When it comes to choosing a fast food restaurant, many people are looking for the lowest sodium option available. The good news is, most of the fast food options you find on the market today offer a low-sodium version. Whether you prefer a burger, taco or a chicken sandwich, you can be sure that the majority of the menus offered at these restaurants are filled with nutritious ingredients. This is an excellent choice for your health and your wallet.
McDonald’s
When it comes to finding the best fast food restaurants, McDonald’s offers a variety of menu items that are lower in sodium. This is especially true for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s easy to find a low sodium menu item when you know what to look for.
To make sure you’re getting your fast food fix without the added salt, ask for fries or a salad with no salt. This will help you avoid the extra 250-300 milligrams of salt. However, if you’re craving a snack, a soft serve vanilla cone will give you 80 mg of sodium.
Another way to keep your sodium intake in check is to choose a more savory dish. You can try something like a grilled chicken sandwich over the usual crispy fried variety. Grilled chicken is less sodium-laden, while crispy chicken adds an extra 300 mg.
One of the better low sodium menu items at McDonald’s is the smoothie. Smoothies come in a variety of flavors, and each size of the drink has a specific amount of sodium.
The Fruit and Maple Oatmeal cup is also a good low sodium choice. This item contains whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, cranberries, raisins and light cream. A single serving has 90 milligrams of sodium, which is about two thirds the amount in a regular cup.
McDonald’s may be famous for its fries, but there are several other options on the menu. For example, you can opt for a side garden salad, which has 70 milligrams of sodium. Adding Caesar dressing to the salad will reduce its sodium content.
While you’re at it, don’t be afraid to order the McDouble. Normally, a single piece of a McDouble is 480 milligrams of sodium, but you can ask for it to be served with no ketchup. That’s a lot less than the 510 milligrams of sodium in a regular sandwich.
Other menu items to look for include the grilled chicken snack wrap, the hash brown and the fries. These are a great option for a quick and healthy meal.
Subway
Subway offers an array of nutritious options. However, it can be difficult to know which items are the healthiest. The Subway menu breaks down the foods by ingredients. You can also customize your own sub.
Some of the healthiest options at Subway are from the Fresh Fit Menu. These items are low in calories and contain good sources of protein. In addition, the “Fresh Fit for Kids Meal” includes a 4-inch mini sub that is low in saturated fat.
Other healthy choices at Subway include their salads. These salads contain a variety of greens, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. There are even some with fresh fruit. Salads are a great choice if you want to lower your sodium intake.
If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, the best option for a Subway sandwich is the Veggie Delight. This sub has less than half the sodium of a typical American cheese sandwich. It contains 190 calories, 320 mg of sodium, 9 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber.
Subway has several specialty sandwiches. A 6-inch sub with swiss cheese, cucumbers, green peppers, and lettuce has 310 mg of sodium.
The best way to cut down on sodium is to use wheat bread. Omitting the bread can reduce sodium by up to 1230 mg per sandwich.
When choosing a Subway sandwich, choose a multigrain or honey oat bread. These sandwiches have less sodium than the typical bun.
The Veggie Delite on 9-grain wheat bread is the Subway fast food restaurant’s best low-sodium option. This sub contains 280 mg of sodium, 2 grams of fat, and 9 grams of protein. Besides the mayonnaise-based dressing, this sub has tomato, cucumber, and lettuce.
While most of the other items on the Subway menu aren’t exactly healthy, it’s possible to eat well at Subway. The American Heart Association has partnered with Subway to promote heart-healthy food. Most of the healthy offerings on the menu have earned the Heart Check Certification.
One of the best ways to save money is to shop for a meal deal. Many locations offer applesauce, fresh fruit, and a choice of chips.
Taco Bell
If you want to eat fast food that has the lowest sodium, Taco Bell is a great place to start. The company offers a wide variety of foods, including low sodium tacos, vegetarian options, and vegan options.
Taco Bell’s “Fresco Style” soft tacos offer a big reduction in the amount of sodium, as they eliminate the cheese sauce. They also feature fresh pico de gallo instead of guacamole.
A regular chicken taco contains 270 mg of sodium, while the same order is less than 100 mg for a “Fresco Style.” Another lower sodium option is the steak Fresco taco. The seasoned beef on the taco is not topped with fattening toppings like cheese or tomato.
Other options include chips and cheese, and fries. A serving of fries has 350 mg of sodium, while a side of nacho cheese has 280 mg.
Taco Bell is a great place to find a healthy meal, but you will want to avoid the desserts. Most of the items on the menu are sugar-packed and lack fiber.
For instance, the Fruit & Maple Oatmeal cup at McDonald’s has 150 mg of sodium. Similarly, the Cinnabon delights have 170 mg of sodium. Luckily, there are also calorie-free and fiber-rich choices.
In addition to the low-sodium soft tacos, Taco Bell has introduced more vegan options. Its cage-free eggs are used in their breakfast menu. Additionally, they have removed artificial flavors and colors from their products.
Even though Taco Bell’s low-sodium menu items are better than they were in 2009, the overall amount of salt is still too high. The American Heart Association recommends that people limit their sodium intake to between 1,200 and 1,500 milligrams per day.
If you’re trying to cut down on your sodium intake, consider adding a salad to your meal. Panera salad has 300 milligrams of sodium, while a Southwest Avocado Salad contains 790 milligrams. There are even options for a meatless version of the Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito.
When it comes to sodas, the best options are plain water or Lipton Unsweetened Iced Tea. Both have 0 calories and no added sugar.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A is a popular fast food chain that specializes in chicken and other heart-healthy foods. The chain has over 2,000 locations in 47 states. However, many of its menu items have a high sodium content.
The average fast food hamburger contains approximately 1,040 mg of sodium. Chick-fil-A’s grilled chicken sandwich is a great choice for those who are looking to cut down on sodium intake.
This sandwich has a lot of protein and contains less than 500 calories. A medium side of waffle fries adds 340 mg of sodium to the sandwich, while a side of chips with nacho cheese has 280 mg. If you’re not a fan of fries, the salad is a good option. It has 190 milligrams of sodium without dressing.
If you’re looking for more variety, you can also order a Greek yogurt parfait with granola. Each parfait has 13 grams of protein and 100 milligrams of sodium. You can even pair it with a fruit cup for a healthy snack.
While many items on the Chick-fil-A menu are considered healthy, others are not. For example, the chain’s Chocolate Chunk Cookie has moderate amounts of sodium.
Other high-sodium items include the chain’s traditional nuggets and hashbrowns. One grilled chicken nugget has 11% sodium. These nuggets are a good protein source, but do not provide much in the way of vitamins.
Another popular side item is the deep-fried jalapenos and cheddar cheese. They each have about 20% of the recommended daily value in a 4-piece serving. Adding avocado lime ranch dressing to the dish lowers the sodium content to just over 300 milligrams.
Overall, the Chick-fil-A menu has a few low-sodium options. But you should always keep in mind that it’s still a fast food restaurant and may not be the best place to start a low-sodium diet.
Unless you’re going to the drive-thru, it’s a good idea to meal prep for your low-sodium diet. Having a few tried and tested recipes in your arsenal will save you time and ensure that ingredients don’t go to waste.
