24 Surprisingly Healthy Fast Foods

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Burgers, tacos, pizza -- find out which of your fast-food favorites aren't so bad after all. Our list includes picks from KFC, McDonald's, Taco Bell, and more, plus healthy fast-food desserts.

By H.K. Jones, RD

Kentucky Fried Chicken Picks

Is the drive-thru the fast lane to a heart attack? On the one hand, it's true: One slipup ("okay, sure, I'll take the large fries and apple pie with that") and you can add more than 800 high-in-saturated-fat calories to your takeout. But there is good news. Some of the burgers, sides, sandwiches, and even desserts aren't as bad for you as you might think. In fact, some are downright light! Here are 24 fast-food picks that are all figure-friendly -- unless of course you order them all at once.

KFC Mashed Potatoes with Gravy

120 calories
4.5g fat, 1g saturated fat
Even when made with milk and butter (some KFCs use these ingredients; others don't), mashed is always better than fried. Don't worry about the gravy; it adds only a few calories and just half a gram of fat.

KFC Original Recipe Drumstick

140 calories
8g fat, 2g saturated fat
Order one regular drumstick (avoid the Extra Crispy, which is just fast-food speak for "extra high in saturated and trans fats"), and fill up on the chain's better-for-you sides, such as corn on the cob, baked beans, or a small helping of the next two choices on our list.

KFC Potato Salad

180 calories
9g fat, 1.5g saturated fat
Made with red bell peppers, onions, celery, and about a tablespoon of mayo, this is a tasty, trans-fat-free alternative to the deep-fried Potato Wedges.

KFC Cole Slaw

190 calories
11g fat, 2g saturated fat
Cole slaw's two main ingredients have a lot going for them: Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber; carrots are chock-full of vitamins A, K, and C and potassium.

KFC Honey BBQ Sandwich

300 calories
6g fat, 1.5g saturated fat
Don't let the thick, sweet sauce fool you: This Southern specialty is actually the lowest-calorie full-size sandwich on the menu.

Next: McDonald's Picks

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whittyvice wrote:

I don't believe the purpose of this article is to promote fast food, or to suggest that these are indeed healthy foods. It is simply realistic- IF you're going to eat fast food, these are some of the lesser diet evils.

3/31/2556 02:26:42 ?????????? Report Abuse

aharpton wrote:

I am a medical doctor and the non-sense in this ad for these fast-food restaurants is embarrassing. The sad thing is that people will believe this garbage as health advice. My medical advice is to stay away from these restaurants!

2/15/2556 06:43:46 ?????????? Report Abuse

kyte131 wrote:

What the article fails to mention is that 3 of the 5 fast food restaurants listed (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell) are all owned by the same major conglomerate, Yum! Brands. The food choices listed here are still *laughably* unhealthy, so I have to wonder why this list fails to include many of the other alternatives that do happen to be relatively natural and nutritionally sound. As another poster mentioned, it's just a thinly-veiled ad for the massive corporate purveyors of this garbage. Shameful.

1/23/2556 09:24:03 ?????????? Report Abuse

unearthlychild wrote:

This travesty would never happen in any other country, you have to admit it your country has got bolloxed up when your fitness magazines are thinly disguised adverts for multibillion dollar fast food chains.

12/12/2555 12:14:20 ?????????? Report Abuse

phq wrote:

That "Canadian Bacon" you mention on the Egg McMuffin is really "ham" anywhere but the US. Just sayin!!

7/6/2554 01:41:00 ?????????? Report Abuse