Is Mcdonald’s Salads Really Healthy?

When McDonalds came out with a new line of salads, many people interpreted this as a sign that they would finally be able to eat healthy at McDonalds. Touting the new healthy lifestyle they were promoting on all thier adds, McDonalds began to look like a healthy food choice after all. After all, what could possibly more healthy than a nice, colorful salad? However, according to a recent review of McDonalds salads, the healthiness of these veggie-based meals is now in question. A health review of the six new McDonalds salads gave them all ratings of one star on a one to five star scale.

The issues with Mcdonalds salads lies in the high fat Newman’s ranch dressing that comes with most of them. At 170 calories and 15 grams of fat (38 percent of the recommended daily fat intake), the dressing counteracts many of the health benefits of the salads. Add that to the fatty chicken with almost as much cholesterol as beef, croutons, and cheese and a McDonalds salad can actually end up having more fat and calories than a traditional cheeseburger or sandwich entrée. “We did not expect these new salad entrées to be so loaded with fat and cholesterol,” saied Brie McGrievy, R.D., one of the clinical research coordinators at PCRM.

Whether you chose to eat a McDonalds salad or not after reading this, it’s important to know the true nutritional value of what you are eating so that you don’t sabotage a temporary or long term resolution to make healthy choices. Studies have shown that when people eat just a salad as a meal, no matter the actual calorie content, they often compensate by eating more later on, thinking that they were eating just vegetables. So beware. Since the dressing pouches at McDonalds contain two ounces of dressing and a typical serving is one ounce, you can reign in the fat and sodium of your order by adding only half a pouch of dressing. Even if you don’t feel the need, at least you are now informed of the true health value of McDonalds salads.