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Lost In Fast Food Land, Part III - Burger King
by Laura

These days, fast food chains have begun cleaning up their act. But we were curious as to just how "clean" these chains are becoming. Can you actually grab a healthy meal from one of the big names in fast food these days? This article is the third in a series on fast food restaurants. (To the previous articles on Wendy's, or on McDonald's.) This month we feature a chain whose advertising promotes their customize-able menu: "Have It Your Way" with:

Burger King

Nutrition: I was prepared to expect little in the way of healthy food at Burger King. But then I saw "Veggie Burger" on the menu. Are you kidding? A mainstream chain that offers Veggie Burgers?? The good news is, yes, it's true. The bad news is, it's only available in certain regional areas (not surprisingly, health-conscious Austin is one of those areas).

Still, there are some healthy options on the standard menu, as well as several tools on the company's website to aid in making healthy choices. For example, a separate section on allergens and an extensive ingredients list for every menu item are helpful to those with food sensitivities. The "Eating Strategy" section includes a quick nutrition guide as well as a link to recent US Dietary Guidelines and the Food Pyramid, with reminders to also go out and get physically active if you're watching your calorie intake. Light dressings are available for the salads, and kids can choose Vitamin-C-loaded applesauce instead of French fries for their side item.

So, outside of the bun, what else does this chain do to make the world we live in a better place?

Helping the Community: It's not surprising that a family-oriented restaurant chain sponsors programs that work to support promising youth and combat hunger. According to the company's website, the Have It Your Way Foundation is a "global effort aimed at supporting organizations that alleviate hunger, prevent disease, and support youth programs." Another program, the Burger King/McLamore Foundation, named in honor of the chain's cofounder James W. McLamore, has awarded over $10 million in college scholarships since the program's inception in 2000. The scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, financial need, and community service.

These are noble uses of the company's worldwide influence. However, on the environmental side, the company is largely silent. No organic menu options or earth-friendly initiatives were mentioned in any of the online sources we checked. However, like Wendy's, Burger King supports animal welfare. According to the company's website, Burger King Corporation works "closely with its Animal Welfare Advisory Council, the National Council of Chain Restaurants, the Food Marketing Institute, and a number of animal industry groups to create uniform, science-based standards for the humane handling of certain food animals." The Animal Welfare Advisory Council is composed of "experts who balance academic and technical knowledge with consumer insight and advocacy," and occasionally visits facilities to ensure quality control. The company also has a certified auditor on staff who oversees the audits of production facilities in North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Healthy Menu Choices:

OK, so you're at Burger King and you're hungry. Well, overall, the BK menu is not quite as healthy as the other chains we've reviewed so far, in our opinion. Still, here are a few relatively healthy menu ideas. For more, check out BK's own recommendations at: www.bk.com

Healthy breakfast: Croissan'wich with Bacon, Egg & Cheese and small coffee

Not quite your granola cereal and yogurt option, but not too bad: only 345 calories and 20g of fat, along with 155mg cholesterol and 890mg sodium.

Healthy lunch: Chicken Garden Salad w/Fat-Free Ranch Dressing & Croutons

Grilled (not fried) chicken and light dressing help to keep this meal down to a slim 360 calories! 11g of fat, 80mg cholesterol, and 1580g sodium.

Healthy dinner: Whopper Jr. Hamburger, Side Salad w/Lite Italian Dressing

Holding the mayo on this one helps you have your burger and eat it, too! This whole meal has a total of 430 calories, 24g of fat, 40mg cholesterol, and 940mg sodium - not bad!