McDonald's Vs Wendy's: The Fast Food Chain With A Healthier Classic Cheeseburger

McDonald's versus Wendy's is a burger war that's been running for many decades. From the Big Mac to the Baconator, the two fast food chains sell some of the most iconic burgers in America. McDonald's is in a league of its own when it comes to pure numbers, selling over 6.5 million burgers every single day. Having said that, Wendy's has its own legion of fans who will take the Dave's Single over a McDonald's Quarter Pounder any day of the week. But which one's healthier? Well, if you're trying to pick a cheeseburger based purely on nutritional values, there's a clear winner: it's the one from McDonald's. 

The Dave's Single from Wendy's and Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald's use pretty similar ingredients: both are made with a quarter-pound beef patty, and both contain cheese, ketchup, pickles, and onions. But despite coming with two slices of cheese, the Quarter Pounder from McDonald's has significantly fewer calories, fats, and sodium. The burger from McDonald's has 520 calories, compared to Dave's Single, which contains 560 calories. It also has 26 grams of fats and 12 grams of saturated fats, compared to Dave's Single, which has 34 grams of fats and 14 grams of saturated fats. 

The McDonald's burger also has less sodium (1,140 milligrams) compared to the burger from Wendy's (1,190 milligrams), but to be fair, both those numbers are on the higher side, given that they account for half the salt you should be eating over a full day. There's one big nutritional metric where the McDonald's burger lags: it has more cholesterol per serving than the one from Wendy's — 95 milligrams versus 90 milligrams.

While there are standards to measure what food is healthy and what isn't, it's important to remember that there are factors outside of just the nutritional information on a packet — from dietary restrictions to lifestyle — that determine what you should be eating and how much. For example, most American adults need 2,000 calories a day, but Olympic swim legend Michael Phelps used to eat 12,000 calories a day when he was in training.

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese might overall be the healthier burger, but if you're on a low-carb diet, Wendy's is the way to go, since it contains just 37 grams of carbohydrates versus 42 grams in the McDonald's burger. When it comes to proteins, dietary fibers, and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, and potassium, the two burgers are almost the same.

If you're looking to satisfy a fast food craving while also keeping an eye on your diet, it's worth considering ordering kids' meals. Some fast food kids' meals can really hit the spot, even for adults. Another option if you're looking to keep the calorie count down is to order from the breakfast menu. The Sausage McGriddles sandwich at McDonald's has 430 calories, while the Sausage Biscuit at Wendy's has 470 calories. In terms of taste and consistency, Wendy's has the better breakfast options overall. If only a cheeseburger will do, you could consider making yourself one. Need inspiration? Here are 15 burger recipes you will be drooling over.