Former McDonald's chef reveals healthiest item on the menu

Fast food is regularly in the spotlight for its high salt and fat content, and growing concerns around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have made people more aware of the potential harms of preservatives, colourings and other additives typical of such grub.

While heading to a fast food chain is rarely done for optimal nutrition, savvy shoppers might make a beeline for the least calorific or freshest-looking options on the menu.

Big Macs aren't exactly nutrition bombs (spflaum1/Getty Images)

At McDonald’s, significant strides have been made over the years to increase the menu’s nutritional content whilst maintaining the signature flavours. In the UK, all of its burgers are made with 100% British and Irish beef with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper to bring out the flavours.

Its chicken products are also made with 100% chicken breast, although it’s of course generally blended into a paste before going into things like McNuggets and the McChicken patties.

Fresh lettuce and tomatoes go into the burgers too, but it’s important to remember that the buns and sauces often contain a lot of sugar, salt, and additives that you might want to avoid eating regularly.

So, if you’re looking to get the most nutritional bang for your calorie buck, what’s the best option on the menu?

A TikToker by the name of Mike Haracz, @chefmikeharacz, is a former McDonald’s corporate chef who regularly posts his insider knowledge to the social media platform. With over 331,000 followers on there, it’s safe to say his insights are getting lapped up.

In a recent video, he responded to the question over which menu item is the healthiest under the golden arches, and you might be surprised to find he didn’t suggest the carrot stick bag or one of the vegan options.

The menu item he picked out has ‘lower calories, lower cholesterol, and lower saturated fat’, according to the former Maccies chef, and it’s actually one of the main items from the breakfast menu.

For Chef Mike, it’s the Egg McMuffin when ordered without butter.

Chef Mike's pick for the healthiest option is the Egg McMuffin minus the butter and cheese (Albany Times Union/Hearst Newspapers / Contributor/Getty Images)

Speaking of the American variant, he said: “You’ve got one egg, which is 70 calories, one slice of Canadian bacon, which is lean protein.

“Yes, I want to keep a little cheese on there so its got some kind of flavour, and then you have the English muffin, which I believe is the lowest calorie carrier that you have.”

By taking the butter and cheese out, the US Egg McMuffin’s calorie content drops to around 280 calories. For the UK version, the regular Egg and Cheese McMuffin comes with 295 calories, and you can cut that to between 230 and 280 if you nix the cheese and butter.