Ditch The Bun And Add More Protein To Burger King's Breakfast Sandwiches

Hitting the drive-thru doesn't have to mean compromising on your protein goals. According to the Cleveland Clinic, packing 20 to 30 grams of protein into your morning meal is a reliable way to feel fuller longer, creating stable energy to fuel busy days. At Burger King, one breakfast sandwich upgrade can bring brekky to new, protein-powered heights. All you need to do is use egg patties in place of a bun for a lower-carb sandwich.

BK's most protein-packed breakfast item (the Egg-Normous Burrito, at 35 grams of protein) uses a tortilla instead of a bun. But, for every sandwich on Burger King's breakfast menu, using egg patties as a vessel instead of the usual croissant or biscuit provides a major protein upgrade. The Fully Loaded Croissan'wich, for instance, already delivers 30 grams of protein on its own. It comes with ham, sausage, bacon, eggs, and American cheese, but adding another folded egg further ups the protein all while skipping the carbs. 

It's worth noting that nearly every breakfast sandwich on Burger King's menu already comes with an egg patty — and, as such, simply asking for two egg patties instead of the customary croissant or biscuit has the potential to yield a sando with three egg patties. Depending on your taste preferences, this might be overkill. As a workaround, foodies can order a single extra egg patty on the side. The croissant or biscuit that the breakfast item is served on can then be discarded, saved for later, or given to a friend. This leaves customers able to assemble the sandwich themselves, housing the breakfast item's contents in between two (rather than three) egg patties. The result is a protein-packed bite that won't throw off the balance of the meal. 

So, how much extra protein does that extra egg add? It's hard to say, exactly. The nutritional portion of Burger King's breakfast menu describes its "fluffy eggs" as a mixture of whole eggs and water with trace amounts of xanthan gum, citric acid, and butter flavor. These additives create a liquid pasteurized egg mixture, which is the reason why the chain only sells scrambled-style eggs. As such, it's hard to know exactly how much protein per serving is offered in each egg, and the BK website does not list a protein count for its individual eggs. Still, as a ballpark jumping-off point, one large egg delivers about six grams of protein, which can act as a nutritious swap that forgoes the carbs of a crispy croissant or doughy biscuit.

Conveniently, the option to include an extra egg patty to any breakfast sandwich is already listed on the Burger King website. Foodies are able to place their egg-encased orders via mobile ordering platforms or in-person, as desired. At a Burger King location in Chicago, adding an extra egg patty to any BK breakfast sandwich is available for an upcharge of $1.00. Considering its size, satiety, and protein power, that price tag is an arguable steal. Even with an extra egg patty on the side, the Bacon, Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Croissan'wich costs just $5.99. As a bonus, you can ask for an extra sausage patty for even more protein.