Fast Food Fries - Which Are Best?

by Jacki Donaldson (Subscribe to Jacki Donaldson's posts)
May 20th 2009 10:00AM

Hungry Girl tells snack lovers how to score the healthiest processed foods, and WebMD names the best fast food french fries. Hey, if you're going to indulge in fried foods, known for their high calorie and fat content, it's good to choose from the lesser of all evils, right?

WebMD compared french fries at 14 major fast-food chains. Here's what they concluded about one of America's favorite foods:

Lowest in Calories

Sonic Drive-In regular fries (75 g): 220 calories
McDonalds small fries (71 g): 230 calories

Lowest in Fat

Sonic Drive-In regular fries (75 g): 9 grams total fat
McDonald's small fries (71 g): 11 grams total fat

Lowest Percentage of Calories From Fat

Sonic Drive-In regular fries (75 g): 37 percent
Dairy Queen regular fries (114 g): 38 percent

Lowest in "Bad Fats" (saturated and trans fats)

Sonic Drive-In regular fries (75 g) = 1.5 grams saturated fat + 0 grams trans fat
McDonald's small fries (71 g) = 1.5 grams saturated fat + 0 grams trans fat

Now, we're not giving you free reign to chow down on french fries (or the other fast foods featured in the gallery below), but we know that sometimes, fast food just happens. And when it does, we encourage you to choose wisely and eat in moderation.

Diet Friendly Fast Food

By Karen Asp

You don't have to give up your favorite drive thru joints just because you're trying to slim down. Instead, make wiser choices, says Hope Warshaw, R.D., author of 'What To Eat When You're Eating Out.' Need some help? Click through this gallery of Warshaw's low-calorie picks at eight fast food restaurants.

McDonald's

1. Quarter Pounder without cheese and mayo (410 calories)

2. Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken (300 calories)

3. Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait with Granola (160 calories)

Subway

1. 6-inch Breakfast Western Omelet Sandwich (400 calories)

2. Veggie Delite Wrap (400 calories)

3. 6-inch Turkey and Ham Subon Honey Oat Bread (290 calories)

Panera Bread

1. Whole-Grain Bagel with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat veggie cream cheese (400 calories)

2. Low Fat Vegetarian Southwest Tomato and Roasted Corn Soup (110 calories for eight ounces)

3. Asiago Roast Beef Sandwich (350 calories for half)

Taco Bell

1. Tostada, Fresco Style (200 calories)

2. Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco, Fresco Style (170 calories)

3. Gordita Supreme Beef (310 calories)

Arby's

1. Chicken, Bacon and Swiss sandwich (460 calories)

2. Sourdough Ham Melt (380 calories)

3. Junior Roast Beef Sandwich (270 calories)

Fazoli's

1. Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce (450 calories for a small)

2. Cheese Pizza (270 calories per slice)

Chick-fil-A

1. Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich (270 calories)

2. Southwest Chargrilled Salad (240 calories)

3. Chick-n-strips (290 calories)

Au Bon Pain

1. Vanilla Yogurt with Granola and Blueberries (320 calories)

2. Jamaican Black Bean Soup (240 calories)

3. Turkey and Cranberry Chutney Sandwich (340 calories for half)

Source

Comments (3)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

LC 5-20-2009 @ 1:38PM

But the Sonic website has higher calorie and fat count for their regular fries...Why??

http://www.sonicdrivein.com/menu/viewSectionRecipes.do?sectionId=95249

marcie0305 5-21-2009 @ 11:06PM

Yeah, everything I've bought from Sonic (fried) smells like a funnel cake, read: much sugar in the batter. I have a hard time believing they have the lowest-calorie fries.

~Marcie
http://feedingblackmail.blogspot.com/

umstrum 7-09-2009 @ 10:02AM

i think moderation is the key! even if some fries might not be as bad as others, they are still fries and they should only be an extra in one's diet, not its basis

m. @ http://umstrum.wordpress.com