The Healthiest Fast Food Hamburger You Can Order, According To A Dietitian

Eating healthy to lose weight or prevent disease often takes a little bit of planning and time in the kitchen. Sometimes life can throw you out of your healthy routine, and you need to grab something quick for lunch. Fast food isn't the healthiest choice, but it can suffice when you don't have many options.

Most fast food restaurants offer hamburgers, but some of the unhealthiest burgers have 980 calories. Dr. Amy Lee, Head of Nutrition at Nucific, says Burger King's Whopper Junior can be fine when you're pressed for time. "The sandwich itself has 330-420 calories and has your protein, lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles, and I would hold off on sauces to minimize additional calories," she said. The sandwich also has 5 grams of saturated fat.

Compare that to the Triple Whopper with Cheese, which has 1,220 calories and 32 grams of saturated fat. Meanwhile, a simple flame-broiled hamburger is 240 calories and 3.5 grams of saturated fat. Other fast food restaurant chains have hamburger options to consider when you're craving a burger.

Whether a burger is healthy or not can depend on your goals. If you want to lose weight, keeping track of your total calories might be more important to you. People trying to lower their blood pressure should limit their sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day. However, you might want to limit eating out at restaurants if you have high blood pressure because most choices are high in sodium. For cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association recommends limiting your saturated fat to 6% of your total calories for the day. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, that gives you a limit of 13 grams of saturated fat. You should also eliminate trans fat, which is often found in fast food.

McDonald's offers a 250-calorie burger that has 3.5 grams of saturated fat and 510 milligrams of sodium. While this might be a good choice for limiting your daily calories or saturated fat, it's not the best for people trying to limit their sodium. Wendy's might be another option. Along with the standard menu items, Wendy's has a Junior Hamburger that's 250 calories and 4 grams of saturated fat. There's also 440 milligrams of sodium, which is a little better than McDonald's option. However, a hamburger from Dairy Queen isn't a healthy choice, coming in at 320 calories, 5 grams of saturated fat, and 870 milligrams of sodium.

If there are several fast food restaurants nearby, Lee says Chick-fil-A's Grilled Chicken Sandwich is a great alternative to a fast-food burger. "This lacks all the mayo and cheese and is not fried, which can save you on calories," she said. This 450-calorie sandwich has 3 grams of saturated fat but 845 milligrams of sodium. You'll also get 14 grams of sugar, but the 3 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein will satisfy your appetite.

Once you're in a fast-food restaurant, it's tempting to add unhealthy sauces and side items that can pile on a ton of extra calories. Many fast food items have more calories than you expect. Lee suggests minimizing the extras and avoiding the super-sized versions of entrees. "If you can take a sandwich without the ketchup, mayo, and 'secret sauces,' even better," she said. That value meal can entice you into eating more food (and calories) than you need. If you must get a side order of fries, get a small size and share them with others. Remember that those sugary soft drinks can pile on empty calories, so consider having unsweetened tea, diet soda, or soda water with lemon.