For the past decade, fast food restaurants have been on a mission to expand their menus. And while there's no doubt that it's easier to find healthy options at some of these chains, you'd be hard pressed to find any meal under 800 calories. In fact, some of the most popular items at fast food joints contain more than 1,000 calories—double what you should be eating in an entire day! So if you're looking for a healthy lunch or dinner option when dining out at one of these popular establishments, here are some calorie bombs that should probably be avoided at all costs:
The Burger King Triple Whopper with cheese has 1,160 calories and 11 grams of saturated fat.
The most calorific burger at Burger King is the Triple Whopper with cheese. It contains 1,160 calories and 11 grams of saturated fat. That's more than half of your daily recommended calorie intake and two-thirds of your maximum saturated fat intake for a single meal.
The second highest calorie count comes from the Double Whopper with Cheese (1,090 calories) followed by a close third place finish for their BK Super Seven Incher Burger (1,060 calories).
The Popeye's Chicken Po'boy has 860 calories and 39 grams of fat.
The Popeye's Chicken Po'boy has 860 calories and 39 grams of fat. That's a lot, but it's not the worst on this list. It does have 8 grams of saturated fat, 6 grams of trans fat, 1,260 mg of sodium and 1,000 mg of cholesterol. But there are some good things about this sandwich as well: 7 grams of fiber make it healthier than most other fast food options out there—and you can get it for just $4!
That said, if you think about how much damage can be done by just one meal like this over time (or even one day), then your heart may start to race at the thought. Eating fast food regularly is basically guaranteed to lead down a path toward obesity—and all its associated health problems: diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke…to name just a few!
The Wendy's Baconator Triple cheeseburger contains 1,090 calories and 57 grams of fat.
Calories are a measure of energy. They tell you how much energy your body will get from eating or drinking a certain thing. For example, if you eat 300 calories worth of french fries, you'll get the same amount of energy as if you ate 100 calories worth of broccoli (assuming they both contain the same number of calories).
Calories from fat provide nine calories per gram, more than twice that provided by other macronutrients such as carbohydrates (four) and protein (four). Fat is an important part of your diet: it contains essential vitamins such as A, D and E; helps you absorb these vitamins; provides essential fatty acids that your body needs to function properly; and helps maintain healthy skin and hair. Having too little fat can lead to vitamin deficiencies or make it harder for women who are trying to conceive
The Dairy Queen bacon cheeseburger has 820 calories and 32 grams of fat.
The Dairy Queen bacon cheeseburger has 820 calories and 32 grams of fat. It also contains 1,010 milligrams of sodium (about a quarter of your daily recommended value) and a whopping 25 grams of saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends that adults get no more than 7% to 10% of their total daily calories from saturated fat—which means one bacon cheeseburger can take up nearly half your allowance for the day!
Dairy Queen is hardly alone in its bad-for-you offerings: Most fast food restaurants offer meals with more than 1,000 calories, and many have more than 50 grams of saturated fat (the amount you should consume in an entire day). Even if you're not trying to lose weight, there are plenty of nutritional reasons not to eat fast food on a regular basis: According to one study by Harvard researchers published in 2010 in the Archives of Internal Medicine , women who ate fast food frequently were more likely to gain weight over time than those who didn't; another study published just last year found similar results among children.
The Arby's King's Hawaiian roast beef sandwich with curly fries contains 1,210 calories and 67 grams of fat.
If you were to order the Arby's King's Hawaiian roast beef sandwich with curly fries, you would consume 1,210 calories and 67 grams of fat. That is a lot of food!
If you were to eat that much food at one sitting, there are plenty of other options that would be healthier for your body. Here are some examples:
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You could eat nine slices of Domino’s extra cheese pizza (546 calories) and still have room for a large fountain drink. You’d still have over half your daily recommended amount of sodium remaining as well, so consider topping it off with an order of nachos for good measure—a quick way to get your daily dose of salt!
The Jimmy John's Gourmet Veggie sandwich with mayo contains 1,110 calories and 38 grams of fat.
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The veggie sandwich is the worst choice.
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It has the highest calorie count in this fast food chain, with 1,110 calories and 38 grams of fat.
KFC's Crispy Twister Wrap with crispy chicken strip, ranch dressing and bacon contains 1,090 calories and 64 grams of fat.
KFC's Crispy Twister Wrap with crispy chicken strip, ranch dressing and bacon contains 1,090 calories and 64 grams of fat.
That's almost half the average number of calories a woman should be consuming each day (2,000), but it's still far from healthy. The wrap alone has 710 calories and 50 grams of fat—the equivalent to 175% of your daily recommended value for saturated fat!
What about that extra bacon? You'll need to add another 400 calories if you want to keep things in balance.
Carl's Jr.'s avocado turkey burger contains 980 calories and 61 grams of fat.
Carl's Jr. offers a variety of menu items that are moderately high in calories and fat, but the avocado turkey burger takes the cake in terms of how many calories it packs into its bun. The avocado turkey burger contains 980 calories and 61 grams of fat, which is almost entirely saturated fat. In addition to being extremely high in fat content, the sandwich has sodium levels that are nearly double what most Americans should be consuming in an entire day (2,300 milligrams). This isn't surprising considering it contains bacon and cheese as well as a fried egg.
As if that weren't enough, Carl's Jr.'s website also lists several other menu items with more than 1,000 calories each:
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Western Bacon Cheeseburger - 1,140 calories
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Six Dollar Burger - 1,070 calories
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Tex Mex Bacon Thickburger - 990 calories
Five Guys' cheeseburger has 920 calories and 57 grams of fat.
A Five Guys cheeseburger has 920 calories and 57 grams of fat. That’s a lot for just one meal, so think about your health and consider the effects on your weight. You can always order a burger without cheese or bacon next time!
MOOYAH's double cheeseburger with fries has 1,170 calories and 65 grams of fat.
MOOYAH is a good place to go for burgers. It offers a wide variety of burgers, including classic, turkey, veggie and Angus beef options. You can also choose from sandwiches with toppings like grilled onions and mushrooms. If you’re feeling adventurous, they even have some specialty burgers named after celebrities (we recommend the Brad Pitt).
The calories in MOOYAH’s double cheeseburger with fries are 1,170 (the fat content is 65 grams). If you add an order of onion rings or mozzarella sticks to your meal then it will increase by another 500 calories (another 20 grams of fat). The classic burger at In-N-Out Burger has 160 fewer calories than this one does and only 6 more grams of fat!
Maybe it is time to take lunch more seriously
You can eat healthier and still enjoy a variety of foods. You just have to be careful about what you are eating. You can also learn how to make your own meals at home, which will save money and be much healthier for you than fast food options.
Here are some simple steps you can take:
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Eat more vegetables instead of meat
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Drink water instead of soda or juice
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Exercise every day
We all know that fast food can be unhealthy, but it's important to know just how much damage it can do. With so many options at every restaurant, it can be difficult to make a healthy choice when dining out. It's important to remember that calories are not the only thing that matters when it comes to food—there are plenty of other things like sodium levels and fiber content as well! If you're looking for a way around this problem, try shopping at places like Whole Foods Market where your choices are made easier by knowing exactly what goes into each item on their menu.
