You're likely not hitting up a fast food joint for its health benefits. Fast food chains are often just tasty indulgences offering a convenient way to grab a meal. But when the craving strikes and you want to get your hands on a greasy burger or handful of fries, sometimes you may want to strike a bit of a balance, health-wise, with your order. That's when it comes in handy to know which chains are sizzling up exactly what you're looking for when it comes to nutrition.
According to a 2024 study conducted by PlushCare, some fast food restaurants are much more unhealthy than others. Particularly Five Guys, which scored the number one spot in a ranking of the unhealthiest cheeseburgers, with a 50-point "unhealthiness score." Five Guys fries also weighed in as the unhealthiest, with 28 points on the score.
Whataburger, Smash Burger, and Carl's Jr. trailed behind in the ranking. Five Guys, however, had 73 percent more saturated fat than any other fast food cheeseburger on the list. That's...tough to swallow (literally).
To determine scores, the site analyzed each menu item's calories, sugar, saturated fat, and sodium content based on the Department of Health's nutrient profiling method.
"Ultimately, healthy eating comes down to taking control of what you eat," the online healthcare platform reported. "That might mean avoiding fast food altogether, but it can be as simple as making an informed decision about which fast-food chains to visit and which of their products to choose."
Burger King and McDonald's, somewhat shockingly, tied for second-lowest unhealthiness scores at just 18 points. Cheeseburgers from those chains pack a quarter of the saturated fat (a.k.a what leads to heart disease risk and weight gain) compared to a cheeseburger at Five Guys, and less than half of a Wendy's burger. The lowest was Culver's, coming in at 17 points.
As for the unhealthiest chicken sandwich, another coveted fast food menu item, Popeyes' beloved sammie scored 39 points, earning the title as unhealthiest, while McDonald's once again ranked as the healthiest. The McChicken had nearly half the unhealthiness points of Burger King (31 points) and KFC (27 points) with just 14. Ok, we see you Micky D's!
There is, of course, a caveat: while the McChicken is indeed healthier, PlushCare points out that it doesn't necessarily make it a healthy sandwich. "While the McChicken is significantly less unhealthy than other fast-food chicken burgers, it is still high in sodium, fat, and calories. Because it is made of ground chicken patty, the nutrients it does contain are not high-quality."
Luckily for nugget lovers, you can rest easy knowing McDonald's beloved McNuggets were rated as the healthiest of all nugget options, solidifying their spot in our hearts.
