Fast But Not Fattening

What's going on in the land of milkshakes and honey-barbecue chicken nuggets? Though fast-food restaurants are not exactly garnishing burgers with BroccoSprouts yet, they suddenly seem to have discovered health.

In the past, McDonald's has given out pedometers and fitness guides from Oprah's personal trainer. Burger King, home of the Whopper, offered a veggie burger with reduced-fat mayonnaise. Even Pizza Hut had a Fit 'n Delicious line. Scan your favorite fast-food menus, and you may find nearly as many salads as sandwiches.

There are probably all sorts of reasons for the slimming down of the drive-thru: Americans' ballooning waistlines and "you-made-me-this-way" lawsuits, to mention two. But let's not quibble about motives. A Gallup Poll found that 95 percent of us frequent fast-food restaurants—50 percent do so at least once a week—and these leaner options could make a big difference in our health.

Still, you can walk out of these places having done major calorie damage unless you make the right choices, so Prevention has done a lot of the work for you. We've picked the best and the worst choices on the menu at eight major fast-food chains.

Our criteria for the good stuff: It had to be a meal that was relatively low in calories and fat, high in fiber, and reasonably low in sodium (there weren't many). We tweaked some of the meals to make them healthier; in some cases, you may need to ask for it "your way" (as in "hold the mayo" or "extra broccoli, please").

Don't get caught at the counter without a clue. Print this article for your next visit.

(Updated Oct. 19, 2006)

Arby's
In this haven of meat eaters, there are some surprising moderate-fat choices.

Best picks
Broccoli 'n Cheddar Baked Potato: Ask for double the broccoli, half the cheese sauce, and a regular serving of shredded Cheddar. 536 cal, 12 g pro, 72 g carb, 21 g fat, 11 g sat fat, 8 g fiber, 784 mg sodium

Martha's Vineyard Salad: This salad features greens, grilled chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, diced apples, dried cranberries, toasted almonds, tomatoes and raspberry vinaigrette. 276 cal, 26 g pro, 24 g carb, 8 g fat, 4 g. sat fat, 4 g fiber, 454 mg sodium.

Grilled Chicken Filet Sandwich: Skip the mayo and add a tablespoon of Arby's Sauce (part of a packet or from the pump). 414 cal, 31 g pro, 36 g carb, 16 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 913 mg sodium

Regular Roast Beef: 320 cal, 20 g pro, 34 g carb, 13 g fat, 6 g sat fat, 1 g fiber, 953 mg sodium

Worst picks
Roast Beef and Swiss Sandwich: 705 cal, 37 g pro, 73 g carb, 31 g fat, 8 g sat fat, 5 g fiber, 1,743 mg sodium

Roast Beef Sub: 723 cal, 35 g pro, 46 g carb, 42 g fat, 11 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 2,210 mg sodiumCrispy Chicken Bacon 'n Swiss: 624 cal, 36 g pro, 52 g carb, 29 g fat, 7 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,320 mg sodium

Chicken Cordon Bleu: 650 cal, 30 g pro, 50 g carb, 30 g fat, 5 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 901 mg sodium

Burger King
The wonderful folks who brought you the heart-stopping Original Whopper finally offer some healthful options: a veggie burger and last year's baguette introductions.

Best picks
BK Veggie Burger (no mayo): 340 cal, 23 g pro, 46 g carb, 8 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 7 g fiber, 1,030 mg sodium

Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich (no sauce): 400 cal, 36 g pro, 49 g carb, 4 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 3-4 g fiber, 1,090 mg sodium

Original Whopper Jr. (no mayo): 290 cal, 15 g pro, 31 g carb, 12 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 490 mg sodium

Hamburger (no mayo): 290 cal, 15 g pro, 30 g carb, 12 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 560 mg sodium

Worst picks
Original Double Whopper with Cheese: 990 cal, 52 g pro, 52 g carb, 64 g fat, 24 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,020 mg sodium

Original Double Whopper: 900 cal, 47 g pro, 51 g carb, 57 g fat, 19 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,090 mg sodium

Original Whopper with Cheese: 760 cal, 33 g pro, 52 g carb, 47 g fat, 16 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,450 mg sodiumCroissan'wich with Sausage, Egg, and Cheese: 470 cal, 19 g pro, 26 g carb, 32 g fat, 11 g sat fat, less than 1 g fiber, 1,060 mg sodium

KFC
A piece of chicken (without skin), mashed potatoes, and a vegetable provide an entire meal with 10 g or less of fat. Despite the abundance of breading and cooking oil at KFC, we were able to find that rare high-fiber meal here by pairing two vegetarian items from the menu.

