Remember that scene in Rocky, where Stallone jogs through the streets of Philadelphia and a fruit vendor tosses him an orange for breakfast? It would be great if real life were like that — you’re making your way to work and into the window of your car flies something wholesome and nutritious.
But even though fast-food restaurants are in the midst of a self-proclaimed “breakfast war,” most of what passes for breakfast at these chains is a celebration of fat, sugar and sodium, with nutrition a mere afterthought. And that’s not right: A smart breakfast is your opening salvo in the battle for a flat belly. In fact, according to the National Weight Control Registry, 78 percent of dieters who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept if off for at least a year say that they eat breakfast every single day.
As McDonald’s launches its “breakfast all day long” initiative next month, the editors of Eat This, Not That! up early to investigate the chain’s menu, and find you something that will jumpstart your weight-loss quest. Here are the absolute Best and Worst Breakfasts at McDonald’s.
FIRST, THE WORST
#6 Worst Breakfast at McDonald’s Sausage Biscuit (Regular Size Biscuit): 430 calories, 27 g fat (12 g saturated), 1,080 mg sodium, 34 g carbs, 11 g protein Sausage McMuffin with Egg: 450 calories, 28 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 860 mg sodium, 30 g carbs, 21 g protein Imagine putting five Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Original Pork Sausage Links between a big ol’ slab of greasy bread, and holding the whole shebang. Because that’s the saturated fat equivalent you’re getting with this Biscuit. At least the McMuffin has 10 more grams of protein (yet is still a bit high in calories).
#5 Worst Breakfast at McDonald’s
Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles: 460 calories, 21 g fat (9 g saturated), 1,250 mg sodium, 48 g carbs, 19 g protein Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit: 460 calories, 26 g fat (13 g saturated), 1,300 mg sodium, 38 g carbs, 19 g protein It doesn’t matter if it’s wrapped between a pancake or a biscuit, the ooey, gooey goodness of a bacon, egg and cheese ain’t good for you. The McGriddle features more than half a day’s sodium and nearly half a day’s saturated fat — that’s as much saturated fat as 117 Funyuns! Meanwhile, the Biscuit has 83% of the day’s cholesterol, or as much as you’d find in 28 slices of bacon — and also more than a half day’s of sodium. You’ll need a drink after all that salt — just don’t make it a Coke.
#4 Worst Breakfast at McDonald’s
Cinnamon Melts: 460 calories, 19 g fat (9 g saturated), 370 mg sodium, 66 g carbs, 6 g protein Mickey D’s calls this “the best part of a cinnamon roll” but it’s the worst thing for your waistline. You want to start each day with belly-filling protein, not a bowl full of cake topped with cream cheese icing. The Cinnamon Melts have 32 grams of sugar, far more than a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar.
#3 Worst Breakfast at McDonald’s
Sausage Biscuit with Egg: 510 calories, 33 g fat (14 g saturated), 1,170 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 18 g protein Like the sandwiches above, these have way too much sodium (half a day’s) and almost three-quarters of your daily allowance of saturated fat. Unless you’re getting your McDonald’s sausage from a burrito, run.
5/11
#2 Worst Breakfast at McDonald’s
Hotcakes and Sausage: 520 calories, 24 g fat (7 g saturated), 930 mg sodium, 61 g carbs, 15 g protein Sugary bread and salty meat? You probably thought this would be #1. And with as many carbs as four slices of white bread, it could be, especially if you add the whipped margarine and hotcake syrup. Then you’re looking at 740 calories and 106 g carbs, which is the carb equivalent of nearly seven slices of white bread. And yet there is one meal even worse coming up next. (Rather than eat either, stay home and whip up one of the quick 5-minute breakfasts among the 150+ weight-loss recipes in the Zero Belly Cookbook, based on the New York Times-bestselling Zero Belly Diet!)
AND NOW…THE BEST!
#5 Best Breakfast at McDonald’s Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait: 150 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 80 mg sodium, 30 g carbs, 4 g protein Not really a full meal as much as a grab-and-go starter, this relatively new addition to McDonald’s menu does what it’s meant to do: offer a light and lively choice on a menu otherwise devoted to bacon and eggs. “With 4 grams of protein, it’s a good snack,” says Gina Consalvo, MA, RD, LDN, emphasis on snack. And if you’re looking to make your own at home, turbocharge your fat burn with one of these 9 Best Brand Name Yogurts for Weight Loss!
Fuente: www.yahoo.com
