Don't Make These Mistakes
With so many marketing strategies out there, it's too easy to assume something is healthy because it pretends to be. In reality, lots of fast food places that offer salads or smoothies aren't being upfront about their menu items. With that in mind, here are 10 unhealthy and healthy options to consider next time you're feeling the cravings.
1. Chipotle Burrito Bowl
Burrito bowls can be a healthy choice if you think about the lean proteins and veggies that go in it. They become a bit less healthy when you take into account the calories from loading them with rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, and much more. This can easily make the burrito bowl exceed 1,000 calories and make it a very unhealthy meal.
2. Wendy’s Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
Chicken is an amazing source of protein, and apples can be super healthy as an addition to any dish. However, the apple pecan chicken salad from Wendy’s is topped with lots of sugar, fatty cheese, and very heavy dressing that adds a lot of calories. When you think of a salad, you usually don’t think it’s as high as 800 calories and packed with sugar.
3. Subway's Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Footlong
While it might sound like a healthy choice, the sweet onion chicken teriyaki is high in sugar and sodium. The chicken does bring a nice lean protein addition, but due to the addition of unnecessary ingredients, this becomes more unhealthy. On top of that, most people add even more unhealthy toppings and ingredients, which adds to the calorie count and potential fat quantity.
4. Starbucks Matcha Green Tea Latte
Although matcha is considered to be a very healthy antioxidant and a power drink, Starbucks takes the healthy aspect and turns it into a sugary explosion. A grande-size matcha latte has well over 30 grams of sugar in a single drink, which completely negates the health benefits of matcha itself. If you want a healthier version of it, it’s probably best to order it with unsweetened milk and little to no sweeteners.
5. Taco Bell Bowls
Taco Bell bowls are generally deceptively unhealthy due to their high calorie and sodium content. Even the healthier versions, like the Power Bowl, can exceed 1,000 calories with all the added toppings. Taking into consideration the fats, carbs, and calories, these bowls don’t seem like a healthy choice.
6. Arby’s Roast Turkey Sandwich
Turkey is generally a great lean protein, which makes the fact that Arby’s roast turkey sandwich uses processed, high-in-sodium and preservatives meat very disappointing. The sauces used in the sandwich, as well as the bread itself, are also very high in sugars and carbs, making it even more unhealthy. For something that has potential to actually be a good healthy option, this sandwich misses all the boxes it could have ticked.
7. Del Taco Epic Cali Bacon Burrito
The lean proteins and vegetable combo sounds healthy, but in this case, it might not be the best choice. The burrito is wrapped in a large tortilla and loaded with fatty bacon and unhealthy sodium-heavy sauces. The calorie count gets even higher when you take into account the added toppings and processed meats.
8. Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap
Grilled chicken is usually the healthiest option when it comes to the way of preparing the protein. The thing that makes it less healthy, though, is the fatty dressing and a carb-heavy white flour tortilla that wraps the whole thing. While there can be some healthy parts of this wrap, it is generally too fatty, salty, and carb-heavy to be considered healthy.
9. Dunkin’ Donuts Multigrain Bagel
Multigrain bagels sound like the healthy option in most cases, but they are still a refined carb that is full of sugars and fats. Even though a bagel doesn’t look like it’s too heavy, it is calorie-dense and doesn't provide enough benefits like fiber or protein to make up for it. If you like to add cream cheese or other spreads, this just further makes it more unhealthy on top of that.
10. Panera Tropical Green Smoothie
Smoothies seem like healthy options, and they definitely can be. Panera’s tropical green smoothie, while delicious, has lots of added sugars. Even though the fruits themselves are definitely healthy, the addition of that much sugar doesn’t justify being advertised as a healthy green pick.
Now that we have talked about some of the falsely healthy fast food options out there, here are 10 you can actually trust to keep the calories low.
1. El Pollo Loco Double Chicken Avocado Salad
One of the main stars of this item is the grilled chicken topping, which is one of the best lean proteins, and the fact that it’s not deep-fried makes it even better. The avocados give a nice healthy fat and nutrients, while the other veggies provide a much-needed vitamin boost. It’s an overall nice and balanced item on the menu.
2. In-N-Out Protein Style Hamburger
Burgers are usually not the healthiest pick, unless they are In-N-Out’s Protein Style Hamburger. Substituting the carb-heavy bun with lettuce lowers the calories and unwanted carbs by an incredible amount. The beef patty is also a great protein source, and the fact that it’s grilled removes unnecessary fats and oils.
3. Panda Express String Bean Chicken Breast
Low in fat and sodium and high in lean protein and vitamins, this item is one of the healthiest picks for a nice meal. The string beans give much-needed freshness and vitamins, while the chicken is a good source of protein, especially when grilled. If you are looking for a meal that has lower calories and fats while being protein and nutrient-dense, this is probably the one for you.
4. Popeyes Blackened Chicken Tenders
Unlike every other fast food restaurant's chicken nuggets, tenders, and similar picks, Popeyes blackened chicken tenders are not deep-fried. Being grilled gives a healthier, lower-in-fat option, which is always a good thing when looking for healthy meals. The seasoning used in the blackened chicken also gives amazing flavor without the need for extra breading and oils.
5. Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Wrap
Another grilled, as opposed to fried, chicken option, Wendy’s grilled chicken wrap is a great option for a healthier fast food item. It’s a great source of protein and fresh veggies that provide vitamins and fiber, while refraining from the use of unhealthy fats. Overall, this menu item is lower in calories and healthier than most fast food picks out there.
6. Starbucks Egg White and Roasted Red Pepper Bites
If you are looking for a protein-heavy snack, Starbucks has exactly that with their egg bites. The egg white gives all the protein without the fat from the egg yolk, while roasted red peppers provide you with a nice kick of vitamins. It’s not a full-blown meal, but it is a good snack option that will give you a nice boost of protein when needed.
7. McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets
McDonald’s doesn’t usually come to mind when talking about healthy food. While that might be the case, their chicken nuggets are actually packed with protein and have fewer calories and fat than most other fast food items. Getting them without any dipping sauce also removes unnecessary sodium and sugars from the meal.
8. Panera Green Goddess Cobb Salad
Heavy in protein, healthy fats, and vitamins, this salad is one of the healthiest items when it comes to fast food restaurants. The grilled chicken and hard-boiled eggs are some of the best protein options you can get, while avocados give that nice natural and healthy fat and fiber. Even though the dressing that comes on top is creamy, it’s definitely lighter than most fast food dressings and does not take away from the positives of this dish.
9. Subway Veggie Delite
The Veggie Delite is an amazing plant-based pick from a fast food place that has a reputation for being generally carb and calorie-heavy. Packed with fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats, this sandwich has all the energy boosters you need. On top of that, it’s incredibly refreshing and more filling than you might think.
Ser Amantio di Nicolao on Wikimedia
10. Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Chick-fil-A is famous for their chicken, and their grilled chicken sandwich just might be your new favorite healthy order. The advantage of grilled over fried is having less unwanted fats, while fresh veggies provide vitamins, nutrients, and fiber. If you are strong enough to resist ordering a side of Chick-fil-A sauce, this will be a healthy and low-calorie meal.
