#FoodPornFriday: Healthiest and fattiest fast food meals
South Africa has eaten its way to becoming one of the most obese nations in the world as a result of over indulgence in fast foods.
Globally, fast food franchises have become more popular, and concerns surrounding high fat and carbohydrate content, and high levels of salt served up in quick, greasy meals are constantly on the rise.
South Africa has eaten its way to becoming one of the most obese nations in the world as a result of over indulgence in fast foods.
There are however, healthy options for those who simply can’t resist the deliciousness of instant meals delivered to your door or picked up through a window.
If you are health conscious, the meals below, adapted from BusinessTech, can work as good guide to healthy options, and meals you should refrain from when indulging in fast food.
1. McDonald’s
Healthiest:
One solitary McDonald’s hamburger is the healthiest you can get at McD’s, as long as you have nothing else with it; no cheese, no chips, and no cold drink.
They also offers a crispy chicken salad which is a healthy option, if eaten without salad dressing.
Fattiest:
McDonald’s has received massive criticism for its high-fat meals over the years. The company’s biggest bite in South Africa takes the shape of an up-size McFeast Deluxe burger meal.
2. KFC
Healthiest:
A KFC grilled chicken burger without chips and a drink is a healthy option.
The KFC salad is also a good choice as it compares rather favourably to the other fast food joints on the list, as long as you avoid the optional salad dressing.
Fattiest:
KFC’s Wicked Zinger box meal comes packed with a burger, Zinger wings, chips, mash and a coke. It is the heaviest meal for one on offer.
3. Nando’s
Healthiest:
Nando’s, in partnership with Discovery Vitality, introduced the Vitality meal, which is as filling as it is lean. It comes with a grilled chicken breast, braaied mielie and a regular Portuguese salad.
However, because of its three components, that means it’s not the lightest meal on the menu – that title belongs to the 1/4 piece of chicken (the leg quarter).
Fattiest:
Nando’s flame-grilled chicken is often touted as the healthier route to the deep-fried delights of KFC. But its up-size half-chicken and wedges meal, still adds on those calories.
4. Steers
Healthiest:
When it comes to Steers burgers, chicken is the way to go, without the chips ofcourse. A standard Steers chicken burger is filling, delicious and healthy.
Fattiest:
The Steers double rack of ribs and medium chips menu option is the heaviest on offer.
5. Wimpy
Healthiest:
The healthiest ‘meal’ on the Wimpy menu is a Greek Salad, minus salad dressing. But excluding salads, the grilled chicken mayo wrap is the healthiest option.
A toasted ham, cheese and tomato is actually healthier but comes with a full portion of chips, so the wrap takes this one.
Fattiest:
Wimpy has many high-calorie meals that exceed the double bacon and cheese burger, but grills and steaks are more for sit-in than a fast food take-away, so this burger wins the title.
6. Roman’s Pizza
Healthiest:
Roman’s small vegetarian pizza, on a thin base, is the heaviest ‘healthy’ meal out of all the franchises listed here.
It’s also worth remembering that Roman’s Pizza offers 2-for-1, so if you eat both pizzas, double that intake.
Fattiest:
Roman’s large chicken n’ mayo and feta pizza with a thick base is the fattiest on the menu, and again if you eat both pizzas on your own, you double the calorie intake.
7. Debonaires
Healthiest:
The healthiest pizza you can have at Debonairs is the real deal vegetarian pizza.
Fattiest:
Debonairs offers stuffed crusts, sausage-stuffed bases and, yes, the triple stack pizza. The large triple decker meat pizza is without a doubt the fattiest pizza you can eat.
8. Burger King
Healthiest:
Another burger franchise that lets you buy individual burgers, Burger King’s healthiest option is also of the chicken variety – the tender grill chicken burger comes, without chips or soda is the healthiest.
The franchise also offers a grilled chicken salad or, without the chicken, is a delight salad which are also healthy options.
Fattiest:
The big king XXL burger meal takes the prize here for Burger King’s fattiest meal.
For more detailed information on healthy and fatty fast foods, you can visit the BusinessTech website by following the links below:
The healthiest fast food meals in South Africa
The most fattening fast food meals in South Africa
