Are McDonalds Salads Healthy?

Every McDonalds lover out there has tried to prove plenty of times in the past that its salads are delicious and also healthy, as in they contain a minimal amount of calories. For context on how the rest of the fast-food menu compares, see our breakdown of how many calories are in a KFC Zinger burger.

Since then McDonald’s has made an active effort to make all their salads healthier and reduce their calorie count. But have these efforts worked? Are McDonalds Salads Healthy?

Most of us remember the kale salad fiasco of 2016 where a reputable news channel, CNBC, pitted a McDonald’s Salad calories Vs. Big Mac, which eventually resulted in the salad having more calories than two large Big Macs combined.

We’ve gone through the trouble of determining the current calorie count of a few McDonalds Salads to provide you with a definitive answer. So, without any further ado, let’s get straight into it.

Nutritional Value of a McDonald’s Salad

After conducting some research, we were able to find out that there are primarily two types of salads that have the most backing behind them when it comes to being healthy, the plain McDonald’s Caesar Salad and McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Salad.

As such, we decided to note down the nutritional value both of these salads provide in one single serving. Here’s what we found:

Total Calories in One Serving of McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Salad: 139 Calories. Here’s the breakdown:

Fat: 1.4 grams.

Carbs: 5.0 grams.

Fiber: 2.1 grams.

Protein: 25 grams. That is a serious amount for one meal – our guide to the protein content of 1 kg of chicken puts it in perspective.

Total Calories in one serving of McDonald’s Caesar Salad: 190 Calories. Here’s the breakdown:

Fat: 5 grams.

Carbs: 10 grams.

Cholesterol: 23% of the Daily Value

Sodium: 25% of the Daily Value

Protein: 27 grams.

Vitamin A: 160% of the Daily Value

Vitamin C: 23% of the Daily Value.

Is McDonald’s Caesar Salad Healthy?

Recent reports have shown that McDonald’s have actually cut down on the amount of salad they sell in their stores as it was only counting towards 2 to 3% of their daily sales.

With that said, McDonald’s have also tried to learn from their mistakes of the past and ensured that the salads they do sell are healthy. The first among these is their caesar salad.

Now, when compared to the grilled chicken salad, the caesar salad provides slightly more calories to its consumers. However, we consider the caesar salad to be quite healthy as it supplies your body with essential vitamins like Vitamin A and C, in good quantities as well.

Vitamin A is responsible for developing your heart, lungs and several other organs. Plus, it’s also important for maintaining your normal vision, maintaining the health of your immune system and reproduction system.

What’s even better is that the caesar salad contains 160% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin A, thus ensuring that you get more than enough of the essential vitamin into your body.

The salad also contains Vitamin C at 23% of its daily recommended value. Another essential vitamin that helps in the growth, repair and development of all your body’s tissues.

It also increases the absorption of iron, creation of collagen and helps in the proper functioning of the immune system. We cover the wider picture in our article on how diet affects your health.

Is McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Salad Healthy?

Quite surprisingly for us, McDonald’s grilled chicken salad is one of the lowest calorie options you could go for as a meal. The grilled chicken salad only provides 139 Calories to its consumers which can be extremely helpful for individuals looking to lose weight, as burning off 139 calories is pretty easy. If you like the grilled route, read whether chicken tikka is good for weight loss.

In fact, if you consume a grilled chicken salad daily and also engage in regular exercise, you should be able to achieve that negative caloric balance you’ve been after by the end of the day. Our list of the best weight loss tips from a dietitian covers the rest of the habits that matter.

Another thing that sets McDonald’s grilled chicken salad apart from McDonald’s caesar salad is its high protein content. Taking in more protein throughout the day can help you lose weight and gain muscle at the same time through a number of different factors, something the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health also highlights in its protein guidance.

Firstly, proteins are directly responsible for the repair and build up of muscle. They contain essential amino acids that actually make up your muscles. Having more protein means that your body ends up repairing your muscles even faster which can eventually lead to lean muscle mass gain.

Secondly, protein also helps reduce your hunger levels and leave you with a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time, thus keeping you away from any unnecessary snacking. When a snack is unavoidable, our roundup of low calorie biscuits in Pakistan is a sensible place to start.

Lastly, additional protein can also help strengthen your bones as scientific research has proven that it can have a huge role in improving your overall bone health.

Key Takeaways

• McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Salad is the lighter option at about 139 calories with 25 g of protein.
• The Caesar Salad is around 190 calories but delivers 160% of your daily vitamin A.
• Both are far lower in calories than a burger meal, so they suit a weight loss diet.
• Dressings and toppings are what usually push a fast-food salad over the edge, so order them on the side.
• Watch the sodium: the Caesar Salad already covers a quarter of the daily value.

Final Thoughts

That’s all we have for you folks when it comes to our answer to the question: Are McDonalds Salads Healthy?

All in all, we were pleasantly surprised to find that both McDonalds salads discussed in the article are great, low calorie options if you’re looking for a meal that goes with your weight loss diet. Both also offer different types of health benefits to their consumers. If you eat out often, you may also want to check whether chop suey is a healthy takeaway choice, and whether you can lose weight without dieting at all.

For more information on if you should actually make either of these salads a part of your diet, we’d advise connecting with Ayesha Nasir, one of the leading nutritionists and registered dietitians in Lahore. Make sure to book your appointment quickly before all the slots get fully booked up.