Best picks
Tender Roast Sandwich: Ordering it without sauce will save you 70 calories and 14 g of fat. 260 cal, 31 g pro, 23 g carb, 5 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 1 g fiber, 640 mg sodium

Baked Beans and Small Corn on the Cob: 300 cal, 10 g pro, 59 g carb, 2.5 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 10 g fiber, 725 mg sodium; B

Original Recipe Chicken Breast: Removing the skin and breading saves 240 calories, 11 g of carbohydrates, 16 g of fat, 5 g of saturated fat, and 740 mg of sodium. Ask for the side of green beans. Total for the two: 190 cal, 31 g pro, 7 g carb, 4.5 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 980 mg sodium

Worst picks
In the real world, most people have at least two pieces of chicken, which is what our numbers below reflect.

Chicken Pot Pie: 770 cal, 33 g pro, 70 g carb, 40 g fat, 15 g sat fat, 5 g fiber, 1,680 mg sodiumExtra Crispy Breast plus Original Recipe Thigh: (both with skin) 820 cal, 56 g pro, 31 g carb, 53 g fat, 15 g sat fat, 0 g fiber, 2,290 mg sodium

Large Popcorn Chicken: 560 cal, 36 g pro, 34 g carb, 31 g fat, 7 g sat fat, 1 g fiber, 1,790 mg sodium

McDonald's
In addition to these top three meals, the Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone deserves mention for its very reasonable 150 calories and 3.5 g of fat. Note: Make sure to order grilled, not crispy, chicken on your salads; otherwise you'll wind up with 100 extra calories and an additional 10 g of fat.

Best picks
Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait with Granola: 160 cal, 4 g pro, 31 g carb, 2 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 1 g fiber, 85 mg sodium

Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich: 420 cal, 32 g pro, 52 g carb, 9 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 1,240 mg sodium

Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken: (with 1/3 of a packet of Newman's Own Creamy Caesar dressing) 283 cal, 31 g pro, 13 g carb, 12 g fat, 4.2 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,056 mg sodium

Worst picks
Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese: 730 cal, 47 g pro, 46 g carb, 40 g fat, 19 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,330 mg sodium

Quarter Pounder with Cheese: 510 cal, 29 g pro, 43 g carb, 25 g fat, 12 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,150 mg sodium

Big Mac: 560 cal, 25 g pro, 47 g carb, 30 g fat, 10 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,010 mg sodium

Pizza Hut
Order a medium (12-inch) or large (14-inch) of the "Best" pizzas below. The slices are nearly equal in calories, fat, and other nutrients because the medium is cut into 8 pieces and the large into 12. (The higher numbers in the nutrient ranges are for the large pizza.) Add a Fresh Express Ranch Salad Kit, now available for takeout or delivery. All nutritional values listed are for 2 slices.

Best picks
Fit 'n Delicious Pizza: The two offerings with only vegetable toppings: 300 cal, 12 g pro, 44-46 g carb, 8 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 840-1,260 mg sodium; the four types with vegetables or pineapple plus ham or chicken toppings: 320-340 cal, 16-18 g pro, 44-46 g carb, 9-10 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 1,040-1,460 mg sodium

Thin 'n Crispy Pizza: Veggie Lover's: 340 cal, 16 g pro, 42 g carb, 12 g fat, 6 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 1,020 mg sodium

Thin 'n Crispy Pizza: Ham and Pineapple: 350 cal, 16 g pro, 43 g carb, 12 g fat, 6 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 890 mg sodium

Worst picks
Yikes! Most of these choices exceed the recommended daily value (2,400 mg) for sodium.

Stuffed Crust Pizza: (comes only in 14-inch size): Super Supreme (beef, ham, sausage, pepperoni, pork, olives, green peppers, mushrooms, onions) or Meat Lover's (all of the meats above plus bacon; no vegetables) 840-1,040 cal, 44-50 g pro, 82-84 g carb, 40-58 g fat, 18-22 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 3,020-3,400 mg sodiumAll Other Varieties of Stuffed Crust Pizza: 700-960 cal, 34-46 g pro, 80-84 g carb, 22-50 g fat, 12-22 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 1,120-2,920 mg sodium

All Varieties of Personal Pan Pizza (whole): 610-890 cal, 24-41 g pro, 67-71 g carb, 23-49 g fat, 8-18 g sat fat, 3-5 g fiber, 1,500-4,920 mg sodium

Subway
This chain is an oasis of lower-fat choices. Take advantage of Subway's offer to stuff the sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and peppers. After all that, you might not need mayo. If you do, ask for the light variety. The honey-oat bread has 4 g of fiber (the white has 1 g), but if you can, substitute the carb-conscious, high-fiber (8 g) tortilla for bread on any of the sandwiches.

