McDonalds Food
Craving to eat a McDonald’s meal but want to get only the healthiest? Yes, it is possible to order a healthy meal at McDonald’s as we have listed some of them below for you to enjoy.
Most of the meals on McDonald’s menu might have enough fat, carbohydrates, and calories, but some are packed with healthy components.
What’s the healthiest thing to eat at McDonald’s? McDonald’s Garden Salad is probably the healthiest thing you can get at McDonald’s with its 78 kilocalorie content along with banana and pineapple. Their 0 calorie Premium Roast Coffee is also a good choice for a drink.
Read on as we have listed the healthiest foods on McDonald’s menu. Some of the listed items are also categorized based on a particular diet, such as vegetarian, ketogenic, low calorie, and low carb diet.
Learn which items on McDonald’s fit your diet and list the food items you want to try on your next McDonald’s order!
Healthy McDonald’s Breakfast And Snack
Fruit & Maple Oatmeal
If you don’t have enough time to prepare breakfast at home and need something to energize you throughout the day, your healthiest breakfast option will be McDonald’s hot fruit & maple oatmeal.
This meal is customizable, which means you can add fresh diced apples, brown sugar, cream, or some mixed dried cranberries.
Now looking at its nutritional value, one standard size of fruit & maple oatmeal contains 310 calories, 62 carbs, 4 grams fat, and 6 grams protein.
Usually, this order contains 33 grams of sugar, but you can significantly reduce it by asking for brown sugar instead of regular sweeteners.
Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast option as it benefits gut health, promotes fullness, and eases insulin response. Aside from that, it is combined with the goodness of fruits and maple. These foods contain vitamins and minerals needed by the body.
Premium Roast Coffee
It is not a secret that coffee promotes focus, alertness, and other health benefits necessary for a productive day. Nothing makes a day better than a good cup of McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee.
Unlike other choices, this healthy drink will still have a healthy amount of calories even when you add a packet of sugar into it. You can pretty much enjoy a cup of Premium Roast Coffee without a bitter taste of guilt in your mouth.
Another good thing about this hot drink is that it costs less than a regular cup of roasted coffee from Starbucks. Each serving only contains 20 mg sodium, 0 grams of fat, 0 calories, 1g carbohydrates, and it’s sugar-free.
Garden Salad
You can actually get your greens from McDonald’s. In fact, they serve Garden Salad that only contains 78 kilocalories.
This healthy menu includes cherry tomatoes, crunchy Iceberg lettuce cuts, cheddar cheese, and shredded carrots. Aside from its low-calorie content, it also has 15 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram total fat and 3 grams protein per serving.
Chicken Caesar Salad
If you love Caesar salad, McDonald’s Chicken Caesar Salad is a must-try for you. It includes crisp Iceberg lettuce, toasted bread croutons, Halal tender chicken strips toppings, shredded parmesan cheese, and mixed with a tangy Caesar dressing.
One serving provides 161 kilocalories only and has 4 grams total fat, 26 grams protein, and 6 grams carbohydrates.
4-Piece Chicken McNuggets + Apple Slices
For those who can’t let a day pass without chicken nuggets, McDonald’s offers a healthy combination for you. Their 4-piece Chicken McNuggets with Apple Slices provide both protein and vitamins that your body can benefit from.
One serving of this snack contains 9 grams of protein, 185 calories, 330 mg sodium, 10 grams of fat, 14 grams carbohydrates, and 3 grams sugar.
Apples are known to slow cancer cells growth in the body because they are rich in potent antioxidants. This refreshing fruit also helps to protect the cells in your pancreas, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes.
This McDonald’s combo is free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives to top it all.
Sausage Burrito + Apple Slices
Burrito lovers will definitely have this McDonald’s healthy meal combo. The Sausage Burrito is made with sausage, egg, and vegetable mixture that only has 310 calories and 13 grams of protein wrapped in a flour tortilla.
The additional apple slices complete this healthy McDonald’s on-the-go breakfast.
Unlike other filling breakfast meals at McDonald’s, the sausage burrito has low calories and is packed with iron, protein, vitamin D, and calcium. But since it is high in cholesterol and sodium, it is not ideal for people keeping up with a heart-healthy diet.
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
McDonald’s Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad is a sweet, filling, and crunchy meal that won’t leave you guilty as it doesn’t contain any extra fat.
Unlike the crispy or fried chicken, having it grilled allows you to avoid excess fat and carbohydrates that are common contributors to weight gain.
A serving of McDonald’s Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad contains corn, tomatoes, beans, shredded cheese, and peppers, topped with grilled chicken and lime. It has 350 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams fat, and 37 grams of protein.
Egg McMuffin
If you are craving a healthy breakfast with an egg on it, McDonald’s Egg McMuffin is your healthiest choice. This morning-inspired sandwich contains 100% egg, meaning it is free from artificial ingredients that other breakfast offerings have.
McDonald’s offers other variants of this sandwich under the category of McMuffin, but the Egg McMuffin is the healthiest. It only contains 300 calories, 18 grams protein, 12 grams fat, and 30 grams of carbohydrates.
6-piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal
Want something healthy for your kids too? McDonald’s has the 6-piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal on its menu. This meal doesn’t go overboard on fat, calories, and sugar while providing lots of protein so adults can also enjoy it.
A serving includes six chicken nuggets, 1% milk, apple slices, and some fries.
