15 Healthy Options At McDonald’s – Low Calories & More!
Adapting a healthy lifestyle and sticking to it are two different things. Most of us get motivated and plan to start living a healthy life from today onwards but they cannot stick to it due to their bad eating habits. Especially those who do not have time to cook their own meal at home. Because finding a meal outside at a fast-food restaurant like McDonald’s is itself a quest.
But not anymore! I will be listing down the best Healthy Options at McDonald’s Philippines menu that you can eat without compromising your diet routine. Either you want to eat items that have low calories, low sodium, or are keto-friendly, this guide will help you find all including the healthy breakfast options at McDo Philippines.
Healthy Options At McDonald’s Philippines – Low Calories Menu Items
Burger McDo
With 347 calories per serving, Burger McDo can be a perfect choice if you want to eat a healthy burger from McDonald’s menu which is developed specially for Filipino taste buds while maintaining your physique. You can get this low calories yet delicious burger mixed with both classic McDonald’s and local Filipino flavors only at ₱ 143.00
Below are the detailed nutrition facts of Burger McDo other than calories:
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Fats | 16g |
| Carbs | 39g |
| Protein | 14g |
| Cholesterol | 25mg |
| Sodium | 554mg |
| Calcium | 76mg |
| Potassium | 88mg |
| Iron | 04mg |
McDonald’s Cheeseburger
Next on our list of healthy options at McDonald’s Philippines is a classic McDonald’s burger which has the lowest calories count: 301 per serving, can be a best option for you when it comes to low calories burgers. This in my opinion is the best burger meal you can have without exceeding your calories limit. The standard taste of McDonald’s pure beef patty covered with a piece of American Cheese will satisfy all your burger cravings. Besides calories, below are the nutrition facts of the McDonald’s Cheeseburger for you:
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Fats | 12g |
| Carbs | 33g |
| Protein | 15g |
| Cholesterol | 40mg |
| Sodium | 695mg |
| Calcium | 143mg |
| Potassium | 177mg |
| Iron | 04mg |
06 Pieces of Chicken McNuggets
With the calories count of 260 kCal, Chicken McNuggets are next in the line of healthy options at McDonald’s Philippines. Since the meat of Chicken is thinner than that of beef, I would consider it as a healthier option than both Burger McDo and McDonald’s Cheeseburger.
Other than this, you can combine McNuggets with side drinks like fresh orange juice in order to make your fast-food meal more healthier. If you want to keep your calories count lower, I would suggest you to avoid high-calorie sauces like Creamy Ranch. The breakdown of the nutrition intake you will get on 06 pieces of Chicken McNuggets are:
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Fats | 18g |
| Carbs | 18g |
| Protein | 13g |
| Cholesterol | 40mg |
| Sodium | 700mg |
| Calcium | 11mg |
| Potassium | 252mg |
| Iron | 0.5mg |
McDonald’s Apple Pie
This item I have added specially for those who usually have sweet cravings. The baked Apple Pie from McDonald’s Desserts menu has a decent of calories which is almost 250 kCal (unofficial), which makes it fall under the Low Calories menu items of healthy options at McDonald’s Philippines.
Although it has a low amount of calories, it has a high amount of saturated fats, and sugar. That is why I would recommend you to eat it once in a blue moon rather than having it every other day.
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Fats | 11g |
| Carbs | 33g |
| Protein | 02g |
| Cholesterol | 00mg |
| Sodium | 100mg |
| Calcium | 06mg |
| Potassium | 70mg |
| Iron | 01mg |
| Added Sugar | 14mg |
McDonald’s Philippines – Healthy Menu Items In Low Sodium Category
McCrispy Chicken Fillet with Rice
A proper meal which can be considered as a Healthy Options at McDonald’s Philippines in my opinion is McCrispy Chicken Fillet with Rice. It has the lowest amount of sodium (336mg) as compared to other items at McDo Menu Philippines.
