The Highest Fat Item On McDonald's Menu Isn't What You Think

McDonald's has come a long way since first opening its doors for business in 1940 (via Britannica). Originally a drive-in restaurant with a wide menu, McDonald's turned into a fast-food restaurant chain that mainly served drinks, hamburgers, potato chips, and pies. According to Business Insider, back then, a hamburger only cost 15 cents.

Throughout the decades, McDonald's added critical features to its brand — architectural designs, like the M-shaped golden arches, faces like the clown Ronald McDonald, and menu items like the Big Mac. They shaped the fast-food chain into the restaurants that we all recognize today (via Britannica).

McDonald's now serves an estimated 62 million people per day (via The Fiscal Times). With over 38,000 locations spread out across 100 countries worldwide, it is no surprise that McDonald's is a global leader in fast food (via McDonald's). However, fast food is not without its drawbacks — some items are total diet busters. Which McDonald's menu item has the most fat? (Hint: It's not the Big Mac.)

According to Eat This, Not That!, the fattiest item on McDonald's main menu (not including breakfast) is the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese. This monster of a burger contains half a pound of beef and two slices of American cheese.

According to Mcdonald's, the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese has 42 grams of fat, including 20 grams of saturated fat and 1,360 milligrams of sodium. While the McDonald's website does not mention any trans fats, Eat This, Not That! includes an additional 2.5 grams of trans fat in the burger. Meanwhile, the regular Quarter Pounder with Cheese comes with 8 fewer grams of saturated fat and 1 gram less of trans fat.

According to the National Health Service, excess saturated fat can raise cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. That's why men are recommended to have less than 30 grams of saturated fat per day, while women should not exceed 20 grams. If you do the math, no one should eat more than one Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese daily. Further, MedlinePlus notes that you don't actually need to consume trans fat, and recommends no more than 2 grams per day based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

If you're looking to make a healthy food choice, it may be best to skip this gut bomb of a burger.