Fast-Food Guide For Teenagers

Americans consume one-third of their calories out of the home

Many of these are eaten at fast-food restaurants. The sheer number of fast-food outlets, the availability of round-the-clock, drive-through service, and low prices make fast food a convenient and affordable option. But fast-food menus are packed with high-fat, high-calorie, and high-sodium options that present a number of pitfalls to anyone trying to live a healthy lifestyle.

A visit to a fast-food chain doesn't necessitate throwing your healthy eating efforts out the window, however. Increasingly, fast-food restaurants are offering alternatives to the standard burger and fries, and it's getting easier to make good choices. This article will arm you with the knowledge you need to navigate fast-food menus wisely. Keep in mind, though, that even the "healthy" options are usually high in sodium — meaning they're not the best options for people who need to limit their sodium intake.

When you make the decision to eat fast food, be sure to gather all the nutrition information you can. Then ask yourself: Does this menu suit my needs? Remember, advertising can be tricky. Just because Subway promotes a "Carb Conscious" menu doesn't mean that the low-carb options fit into a low-calorie or low-sodium plan. Look at the following chart to see the nutrients in Subway's low-carbohydrate Chicken and Bacon Ranch Wrap compared with those in the 6-inch Turkey Breast Sub. What differences do you detect?

Chicken and Bacon Ranch Wrap 

Calories: 440
Fat: 27g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Protein: 41g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Sodium: 1,680mg

6-inch Turkey Breast Sub 

Calories: 280
Fat: 4.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Protein: 18g
Carbohydrates: 46 g
Sodium: 1,020 mg

As you can see, the Chicken and Bacon Ranch Wrap has less carbohydrate than the Turkey Breast Sub, but it also packs in more fat, more sodium, and nearly twice the calories. Which of these options better helps you meet your goals?

"There's Fast Food…Then There's KFC" 

Be aware that fast-food marketing campaigns can be misleading. Take, for example, the KFC ads that ran briefly in 2003. This campaign promoted fried chicken as a healthful food that could fit into low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets. The campaign outraged groups that advocate healthy eating. After all, fried chicken is not typically considered a health food and should be consumed sparingly — not eaten by the bucketful, as the commercials suggested one should.

KFC supported the controversial ads in a 2003 press release by saying, "We want to set the record straight. Consumers should no longer feel guilty about eating fried chicken." In response, the Center for Science in the Public Interest said, "These ads take the truth, dip it in batter, and deep-fry it." The Federal Trade Commission, the group that regulates advertising in the United States, later banned the ads for containing false claims.

Controversy and marketing aside, it is up to you, the consumer, to make informed choices, so let's look at the nutrition facts. Depending on the size, a bucket of fried chicken has up to 3,090 calories and is loaded with saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. You can decide whether or not this is your best choice.

Making the Facts Known 

How can you obtain the nutrition information for items on a fast-food menu? Many fast-food restaurants have printed information that you can request at the counter. You can also find the information on the Internet, since most fast-food chains publish nutrition facts on their Web sites. Other Web sites, such as www.calorieking.com and www.dietfacts.com, allow you to look up nutrition information for many different fast-food chains.

On some of these sites, you can customize a sample meal, which allows you to add up the nutrition totals for different combinations of foods. For example, check out the McDonald's site and see what a difference a couple of slices of cheese make to the fat and calorie content of a sandwich. Or you can look at Subway's nutrition information to see how adding mayonnaise affects the nutrition facts. These sites are user friendly, and if you print your results, you can file them for future visits. By choosing healthier menu items, you might help bring about more positive changes. As the demand grows for healthy meals, fast-food chains just might keep expanding the options.

McDonald's and Burger King eateries are everywhere, and many are open around the clock. They are therefore convenient sources for various meals. However, some of the more traditional menu items aren't very healthy for someone trying to lose weight.

McDonald's Big Breakfast, for example, packs in 730 calories, 56 percent of which are from fat. The total number of fat grams is 46, and 14 of those are of the saturated variety. Additionally, you would consume 1,470 milligrams of sodium and 53 grams of carbohydrate. In short, if you follow a 1,500-calorie meal plan, this meal would provide about half of your daily intake. And you would take in more than half a day's worth of sodium.

Better choice

Try the English muffin with jam, scrambled eggs, and coffee or water. You would consume only 395 calories (add 35 calories if you put one creamer and one packet of sugar in your coffee), 39 percent of which would be from the 17 grams of fat (5 of which are saturated). Additionally, you would consume 41 grams of carbohydrate (add 4 grams of carbohydrate if you stir one packet of sugar into your coffee) and just 500 milligrams of sodium. This meal provides a smart start for the day, leaving you on track to meet the rest of the day's goals.

Perhaps you have chosen to have lunch at Burger King. As with breakfast at McDonald's, the nutrition content of your meal can vary widely depending on your choices. Say you order a traditional lunch of a Double Whopper with cheese, king-size fries, and a king-size Coke. In this one meal you would take in 1,980 calories, 44 percent of which are from the 97 grams of fat. You would also consume 2,520 milligrams of sodium. This meal alone exceeds your daily calorie and sodium intakes if you plan for 1,500 calories a day.

Better choice: As an alternative to the high-fat, high-sodium meal described above, you could choose a Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich. Add a side garden salad and fat-free dressing and you would eat just 465 calories, 19 percent of which are from the 10 grams of fat. You would also be getting 56 grams of carbohydrate and 1,210 milligrams of sodium. While the sodium content is still relatively high, you could budget the rest of your day's intake to still come in around the recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams.

At most fast-food venues, the various chicken options can fit into your plan. Just know what you are eating. Below you will find the nutrition information for some chicken menu options at KFC, McDonald's, and Subway. This is the type of information you need to evaluate when making decisions about what to order at fast-food restaurants.

KFC Original Recipe Chicken Breast (1 piece) 

Calories: 380
Fat: 19g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Protein: 40g
Carbohydrates: 11g
Sodium: 1,150mg

McDonald's Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich 

Calories: 420
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Protein: 27g
Carbohydrates: 32g
Sodium: 1,240 mg

Subway 6-inch Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Sub 

Calories: 330
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Protein: 24g
Carbohydrates: 47g
Sodium: 1,020mg

KFC Original Recipe Chicken Breast without skin or breading (1 piece) 

Calories: 140
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Protein: 29g
Carbohydrates: 0g
Sodium: 410mg

(Take into consideration that the McDonald's and Subway sandwiches include the bun, and that the McDonald's selection includes mayonnaise.)

Could you eat lower-carbohydrate meals at these same fast-food restaurants even if the menu doesn't include a specific low-carb item? And can that low-carb item also be low in fat — not drenched with cheeses and sauces? Sure — you just need to be resourceful. Eat half the bun or none at all. You can even double the chicken but eat it on one bun, thus lowering the proportion of carbohydrate in your meal while keeping your protein intake high. The charts below compare each chicken meal to versions without the skin or bun. Watch how the nutrients change accordingly.

McDonald's Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich 

Calories: 420
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Protein: 32g
Carbohydrates: 52g
Sodium: 1,240mg

McDonald's Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich with no bun 

Calories: 180
Fat: 7g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Protein: 24g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Sodium: 830mg

Subway 6-inch Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Sub 

Calories: 330
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Protein: 24g
Carbohydrates: 47g
Sodium: 1,020mg

Subway 6-inch Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Sub without bread 

Calories: 130
Fat: 2.5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Protein: 16g
Carbohydrates: 7g
Sodium: 660mg

*All nutrition information is taken from the KFC, McDonald's, and Subway Web sites.