Holy guacamole!
Three in four Americans confess to consuming fast food at least once a week even though the convenience cuisine is often packed with calories, sodium and saturated fat with little to no essential nutrients like fiber and antioxidants.
Fast food diets are known to rapidly spike blood sugar, raise blood pressure, increase inflammation, hinder digestion, lower immunity and supersize the risk of obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety.
The good news is there are healthy ways to fill up on fast food — without a whopper of a stomachache.
Dr. Urvi Shah, a hematologist-oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, said diners should lean toward plant-based options and simple, unprocessed ingredients.
Aim for 10 grams of dietary fiber, less than two to three teaspoons or 8 to 12 grams of added sugar, under 500 calories (depending on your weight goals) and no more than 700 milligrams of sodium in each meal.
Shah, a physician scientist researching dietary interventions, recommends pairing fast food orders with water because it can help flush out excess sodium and ease digestion.
“If we’re ordering a meal, often in fast food restaurants, we will order the [caloric] drink and we’ll order the fries,” Shah told The Post, but customers should be “thinking of healthier options for the sides and maybe avoiding sugary drinks.”
Shah shared her most and least nutritious picks at Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, McDonald’s, Subway, Taco Bell and Wendy’s.
Go for: Spicy Southwest Salad or Market Salad with a side of fruit or Kale Crunch
The Spicy Southwest Salad features mixed greens topped with grilled spicy chicken breast, tomatoes, cheese, roasted corn, black beans, poblano chiles and red bell peppers, while the Market Salad boasts mixed greens, grilled chicken breast, crumbled blue cheese, red and green apples, strawberries and blueberries.
Kale Crunch is kale and green cabbage tossed with a vinaigrette and topped with almonds.
Avoid: Chick-fil-A Deluxe Sandwich with bacon, a side of Chick-fil-A Nuggets or mac and cheese and a milkshake
Each of the 16-ounce milkshakes contain more than 80 grams of sugar.
Go for: Veggie burrito bowl or salad with brown rice, guacamole, roasted chili corn salsa or tomatillo salsa
Brown rice is generally more nutritious than white rice because it has more fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Avoid: Carnitas burrito with a side of large chips and queso blanco and a lemonade or fountain drink
Large chips and queso blanco contain a whopping 1,290 calories, 75 grams of fat and 124 grams of carbs.
Go for: McChicken or Filet-O-Fish with a side of apple slices or an apple pie
These two sandwiches each have fewer than 400 calories, which is less than similar McDonald’s sandwiches.
Avoid: Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese with a side of fries or McNuggets and a shake
The burger has 740 calories, 1,360 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of added sugar and only 2 grams of fiber.
Go for: Veggie Delite or Veggie Patty on hearty multigrain bread or in a wrap with a side salad or baked chips
The Veggie Delite is made with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, olives and pickles while the Veggie Patty comes from Dr. Praeger’s and may not be available at all locations.
Avoid: The Beast sandwich with a Pepperoni & Cheese Dipper and a soda
The Beast boasts half a pound of meat — pepperoni, salami, turkey, ham and roast beef along with double provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, mayonnaise and MVP Vinaigrette.
Go for: Veggie Bowl or Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme with a side of beans and rice or guacamole
The Veggie Bowl is filled with black beans, seasoned rice, purple cabbage, avocado ranch sauce, lettuce, reduced-fat sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole and cheese.
The Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme features black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, reduced-fat sour cream and nacho cheese sauce in a flour tortilla with tostada shells. The wrap is not fried.
Avoid: Cheesy Double Beef Burrito with a side of large Nacho Fries and a Dirty Baja Blast
A large Dirty Baja Blast — Mountain Dew Baja Blast with vanilla creme swirled in — has a stunning 118 grams of added sugar.
Go for: Any of the fresh-made salads (avoid the bacon), a plain baked potato and Apple Bites
Wendy’s offers four fresh-made salads — Parmesan Caesar Salad, Cobb Salad, Apple Pecan Salad and Taco Salad.
Avoid: Mushroom Bacon Cheese Burger Triple, a side of Baconator Fries and a large Vanilla Frosty
The Mushroom Bacon Cheese Burger Triple has three patties, muenster cheese, roasted mushrooms, a creamy garlic spread and applewood bacon for an astonishing 1,350 calories and 1,890 milligrams of sodium.