Giving your kids this meal is an excellent way to satisfy their cravings without running their diet. The nutritional components of this meal also benefit their health by providing vitamins and antioxidants.
Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Generally, salads are healthier, but nothing beats a filling McDonald’s Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich. If you aren’t watching your sodium intake, this chicken sandwich could be a healthy way to meet your daily calorie and energy needs.
It is grilled with clarified butter, topped with sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and bun. The ingredients of the grilled chicken include skinless, boneless chicken breast with rib meat, garlic powder, water, salt, sugar, honey, lemon juice concentrate, onion powder, dried vinegar, natural flavor, and rice starch.
Each serving of McDonald’s Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich contains 380 calories from 39% protein and 46& carbohydrates.
Low Sodium McDonald’s Options
Filet-o-Fish (no tartar sauce)
Unlike other items on the list of McDonald’s menu, the Filet-o-Fish has low amounts of sodium. Ordering it without the creamy tartar sauce makes it healthier, too, as it will only contain 470 mg sodium, which is a tiny amount compared to other food items. If you want to cut back sodium even further, skip the cheese, and you will get only 370 mg of sodium for each serving.
McDonald’s uses Pollock, a fish known as a good source of lean protein, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium for the fish fillet patty.
McChicken (no mayonnaise)
Another healthy option on McDonald’s menu is the McChicken, especially if you have it without the mayonnaise. This classic chicken sandwich gives a satisfying crunch because of its crispy chicken patty and adds freshness due to the shredded lettuce and creamy mayonnaise. All this goodness is loaded in a perfectly toasted bun.
When you order it without mayonnaise, each serving of this sandwich will only contain 500 mg of sodium. Also, it’s an excellent source of protein and has relatively low amounts of calories.
Blueberry Muffin
McDonald’s has many sweet baked goods that surprisingly contain high amounts of sodium. In fact, some of them include over 20% of the recommended Daily Value per serving.
Among the low-sodium options, you can have the blueberry muffin that only has 360 mg sodium per serving.
But, remember that this food is also high in carbs, calories, and added sugar. It won’t hurt your diet if you only consider it as an occasional indulgence.
McDonald’s Keto-Friendly Options
Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe (no bun or ketchup)
Cutting the carb of your favorite McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe is easy by skipping the ketchup or bun.
These customized requests also fit into a ketogenic diet, but since they are high in saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium, make sure not to eat them regularly. Without ketchup and bun, McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe only contains 5 grams of net carbs each serving.
Big Mac (no bun)
Another ketogenic option from McDonald’s is the Big Mac without a bun. It only comes with 5 grams of net carbs each serving, 18 grams of protein, and 27 grams of fat.
What makes this burger popular is its meaty and tasty 100% beef patties. It also comes with dill pickle slices, cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, big mac sauce, and bun.
While it fits in a low-carb diet, this mouthwatering sandwich is high in saturated fat and sodium. For this reason, you should not include it in your regular diet, but you can enjoy it in moderation.
McDonald’s Vegetarian Options
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
If you want a refreshing drink in the morning, try McDonald’s new addition – The McCafé Strawberry Banana Smoothie. This drink is a healthy option, too, as its main ingredients are strawberry and banana and low-fat smoothie yogurt.
The tasty combination of fruit juices and fruit purees is highlighted by ice and creamy low-fat yogurt. This drink is available in small, medium, and large sizes, giving you room to choose.
The small size of McDonald’s Strawberry Banana Smoothie contains 190 calories, 44 grams total carbohydrates, 2 grams of protein, and 0.5 grams of fat.
Meanwhile, strawberries help to protect your heart by providing HDL, a suitable type of cholesterol. It also alleviates the risk of cancer and reduces blood pressure.
On the other hand, bananas are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, and potassium. It helps with digestion, fights gastrointestinal issues, and can supply you with energy throughout the day.
Mango Pineapple Smoothie
Another refreshing drink on the list of McDonald’s healthiest menu is the Mango Pineapple Smoothie. This drink includes sweet fruit purees and juices like pineapple and mango, combined with ice and creamy low-fat yogurt.
Like the Strawberry Banana Smoothie, it is also available in small, medium, and large sizes.
Small size Mango Pineapple Smoothie has 200 calories, which is a lot if you watch your calorie count. Meanwhile, it contains fruits like pineapple and mango, rich sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Banana
Yes, you can actually order a banana in McDonald’s! If you feel like having a banana after eating your favorite McDonald’s meal, now you can.
One piece of banana only has 104 kilocalories. It also has 25 grams of carbs, 1.2 grams of protein, and 0.22 grams of total fat.
Pineapple Stick
Another incredible healthy food you can order at McDonald’s is a pineapple stick. One serving contains 37.98 kilocalories and is loaded with vitamins and minerals needed by the body.
Pineapple is a good source of manganese, antioxidants, vitamin C, and many more.
Conclusion
To summarize, it is pretty surprising to know that McDonald’s actually has healthy options for people with different diet patterns.
You might not have too many options, especially if you follow a vegetarian, ketogenic, low sodium, or low-calorie diet. Knowing that there is something you can order from McDonald’s menu is quite reassuring.
Like any fast-food chain, McDonald’s popular items are usually high in saturated fat, sodium, cholesterol, and added sugar. So, make sure to only occasionally enjoy the foods mentioned earlier and not eat them regularly.