Super Size Me! Get big the Right Way at America's favorite fast-food restaurants

Flex, Oct, 2005 by Chris Aceto, Steve Stiefel

CONCLUSION | Salads with protein are among the best fast-food options, but beware of unwanted calories that come from preparation style and salad dressings.

SALADS

          TOTAL  % OF CALORIES                    % OF CALORIES
CALORIES  FAT*   FROM FAT       CARBS*  PROTEIN*  FROM PROTEIN

Subway Grilled Chicken Breast and Baby Spinach
140        3     19             11      20        57

McDonald's Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
210        6     26             11      28        53

Burger King Fire-Grilled Chicken Garden Salad
210        7     30             12      26        50

Subway Cold Cut Combo
250       15     54             14      15        24

Wendy's Homestyle Chicken Strips Salad
440       22     45             33      29        26

Taco Bell Fiesta Taco Salad with shell
870       47     49             80      31        14

* Measured in grams

CATEGORY FOUR CHICKEN SANDWICHES

Many fast-food restaurants offer grilled or fried chicken sandwiches, or both. Of the two, grilled chicken is always a better choice (although compared to burgers, fried chicken sandwiches are usually higher in percent of calories from protein). Not adding mayonnaise or other dressings keeps fat calories down and increases the percent of calories from protein. Another significant way to increase the ratio of protein calories is to remove the top or bottom of the bun--about half the calories from carbs.

CONCLUSION | Grilled chicken sandwiches are generally the second best fast-food options to salads. Removing half the bun decreases calories and improves the percent of calories from protein.

CHICKEN SANDWICHES

          TOTAL  % OF CALORIES                    % OF CALORIES
CALORIES  FAT*   FROM FAT       CARBS*  PROTEIN*  FROM PROTEIN

Subway 6" Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
330        5     14             47      24        29

Wendy's Ultimate Grilled Chicken
360        7     18             44      31        34

McDonald's Chicken McGrill
400       16     36             38      27        27

Burger King Chicken Whopper Sandwich
570       25     39             48      38        27

* Measured in grams

CATEGORY FIVE SPECIALTY OPTIONS

We've created a separate category of "specialty dishes" from three of the largest fast-food chains in the country: Pizza Hut, Subway and Taco Bell. These foods don't necessarily comprise full meals, and you'll often order additional dishes to accompany them. However, this partial list will help you know what you're getting when you choose one of these restaurants over the average burger palace.

Adding pepperoni to a cheese pizza causes only a 10-calorie increase per slice, but a pepperoni pan pizza has 80 calories per slice more than thin crust, with little increase in protein. Keep in mind that these numbers are per slice of pizza and that very few people eat just one slice. That means that pizza is hard to justify as a food for bodybuilders, except when it's eaten strictly for weight gain or as a cheat food.

Subway has a range of low-fat foods containing a decent amount of protein. Keep in mind that a significant percentage of the calories in a sub come from carbs. Removing the top wedge of bread and eating the sandwich open-faced is one way to bump up the ratio of protein.