It is also a great source of low calories and a decent amount of protein intake. See the detailed nutrition facts of McCrispy Chicken Fillet with Rice below:
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 332kCal |
| Fats | 06g |
| Carbs | 56g |
| Protein | 12.5g |
| Cholesterol | 13mg |
| Calcium | 15mg |
| Potassium | 145mg |
| Iron | 2.8mg |
McChicken Sandwich – Without Mayonnaise
Many health organizations claim that having a sufficient amount of sodium is essential for us. They claim that an average adult should take approximately 2300 mg of sodium per day. Considering this fact, McChicken Sandwich from McDonald’s Philippines, falls under the criteria of low Sodium healthy options at McDonald’s menu which you can eat while keeping your health in check.
The normal McChicken Sandwich contains about 711 mg of Sodium in it. However, if you order it without Mayonnaise then the Sodium levels can drop to 550-600mg, which is 22-25% of the total intake of Sodium you should have. Besides lower sodium content, McChicken sandwiches also have low amount calories and a decent amount of protein for you in them.
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 383kCal |
| Fats | 17g |
| Carbs | 41g |
| Protein | 10g |
| Cholesterol | 45mg |
| Calcium | 58mg |
| Potassium | 241mg |
| Iron | 2.8mg |
Crispy Fish Fillet Sandwich – Without Tartar Sauce
Crispy Fish Fillet Sandwich is available for a limited time in McDonald’s Philippines. I am adding it in this list of healthy options at McDonald’s because it is currently available at all of the outlets in the Philippines.
Although, the sandwich itself contains 580mg of Sodium content if you order it with Tartar sauce which you can consider as a lower amount. However to make it more healthy in terms of low sodium contents you can ask the order taker to remove the Tartar sauce. After its removal the amount of Sodium will drop down to 480-500mg.
Other than sodium, it also has low calories, and some essential minerals like potassium and iron in it. The values of each nutrition element are as follows:
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 390kCal |
| Fats | 19g |
| Carbs | 39g |
| Protein | 16g |
| Cholesterol | 30mg |
| Calcium | 60mg |
| Potassium | 290mg |
| Iron | 02mg |
Blueberry Cheesecake
While going through the McCafe pastry menu items, I was checking if there is any item which I can list into Healthy Options at McDonald’s Philippines. I was surprised by the fact that Blueberry cheesecake was a perfect fit in the Low Sodium Menu Items category. Unlike the other items in its category, it does have the lowest amount of sodium in it, which is 176mg. Majority of the McCafe menu items contain around 20-30% of the recommended average intake per day.
However, it has a high amount of calories, sugar, fats, and carbs. Only consume it occasionally or whenever you feel like you are having a sweet tooth. Below are the detailed nutrition facts of McCafe Blueberry Cheesecake:
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 470kCal |
| Fats | 28g |
| Carbs | 48g |
| Protein | 06g |
| Cholesterol | 90mg |
| Calcium | 107mg |
| Potassium | 85mg |
| Iron | 07mg |
McDonald’s Philippines – Keto-Friendly Menu Items
To maintain your ketosis, McDonald’s is not a very good option. However, thanks to its customizable menu you can remove some of the items from your meal in order to cut down carbs.
Before I list down the items that you can consider as Keto-Friendly options, there are items that you should avoid are at any cost:
McDonald’s Big Mac – Without Bun & Big Mac Sauce
Following a keto-diet becomes more fun when you know that you can enjoy the world famous McDonald’s Big Mac while staying in ketosis, Right? With the removal of bun and big mac sauce, These double layered juicy beef patties topped with onion, lettuce, pickles and melty American cheese will become your ideal Keto meal. By saying the ideal keto meal, I am talking about the 05 grams of net carbs per serving, sounds delicious, No?
Just like Quarter Pounder, this very own version of Big Mac also has high amounts of saturated fats in it. So, in order to make this meal keto-friendly, you would have to control your cravings to only one Big Mac meal per day. By per day, I don’t mean that you should eat it regularly. Enjoy it only on your cheat days.
