The 10 healthiest and 10 unhealthiest fast-food sandwiches in America

(Stacker) – One of the most effective ways to manage your weight and health is to eat a nutritious diet made with whole foods.

But if you Developing healthy eating habitsWhen you’re on a tight schedule, you might find yourself needing a quick meal.

Her To help you make smart choices while on the go, we looked at the nutritional labels of sandwiches (including burgers) from 10 of the nation’s largest fast-food chains to discover the healthiest (and unhealthiest) options.

Fast food restaurants don’t always offer the most nutritious options (although most fast food restaurants Ultra-processing(They usually leave you feeling less full.) But if you’re looking for a healthier sandwich, look to options that are high in protein and low in trans fat, net carbs, and calories.

• calorie: Even if you are trying to lose weight, Calorie Deficiency Or, if you’re trying to maintain weight at a constant calorie intake, the number of calories in a fast food sandwich can vary widely depending on the size and ingredients.
• protein: protein As shown Lose both weight and fat massSo even if you go to the drive-thru, a protein-rich sandwich will keep you full and help you reach your health goals.
• Trans fats: Trans fats are not nutritionally essential Common Trans fats found in processed foods can cause weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Net Carbs: Limiting your intake of refined carbohydrates Mediterranean dietmay help you lose weight, but eating foods that contain fiber reduces the impact of carbohydrates. Subtract fiber from total carbohydrates to get net carbohydrates.

Key findings

• The healthiest fast food sandwich is Jack in the Box’s Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich.
• The unhealthiest sandwich is Burger King’s Big Fish, mainly because of its relatively low protein content and high carbohydrate content.
• Firehouse Subs and Chick-fil-A each take three of the top 10 healthiest sandwiches.
• Four Burger King sandwiches appear on the unhealthiest list.
• The top-ranked healthy sandwiches tend to use chicken or turkey instead of hamburger, providing protein without too many calories. Weight loss Journey.
• Grilled chicken sandwiches were more likely to be on the healthy list, while fried chicken options were more likely to be on the unhealthy list.

The complete list looks like this:

The 10 Healthiest Fast Food Sandwiches

1. Sourdough Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich (Jack in the Box)
2. New York Steamer Sandwich (Firehouse Sub)
3. Cajun Chicken Sandwich (Firehouse Sub)
4. Deluxe Sandwich (Chick-fil-A)
5. Asiago Ranch Classic Chicken Club (Wendy’s)
6. Chick-fil-A Sandwich (Chick-fil-A)
7. Hero Sandwich (Firehouse Sub)
8. Grilled Chicken Sandwich (Chick-fil-A)
9. Classic Chicken Sandwich (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
10. Engineer Sandwich (Firehouse Sub)

The 10 Unhealthiest Fast Food Sandwiches

1. Big Fish Sandwich (Burger King)
2. Classic Smashed Jack (Jack in the Box)
3. Original Chicken Sandwich (Burger King)
4. Chicken Sandwich Classic (Popeye’s)
5. Crispy Grilled Cheese on Sourdough (Starbucks)
6. Chicken Junior Sandwich (Burger King)
7. Meatball Marinara (subway)
8. Big Mac (McDonald’s)
9. Whopper sandwich with cheese (Burger King)
10. Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger (Jack in the Box)

Healthiest fast food options by city

We also looked at which U.S. cities have the most options for convenient, relatively healthy fast food options. To find out, we looked at the 50 most populous metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the U.S. and looked at the number of each fast food chain per 100,000 people. The more healthy options available, the more likely people are to choose them when they want a convenient meal or snack.

Here’s what we found:

• Jacksonville, Florida and Raleigh, North Carolina It has the highest concentration of Firehouse Subs locations (where you’ll find four of the healthiest sandwich options).
• Birmingham, Alabama and San Antonio, Texas It maintained its top two spots as the city with the highest concentration of Chick-fil-A locations (Chick-fil-A took three of the top 10 healthiest sandwiches, coming in behind only the Firehouse Sub).
• Las VegasMeanwhile, the area with the highest concentration of Burger King restaurants (four of the least healthy options were from Burger King).

Methodology: How the scores are calculated

To calculate the best and worst fast food sandwich choices, we looked at the top 10 restaurants that serve sandwiches and ranked them in order of the most profitable chains in the U.S.: Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Subway, Wendy’s, Popeyes, Jack in the Box, and Firehouse Subs.

From there, we evaluated all of each restaurant’s sandwich and burger options.

From there, I found nutritional data for each menu item in each of the following categories:

• protein
• calorie
• Trans fats
• Net Carbs

The healthiest sandwiches were those that were high in protein and low in calories, trans fat, and net carbohydrates. Protein was weighted three times as heavy and trans fat was weighted twice as heavy. Each sandwich was then averaged to determine the final ranking.

Get the data.

Tips for eating healthy at fast food restaurants

Before you start ordering, consider these three strategies to help you make healthy decisions when grabbing a sandwich at a fast-food restaurant.

• Focus on protein. Protein-rich foods Research shows It keeps you fuller for longer and can even help you lose weight. But it’s important to balance your protein and calorie intake. For example, the fast food sandwich with the most protein is Wendy’s Big Bacon Classic Triple Burger, but with 1,220 calories and 4.5 grams of trans fat, it’s far from healthy.
• Check out trans fats. Because trans fats have no nutritional value and are harmful to health, their use is declining. In fact, 56 of the 106 sandwiches we reviewed contained no trans fats at all, meaning there are plenty of options to avoid trans fats.
• Please replace the soda with water. Regularly Drinking water helps you lose weight Thanks to the following benefits: Boosts metabolism It breaks down fat: While it may be tempting to order a soda every time you go through the drive-thru, drinking sugary drinks regularly could hinder your weight loss goals.

Smart Food Choices Everywhere

Eating a healthy diet overall doesn’t mean you can’t eat out at your favorite fast food restaurant. Everything in moderation! Understanding which meals will nourish your body while filling you up can help you make healthier choices and feel satisfied.

Talking to your healthcare provider for help can help you understand your body’s needs while incorporating lasting behavioral changes into your daily life.

This story It was produced by Her Reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.

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