Analyzing the McDonalds Menu – Are Big Macs Safe?

It seems that the McDonalds menu as well as other fast food restaurants are always in the press, with many experts criticizing the fact that their food has very little nutritional value and is bad for your health. Yet people all over the world love the food. Their consumption has grown to staggering numbers, so it may appear that negative press usually works in a positive way for companies like McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, etc.

However, in recent years fast food companies like McDonald’s have denied these claims, and have gone to great lengths to convince the public that their food is safe for consumption and should be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet or at the very least something fun to eat from time to time.

In order to get to the bottom of these conflicting stories, we have decided that analyzing the McDonalds menu should give us some clues about whether or not the popular fast food restaurant is safe to visit on a regular basis.

The French fries

Without a doubt, one of the most popular items on the McDonalds menu is the French fries. Years ago, the McDonalds staff would peel fresh potatoes in the kitchen every morning, and then serve them up as French fries to their loyal customers at lunchtime. Those days are long gone, as mostly everything is now frozen and deep fried.

Unfortunately, things have changed over the last few years, and quantity has taken a step beyond quality, however the fries are one of the better tasting fries on the market. So unless you want to pay more for Burger King “satisfries” and in my opinion you would be sacrificing on the taste, you will still go with the McDonalds menu. These days the French fries are produced in a factory before being shipped into the stores pre-made and frozen. It is then just a case of defrosting the fries and deep frying them before serving them to customers. They still taste awful good.

The Big Mac – My Favorite

If there is one thing that McDonald’s is famous for, then it is definitely the Big Mac. Loved by millions of people all around the world, the Big Mac is right at the forefront of the McDonald’s menu, and for many people, it is their favorite burger at McDonald’s.

While the Big Mac is advertised as 100% beef, the patties are really thin, but you do get two of them in the sandwich. “100% beef patty” is what is offered, the taste is good and the combination of greens and cheese along with the special sauce makes this one of the top favorites.

Whether you are talking about McDonald’s or another fast food establishment, eating this food once in awhile is OK, you certainly do not want to eat this all the time. The calories are high as is true with any great tasting food. If you eat Big Macs on a regular basis then you might want to consider cutting down on them and switching once in awhile to perhaps a Subway sub if it has to be fast food.

Chicken McNuggets

When you don’t feel like a burger, then Chicken McNuggets might be next on your list of foods to order from the McDonalds menu. Quite simply, the McNuggets are made from white chicken without any bones, as well as a number of other ingredients that go into breaded coating. These are a huge hit with the kids as they are featured in the regular happy meal, and the mighty kids happy meal.

While Chicken McNuggets don’t contain as many calories as other foods such as the Big Mac, you still need to watch how many you eat, as overdoing it could contribute to piling on the pounds. The secret to enjoying the McDonald’s menu is to mix it up with healthy versions of their menu from time to time. For instance they do sell oatmeal, salads, and other healthier choices like wraps.

Conclusion

After analyzing the McDonalds menu we have come to the conclusion that their food should be enjoyed a few times a month as a reward for eating healthy. In other words, don’t visit McDonalds every day, as not only will this play havoc with your weight and not meet all of your nutritional requirements, when you have little children there is no time like the present to install good eating habits in them. My kids love McDonald’s but I keep it to a once a week or so minimum. Be sensible and eat healthy meals that you can cook at home from good ingredients as much as possible. I hope you enjoy the review of the McDonald’s menu most purchased items.