5 Foods You Should Never Eat at McDonald’s

1. Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese – 740 calories, 42 grams fat, 1380 milligrams sodium.

2. Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich – 630 calories, 28 grams fat, 1420 milligrams sodium.

3. Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (5 pc) – 660 calories, 40 grams fat, 1680 milligrams sodium.

4. McSkillet Burrito with Sausage – 610 calories, 36 grams fat, 1390 milligrams sodium.

5. Chocolate Triple Thick Shake (large – 32 oz) – 1160 calories, 27 grams fat, 510 milligrams sodium.

To put things in perspective:

Most women follow a 1200 calorie meal plan for weight loss.

Fat should be limited to 40 - 70 grams of fat a day if you consume a 2000 calorie diet.

Healthy American adults should eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day.

Disorders of Lipid Metabolism: Trans Fat Facts

You may already know that saturated fats found in animal fat, like marbling in steak, sausage, cheese and butter can raise LDL cholesterol levels and clog arteries. Trans fat is similarly bad for our hearts. You should eat as little trans fat as possible.

What is Trans Fat?

Trans fat is formed when a liquid vegetable oil is partially hydrogenated. This chemical process changes a liquid fat to a more solid fat. It also keeps the fat from spoiling quickly.

Why Limit Trans Fat?

Trans fat raises LDL cholesterol levels. It may also lower “good” HDL cholesterol. People who eat more trans fat are at greater risk of heart disease.

Tips for Limiting Trans Fat:

Read food labels: You’ll want to check the ingredients list and the Nutrition Facts panel. The Nutrition Facts panel lists the amount of saturated fat and trans fat in one serving. Choose foods that are low in both of these fats. The ingredients list will show if a food contains partially hydrogenated oils. If you see this kind of oil, the food has trans fat. Note that if a product contains partially hydrogenated oils but has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, the Nutrition Facts panel will list 0 grams trans fat. However, if you eat more than one serving of that food, you may get a lot of trans fat. Do not choose a food just because it is labeled “trans fat free.” Read the Nutrition Facts to see how much saturated fat the food has. A product with 6 grams of saturated fat and no trans fat has similar LDL raising effects as a product that has 3 grams of saturated fat and 3 grams of trans fat.

More Tips to Keep Trans Fat Intake Low

When you eat margarine or a “buttery” spread, pick a tub or liquid product. Look for spreads with less than a total of 2 grams from saturated and trans fat per serving.Be careful with cookies, pies, doughnuts, some crackers and snack products. These baked goods and convenience foods may be made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.Avoid fried fast foods. These are often fried in partially hydrogenated fats.Keep the sum of your saturated and trans fat below 7% of the calories you eat.

Use the list below to find your limits:

If you eat this many calories /Keep your daily total saturated and trans fat to no more than ___ grams.

2,400 /18
2,000 /15
1,800 /14
1,500 /12
1,200 /9

McDonald's Nutrition Facts

Do you have an occasional big mac attack with a side of fries and a coke. If you do, let me encourage you to rethink your choices. This big mac meal has:

1,420 calories,

59 grams of fat,

1,390 milligrams of sodium.

Yikes!

Maybe it should be called the big heart attack instead. As a nation, we need to rethink our food choices. If this does not discourage you from eating at McDonald's or any other fast food establishment. Then here is an interactive tool to size up your calorie, fat, and sodium intake.

Good Luck,

TheMenuCoach