Not everyone can resist indulging in their favourite McDonald’s dish every now and then.
But just how much exercise is needed to offset the cheeseburger you just scarfed down?
Leon Tan, a personal trainer in Singapore, recently uploaded a series of TikTok videos analysing various popular McDonald’s meals.
He analysed their caloric content and nutrient breakdown based on readily available stats online.
The Double McSpicy meal in particular received a negative review from a health standpoint, requiring a 20km run to burn off the calories.
Mr Tan runs a TikTok channel where he reviews different kinds of food products from a health standpoint.
Some of his most popular videos are his breakdowns of McDonald’s menu items. And where better to start than the Double McSpicy?
The veritable Holy Grail of the Singapore McDonald’s menu, the all-in-one mix of spicy chicken and lettuce — with a side of guilt — was not-so-surprisingly given a negative review by Mr Tan.
Source: @strongertmr on TikTok
Mr Tan pointed out that the Double McSpicy has a “whopping 833 calories”.
Adding the 512 calories from the classic McDonald’s large fries makes a grand total of 1,300 calories for an upsized meal.
The trainer estimated that it would take around a 20km run to burn off the ingested calories, adding a caveat that different people burn calories at different rates.
Regardless, it’s probably safe to say most folks aren’t leaving McDonald’s after a meal and running a distance far exceeding the entire Central Expressway (CTE).
Source: @strongertmr on TikTok
To add to that, Mr Tan dismissed the Double McSpicy as a source of protein, pointing out that it makes up only about 18% of the burger.
He instead recommended the Quarter Pounder, which has both fewer calories and a higher protein weightage.
Alternatively, if that does not satisfy your cravings for the McSpicy, he suggested taking the regular McSpicy or skipping the fries.
Perhaps the Double McSpicy was a bit of an obvious unhealthy meal.
The classic Filet-O-Fish, on the other hand, may be seen as being on the healthier side of the menu.
But Mr Tan dropped a truth bomb, pointing out that although the burger has a lower calorie count, it retains an abysmal protein weightage of 18%.
Source: @strongertmr on TikTok
Sadly for McChicken fans, he cast the same judgment on it as the Filet-O-Fish. While it’s still superior to the McSpicy from a health standpoint, it’s not the best either.
In that case, is there even any glimmer of hope in the pit of oily despair that is the McDonald’s menu? Surprisingly, yes.
Mr Tan assessed the Grilled Chicken Salad and Grilled Chicken McWrap as lower calorie options with relatively high protein weightage.
Source: @strongertmr on TikTok
Other decent choices include the basic hamburger and the six-piece Chicken McNuggets, both under 300 calories.
People wondering about the beloved breakfast menu can rest easy as Mr Tan also reviewed it.
Regrettably, the breakfast menu fared even worse, with only the Sausage, Egg, and Sausage with Egg McMuffins getting a positive appraisal.
The Big Breakfast skated by with a decent review, while all variants of the Chicken Muffins and McWraps were rated as having high calories and low protein.
Even the savoury McGriddles did not escape Mr Tan’s flak. He stated that they have double the calorie content of the McMuffins for just half the protein weightage.
The McDonald’s Hotcakes were unfortunately slammed as the “absolute worst”, offering almost 560 calories with just 9g of protein.
Source: @strongertmr on TikTok
In the end, few of the delectable McDonald’s fast food offerings provided much in the way of a healthier option.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while. But moderation and Mr Tan’s caloric breakdown are always good to keep in mind.
Strangely, a man in the United States (US) claimed that he lost 26kg after eating McDonald’s three times a day for 100 days.
But after watching Mr Tan’s videos, that’s not an experiment we’re keen to embark on.
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Featured image adapted from @strongertmr on TikTok and TikTok.
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