Here’s Why You May Want To Choose A Big Mac Over A Salad
If you’re someone who is trying to eat healthy, we bet you eat a lot of salads. In fact, you’d probably opt for a salad every time over say, a Big Mac. Well, turns out, in some cases that Big Mac may be a healthier option than grabbing a salad at one of several fast-casual restaurants.
A new report by the a the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reveals that most restaurant salads are actually a worse option than eating a Big Mac. How is that possible? Well, chains load them up with things like processed meats, cheese, and creamy dressings, which cause the calories and fats to go sky high.
The Big Mac will set a person back 550 calories, not to mention 29 grams of fat, and 970 milligrams of salt, and according to the report there are 100 salad options where those numbers are much, much worse. And believe it or not, one salad, Chili’s Quesadilla Explosion Salad, is worse than eating TWO Big Macs, since it has 1,430 calories, 96 grams of fat, and 2,620 milligrams of salt.
Among the fast-casual restaurants, California Pizza Kitchen is the worst culprit, with 25 salads that are higher in calories, fat and salt than a Big Mac, with Friendly’s coming in second with nine.
Among the worst salads (click here for a complete list):
- Applebee’s Fried Chicken Salad, Regular (1120 cal, 77 fat, 2590 salt)
- California Pizza Kitchen’s California Cobb Salad with Bleu Cheese Dressing and Beets, Full (1070 cal, 85 fat, 1750 salt)
- California Pizza Kitchen’s Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, Full with Avocado (1250 cal, 81 fat, 1800 salt)
- Carrabba’s Mediterranean Salad with Salmon (893 cal, 71 fat, 1303 salt)
- Friendly’s Apple Harvest Chicken Salad- Light Balsamic Dressing (560 cal, 33 fat, 2590 salt)
- TGI Friday’s Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad (1080 cal, 71 fat, 1650 salt)
- IHOP’s Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad w/ Avocado (1350 cal, 104 fat, 290 salt)
Source: 24/7 Wall Street