger (#8):
- 310 calories, 15g protein, 37g carbs, 2g fiber, 940mg sodium.
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In-n-Out Hamburger with Onion (#7):
- 390 calories, 16g protein, 39g carbs, 3g fiber, 650mg sodium.
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Sonic Junior Burger (#6):
- 330 calories, 16g protein, 32g carbs, 1g fiber, 680mg sodium.
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Jack in the Box Hamburger (#5):
- 280 calories, 14g protein, 25g carbs, 1g fiber, 680mg sodium.
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Wendy's Junior Hamburger (#4):
- 240 calories, 14g protein, 25g carbs, 1g fiber, 620mg sodium.
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White Castle Original Slider (#3):
- 140 calories, 7g protein, 13g carbs, 1g fiber, 360mg sodium (doubled for comparison).
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McDonald's Hamburger (#2):
- 240 calories, 12g protein, 32g carbs, 1g fiber, 480mg sodium.
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Burger King Hamburger (#1):
- 220 calories, 11g protein, 26g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 380mg sodium.
The rankings are based on a balance of protein and fiber relative to the calorie count, with consideration for sodium levels. It's important to note that the article does not endorse fast food hamburgers for weight loss but aims to guide readers toward healthier options when limited choices exist. Making informed decisions about food is crucial for maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet, even in fast-food scenarios.
