WebMD recently did a series of posts about fast food choices which I wrote about recently. The news was mostly bad, especially when it came to salt content of even what WebMD considered the best alternatives in several categories.
The medical site is at it again, sending me this look at fast food breakfast choices. Again the news is bad even for the choices WebMD says are you best bet, or at least better bets than the calorie and salt monsters profiled first.
For an example, the site looks at a popular McDonald’s breakfast choice and says this:
“Take a pass on the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes. It packs 1,090 calories, 56 grams (g) fat, and 19 g saturated fat — over the daily limit for saturated fat for most people. Even the biscuit is loaded with saturated fat. The sodium hits 2,150 milligrams (mg), well over the daily limit of 1,500 mg for people who have high blood pressure or are particularly likely to get it — a group that includes most U.S. adults.”
That breakfast platter was a Mother’s Day favorite for my mother once she moved to the Midwest and discovered that McDonald’s offered free breakfasts to mothers on Mother’s Day. So its good she isn’t around these days to see that write-up.
But then WebMD goes on to suggest:
“The Egg McMuffin is a better choice under the golden arches at 290 calories, 12 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, and 4 g fiber. Lean Canadian bacon offers protein and a meaty taste with much less fat.”
So far not bad, but then the salt bomb drops as WebMD writes: “Note that it’s high in sodium: 740 mg. You could choose the Egg White Delight McMuffin. It has 250 calories, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, and 4 g fiber. But at 770 mg, it also has a lot of sodium.”
Other choices outlined at places like Burger King, Jack in the Box and Starbucks are largely the same salt story. Stay away from fast food breakfasts if you are watching your salt.
John
The No Salt, No Fat, No Sugar Journal 