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Our Top Five Diet Choices at McDonald's Based on Caloric Content

Diet Article: Fast food choices for dieters on the go and 'in the know'.

Can you stop by McDonald's and find something on their extensive menu that can fit into your weight loss plan? Yes, indeed. And much more than just 'something' as they have several excellent menu choices for dieters

Our top choices are based on caloric content and include:

Small Cheeseburger - about 330 calories
Filet of Fish - about 400 calories
McValue French Fries - about 320 calories
6-piece Chicken McNuggets - about 250 calories
Grilled Chicken California Cobb Salad - about 270 calories

And if you forget to check the caloric and dietary fat content before leaving the house - never fear because the food wrappers and containers list the basic nutrition facts. Isn't that swell? McDonalds is definitely ahead of the game in this department and supplying that instant glace at nutritional values is a service to both their dieting and non-dieting customers alike.

I have to say that McDonald's one of our favorite fast food restaurants for many reasons. They food is absolutely delicious, we can find multiple items on their menu that we feel good about eating and we've always received excellent service.

Are there menu items that should be avoided? Yes - but this applies to all fast food and fine dining restaurants. It even applies to most kitchens in the United States. Here is a short list of the higher caloric selections that we suggest avoiding while on a weight loss plan:

Angus Chipolte BBQ Bacon Burger: 800 calories, almost 40 total fat grams, almost 20 saturated fat grams and 2 Trans fat grams. In addition the burger contains 145 mg of cholesterol. Not good.

Angus Bacon & Cheese: This menu selection mirrors the Angus Chipolte BBQ Bacon Burger in nutritional values almost perfectly as does the Angus Deluxe and the Angus Swiss and Mushroom.

Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese: 740 big ones with over 40 grams of total fat. Add 2.5 grams of Trans fat to the order. In comparison the Big Mac makes a healthier choice at 540 big ones and about 40 total fat grams. But an even better choice in the Fillet-O-Fish at 380 calories and less than 20 total fat grams. It does contain 1 gram of Trans fat.

Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich: Another high caloric selection at 620 big ones and about 30 total fat grams but zero Trans fat. Just by changing one ingredient you can shift the caloric values to your advantage while dieting. Rather than the crispy chicken, opt for the grilled and save 160 calories. Now that's a deal worth considering for dieters wanting to stay on track with their weight loss plan.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap: A fantastic selection for dieters at 250 calories each with about 8 total fat grams. If you want the ranch version, tack on an additional 20 calories. What about the Mac Snack Wrap? Only 330 calories so it should nicely into your menu.

Chicken McNuggets: Always an excellent choice at about 50 calories each. This is the official count for different available sizes: 4 at 190, 6 at 280 and 10 at 470. Try the honey rather than the other available sauces. It's excellent with the Chicken McNuggets.

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal: This is always delicious - and it's served anytime of the day. A wholesome choice from the McDonald's menu for about 270 calories. It's ultra healthy, ultra filling.

As to the many selections on the breakfast menu, you must be very careful in choosing as the caloric values as well as the dietary fat values can be significant. But there are some great choices:

Their Scrambled Eggs are delicious as are the hotcakes; you get three hotcakes for 350 calories - so if you can enjoy them without added margarine, butter or syrup this makes a healthy choice from the Grain Food Group.

The oatmeal that we mentioned earlier also is an excellent choice; the hashbrowns are so delicious and contain only 150 calories each but they are fried.

As to the salad selections, stick to the grilled versions as well as the reduced fat salad dressings. Watch the addition of croutons and crackers as the values from these can add up swiftly.

When it comes to shakes, smoothies, teas, lemonade and sodas - opt for the sugar free variety to keep values minimal. It may be difficult to resist ordering your favorite milkshake but they often contain more calories than your entire meal. A Chocolate McCafé Shake that is 22 fluid ounces contains 880 calories. The small 12 ounce size contains almost 600.

Also be careful of the specialty coffees. One small Mocha contains about 200 calories; one large Mocha contains 400. Even the nonfat coffees can be extreme in caloric values. One large Frappe Mocha contains 680 calories and almost 30 fat grams. Be wise - order based on your weight loss plan, not your eyes or tummy.

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