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 507kCal |
| Fats | 25g |
| Saturated Fats | 15g |
| Proteins | 24g |
| Cholesterol | 68mg |
| Sodium | 878mg |
| Calcium | 183mg |
| Potassium | 321mg |
| Iron | 07mg |
McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger
When it comes to making custom keto meals out of McDonald’s menu, removing the buns and ketchup is constant. So after removing the buns from the classic McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger, you will be left with a beef patty that is seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper with the topping of onions, mustard and the two slices of American cheese. This whole meal will then have only 03 grams of net carbs, while having a high calorie count:
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 450kCal |
| Fats | 24g |
| Saturated Fats | 11g |
| Proteins | 25g |
| Cholesterol | 85mg |
| Sodium | 1120mg |
| Calcium | 180mg |
| Potassium | 350mg |
| Iron | 3.5mg |
Iced Tea – Without Cream and Liquid Sugar
You might be wondering when I will talk about the drinks, well here I go!
If you remove the cream and the liquid sugar from the Iced Tea which is available on the McCafe menu Philippines, then it will have 0g of carbs in it. Which makes it totally fine to drink when you are on keto-diet.
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 00kCal |
| Fats | 00g |
| Saturated Fats | 00g |
| Proteins | 01g |
| Cholesterol | 00mg |
| Sodium | 15mg |
| Calcium | 10mg |
| Potassium | 80mg |
| Iron | 00mg |
Healthy Options At McDonald’s Breakfast Menu Philippines
Egg McMuffin
A delicious yet healthy breakfast meal option at McDonald’s Philippines is not completed without Egg McMuffin. It is overall a balanced menu item which has a good amount of protein and a balanced calorie count. However, it is high in sodium and saturated fats, but if you are a person who can balance it for the rest of the day by eating healthy fruits and vegetables then this breakfast item definitely falls under the list of Healthy options at McDonald’s Philippines for you!
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 332kCal |
| Fats | 14g |
| Carbs | 36g |
| Proteins | 19g |
| Cholesterol | 295mg |
| Sodium | 630mg |
| Calcium | 117mg |
| Potassium | 214mg |
| Iron | 05mg |
Cheesy Eggdesal
The next in line is, the Cheesy Eggdesal which is one of the most favorite menu items of all the Pinoys out there. Why would it not be? The pandesals are the essential part of the breakfast in almost every Filipino family.
This Breakfast menu item of McDonald’s Philippines is the local’s favorite not only because of its cultural value but also for its healthy ingredients. Just like the Egg McMuffin, it is famous in the McDo Philippines for its balanced nutrition facts. Having a calorie count of 281 kCal per serving, makes it ideal to be in the list of Healthy Options at McDonald’s Philippines. However, it is a bit high on sodium and saturated fats, that is why I would suggest you, even if you are eating it daily, make sure to have a balanced diet throughout your day.
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Fats | 10g |
| Carbs | 35g |
| Protein | 12g |
| Cholesterol | 116mg |
| Sodium | 459mg |
| Calcium | 145mg |
| Potassium | 142mg |
| Iron | 06mg |
Sausage McMuffin – Without Egg
A normal Sausage McMuffin with Egg has higher calorie count than Egg McMuffin. However, if you remove the egg, then it falls under the daily recommended amount of calories and sodium per meal. So that is why I am adding it into the list of Healthy Breakfast options at McDonald’s Philippines. Other than this, you can also consider it as an alternative to Egg McMuffin.
Although without egg, Sausage McMuffin has a calorie count of 280 kCal per serving. But it has high values of saturated fats and sodium. You may have to keep a strong eye on your intake throughout the day after eating it.
| Nutrition Type | Nutrition Amount |
|---|---|
| Fats | 12g |
| Carbs | 26g |
| Protein | 15g |
| Cholesterol | 32mg |
| Sodium | 870mg |
| Calcium | 00mg |
| Potassium | 00mg |
| Iron | 2.5mg |
Frequently Asked Questions
In conclusion, you can stay healthy and fit while eating outside at fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s. It all depends upon how you keep track of your calories, fats, and carbs intake. This whole guide and list of Healthy Options at McDonald’s Philippines is made only to help you figure out what is best for you whether you are following a keto-diet or you are hunting low calorie food items. I have listed everything for every individual reading this article.