Best picks
Sandwiches Under 6: These 6-inch subs, which contain 6 g or less of fat, are all grouped together on the menu and are based on turkey, chicken, ham, roast beef (or combinations of these meats), and as many vegetables as you can get the sandwich maker to stuff in. 230-370 cal, 9-26 g pro, 44-59 g carb, 3-6 g fat, 1-2 g sat fat, 4-5 g fiber, 520-1,310 mg sodium. The Veggie Delite is basically a salad on a roll; give it some protein by adding two servings of cheese (1 ounce total), which adds 80 to 120 calories. 310-350 cal, 13-17 g pro, 44-46 g carb, 10-13 g fat, 5-7 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 570-910 mg sodium (nutritional values depend on type of cheese; choose Swiss to be at the lower end of the sodium range)

Grilled Chicken and Baby Spinach Salad: Add on some fat-free Italian dressing. 175 cal, 21 g pro, 18 g carb, 3 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 1,170 mg sodium

Worst picks
Remember, these numbers are for the 6-inch subs. Better not even consider the 12-inchers. Warning: Some of these sandwiches exceed the recommended daily value for sodium.

Double Meat Meatball Marinara Sub: 860 cal, 37 g pro, 82 g carb, 42 g fat, 18 g sat fat, 10 g fiber, 2,490 mg sodium. The regular (not double) Meatball Marinara Sub is no prize either. 560 cal, 24 g pro, 63 g carb, 24 g fat, 11 g sat fat, 5 g fiber, 1,610 mg sodium

Double Meat Italian Deli BMT: (salami, pepperoni, and ham) 630 cal, 34 g pro, 49 g carb, 35 g fat, 14 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 2,870 mg sodium

Double Meat Cold Cut Combo Sub: (turkey bologna, turkey ham, and turkey salami) 550 cal, 31 g pro, 49 g carb, 28 g fat, 10 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 2,380 mg sodium

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap with Cheese: 440 cal, 41 g pro, 18 g carb, 27 g fat, 9 g sat fat, 11 g fiber, 1,680 mg sodium
Turkey Bacon Melt: 380 cal, 31 g pro, 20 g carb, 24 g fat, 7 g sat fat, 12 g fiber, 1,780 mg sodium

Taco Bell
Thanks to beans, this chain is one of the few that offers a selection of high-fiber meals (5 g or more). And almost everything on the menu can be ordered Fresco Style (seasoned with Fiesta Salsa rather than sauce or cheese), making the items lower in fat. Fifteen items contain 9 g or less of fat.

Best picks
Two Grilled Steak or Chicken Soft Tacos, Fresco Style: 340 cal, 22-24 g pro, 42-44 g carb, 8-10 g fat, 2-3 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 1,120-1,420 mg sodium

Bean Burrito, Fresco Style: 350 cal, 13 g pro, 56 g carb, 8 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 9 g fiber, 1,220 mg sodium

Taco Salad: Order it without the shell, sour cream, or cheese. 400 cal, 20 g pro, 42 g carb, 17 g fat, 5 g sat fat, 10 g fiber, 1,420 mg sodium. For a vegetarian version, substitute extra beans for the beef and add a serving of guacamole. 390 cal, 16 g pro, 55 g carb, 12 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 16 g fiber, 1,290 mg sodium

Worst picks
While these are the most fatty, caloric single items, you can do just as much damage by ordering two chalupas (700-860 calories, 36-54 g fat), which many people do because they're small.

Grilled Stuft Burrito: (all flavors: chicken, beef, or steak) 670-720 cal, 27-35 g pro, 77-80 g carb, 25-32 g fat, 7-11 g sat fat, 7 g fiber, 1,990-2,140 mg sodiumNachos BellGrand: 730 cal, 23 g pro, 68 g carb, 41 g fat, 12 g sat fat, 8 g fiber, 1,500 mg sodium

Quesadilla: (chicken, or steak) 540 cal, 16-27 g pro, 39-40 g carb, 30-31 g fat, 13-14 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,170-2,140 mg sodium

Wendy's
If it just has to be a burger, the Jr. Hamburger is an under-control 280 calories and 9 g of fat.

Best picks
Small Chili and Plain Baked Potato: 490 cal, 24 g pro, 84 g carb, 6 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 12 g fiber, 805 mg sodium

Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich: (comes with sweet and savory sauce, lettuce, and tomato on a kaiser roll) 370 cal, 33 g pro, 44 g carb, 8 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 1,070 mg sodium

Mandarin Chicken Salad: Use the entire packet of almonds and 1/3 of a packet of Oriental sesame dressing, but skip the rice noodles. 363 cal, 28 g pro, 29 g carb, 17 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 5 g fiber, 713 mg sodium

Worst picks
Big Bacon Classic: 590 cal, 34 g pro, 46 g carb, 30 g fat, 12 g sat fat, 3 g fiber, 1,510 mg sodium

Chicken BLT Salad: (with croutons and an entire packet of honey-mustard dressing) 627 cal, 38 g pro, 37 g carb, 46.5 g fat, 13 g sat fat, 4 g fiber, 1,4 mg sodium

Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger: 370 cal, 19 g pro, 34 g carb, 17 g fat, 7 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 790 mg sodium

Classic Single: (with everything) 420 cal, 23 g pro, 37 g carb, 20 g fat, 7 g sat fat, 2 g fiber, 880 mg sodium