Is Wendy's Bad For You?

Wendy’s is one of many popular ‘burger and fry joints’ that populate America’s busy intersections and side streets. They are most notably known for their fresh (never frozen) ingredients, and their delicious chocolate and vanilla Frosties. While it is common knowledge that fast food joints pack a heavy calorie and fat-laden menu, a quick look at Wendy’s hamburgers, fries, and Frosties will help you determine if it is worth the indulgence.

One regular adult cheeseburger, also known as “Dave’s Single” includes a quarter pound patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, ketchup, mayo, and a bun. The entire hamburger is 550 calories, 34 grams of fat, 1,180 milligrams of sodium, and 8 grams of sugar. Based on a regular 2,000-calorie diet, this hamburger includes, 28% of your daily calories, up to 77% of your recommended daily fat, 51% of your daily sodium, and 32% of your daily recommended sugar intake.

These numbers are astonishingly high and concerning. However, the “Baconator” is one of the most popular burgers that folks reach for, and it is made up of two quarter-pound patties, two layers of American cheese, two layers of Applewood smoked bacon, ketchup, mayo and a bun.

This meal is much worse for you, clocking in at 930 calories, 62 grams of fat, 1,810 milligrams of sodium, and 8 grams of sugar. This equals 47% of your daily calories, 140% of your daily recommended fat intake, 79% of your sodium content, and 32% of your daily sugar intake. These numbers alone take up most of your daily nutrition values, and this does not include fries or a drink.

If you add in one medium ‘Natural Cut’ order of fries, you are contributing an additional 420 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 420 milligrams of sodium to your already unhealthy meal. At this point, you have nearly met or exceeded all of your daily calorie, fat, and sodium values.

Many people opt to round out their meal with a popular Wendy’s ‘Classic Chocolate Frosty’. One large Frosty will give you an additional 580 calories, 15 grams of fat, 270 milligrams of sodium, and an astonishing 79 grams of sugar! The daily recommended value of sugar for an adult is roughly 25 grams, meaning one Frosty is 316% of your maximum value!

This reveals that eating one complete combo, including a burger, fries, and drink can easily max out all of your daily values--and in many categories completely exceed more than one day’s value. Studies show that an excess of calories, fat, sodium, and sugar in our diet can have deadly consequences. Despite contributing to weight gain and obesity, excessive fat, calories, and sodium can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

As with most fast food chains, you can assume that the food is littered with GMOs and unhealthy additives. Many preservatives and food additives increase inflammation in the body, along with numerous additional ailments.

A close evaluation of Wendy’s nutrition reveals that the consequences of these types of meals are not worth the convenience they provide. Maxing out all of your daily-recommended values on one meal means that any other food or drink you consume in the same day is in excess, and is directly increasing your risks for deadly health conditions. Instead of heading toward the drive through, prepare your meals from home-- ahead of time, or reach for heart and waist-friendly options, such as salads, whole-wheat sandwiches, or grilled chicken wraps.