McDonald's McGriddle Vs McMuffin: Which Breakfast Sandwich Is Healthier?

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and McDonald's packs a hearty selection of protein-rich breakfasts sandwiches. First there was the Egg McMuffin — an English muffin topped with fried egg, American cheese, and Canadian bacon. Then in 2003, the franchise introduced the McGriddle featuring egg, cheese, and sausage wedged between two maple-doused golden hotcakes, providing a harmonious balance between sweet and savory. But with such a delectable pair of breakfast sandwiches to choose from, which ones is healthiest?

When it comes to the amount of protein compared to fat and calories, the classic Egg McMuffin takes the prize. The OG sandwich has 310 calorie — the lowest of all the breakfast sandwiches — and comes with 17 grams of protein, 13 grams of fat, and the lowest amount of sodium at 770 milligrams. The reason this sandwich is healthier when compared to others is the light English muffin, protein-rich egg, and slice of Canadian bacon that suspiciously contains no fat.

The nutritional differences between the McMuffin and McGriddle largely come down to the bread. The hotcakes in a McGriddle come with 5 more grams of fat than an English muffin, a whopping 13 grams of added sugar, and far more sodium. The bacon, egg, and cheese McGriddle weighs in with 430 calories, 21 grams of fat, and has the same amount of protein as the Egg McMuffin.

Of course a lot of the time we're looking for more heft to our breakfast sandwich than the simple Egg McMuffin, and McDonald's offers an array of sides and add-ons. Subbing Canadian bacon with strips of applewood smoked bacon adds 6 grams of fat to your Egg McMuffin (worth it in my opinion), but the real calorie-loader is the sausage. With 18 grams of fat, the juicy slab of meat has more fat than an entire Egg McMuffin. Still, our editors ranked the Sausage and Egg McMuffin their favorite breakfast sandwich. For the cholesterol conscious, sausage is also a good alternative to eggs (as in the Sausage McMuffin, no egg) as the meat contains substantially less cholesterol.

As for the McGriddle, you can sub the folded egg in a McGriddle with a round egg for a textural change with virtually the same nutritional value. Those looking for a fuller breakfast can also upgrade McGriddles Big Mac style. Overall, both McMuffins and McGriddles are abundant sources of protein that can be integrated into a balanced diet.