While going out to eat at a fast food restaurant, it is still possible to make healthy choices. However, there are many unhealthy choices (and particularly one kind of side dish) that could negatively impact your cholesterol and ability to maintain a healthy weight.
We spoke with registered dietitian/ nutritionist Susan Kelly and nutritionist Lisa Richards about one kind of cheesy side dish you should avoid, and examples of establishments that offer it. Read on to learn how eating this frequently can alter your health, and what you could order instead.
Cheese Fries & Fried Cheese Curds
Side orders that combine potatoes and cheese (or just solely fried cheese itself) are undeniably delicious, but they won't aid your overall health, heart health or weight. Both experts note that popular dishes like cheese fries, chili cheese fries and fried cheese curds at your favorite fast food spots should be avoided as much as possible.
Eating sodium-heavy foods like these often, Kelly says, "can deter your weight loss by increasing fat weight and water weight since high sodium causes water retention in the body, making your body look bloated."
She notes that Wendy's chili cheese fries side is "loaded with more than 500 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat and 1100 miligrams of sodium," which isn't good news for your heart or healthy cholesterol levels, either.
Richards adds that at restaurant chains like Dairy Queen, they offer fried cheese curds or cheesy snacks that will have the same effect. "This fried cheese side item is calorie-dense and high in fat and carbohydrates," says Richards. "If consumed on a regular basis, they are likely to lead to weight gain and inflammation."
She also notes that just one (large) serving of DQ's cheese curds equates to 1,000 calories and 67 grams of fat. "This amount of calories is over half the recommended intake for a day in just one side dish," she continues. She stresses that even if you were to order a small in place of a large, it is still at least a quarter of your daily calorie needs. "When combined with a calorie-dense hamburger and soft drink, you are looking at nearly 2,000 calories in just one meal," she says, pointing out how quickly they add up with the addition of this side dish.
The more you know!
If you did want to replace your usual cheese fries with another side at a place like Wendy's, for example, Kelly notes that the chain has "plenty of options for side orders that are quite healthy."
"Its half serving of power Mediterranean chicken salad has only 250 calories," she says. "Apart from it, natural cut fries also come with 220-230 calories and 4 pieces of spicy chicken nuggets have only 190 calories."
Options like these, Kelly says, will always be a better choice than cheese fries, chili cheese fries or any type of fried cheese curds.
