Burger King for People with Diabetes - Everything You Need to Know!Burger King for People with Diabetes - Everything You Need to Know!
© Peter Muzslay | Dreamstime.com If you're managing diabetes, a trip to Burger King may seem like everything on their menu is off-limits. However, even though fast food is definitely not low-carb, there are multiple diabetes-friendly options on the Burger King menu, so you don't have to write off fast food if you have diabetes. When you have diabetes, you need to get a steady source of carbohydrates in order to keep your blood sugar levels stable. This means approximately 45 to 60 g of carbs per meal, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Just like with any other type of fast food, you should avoid some things when you're off to enjoy a trip to Burger King with your family or friends. You should strictly avoid blood sugar spiking carbs such as sugar, juice, soda, baked goods and ice cream. A rule of thumb is to stick to foods that contain approximately 30 g of carbs. While the Burger King menu, unfortunately, doesn't have a nutrition calculator, you can reduce the number of carbs by tossing half of the bun.
What can you eat at Burger King if you have diabetes? The online menu at Burger King contains the total amount of carbs that include the entire bun, but you can deduct approximately 1/3 of the carbs from each item by tossing half of the bun.
Breakfast If you are joining your friends or family at Burger King for breakfast, an egg and cheese Croissan'wich will have 29 g of carbs and 12 g of protein. For the same amount of carbs, but a bit more protein, you can opt for a ham, egg and cheese Croissan'wich, which has 17 g of protein. The biscuits at Burger King typically have between 28 and 31 g of carbs, but just like in the case of sandwiches, you can toss half of the bun, so you'll sit at about 20 g of carbs.
Burgers It's always a good idea to load up on extra veggies when ordering a burger at Burger King when you have diabetes because you'll pack in more nutrients, and you'll feel satisfied even if you toss half of the bun. A regular Burger King hamburger has 26 g of carbs and 13 g of protein. You can get a double hamburger for the same amount of carbs, which packs in 21 g of protein because of the extra meat. However, it is essential to even out the protein carb ratio by tossing half of the bun. Some of the best choices for people with diabetes who want to enjoy a burger include the regular hamburger and Whopper Jr., which has 27 g of carbs and 13 g of protein.
Chicken Chicken is another good choice if you want to enjoy a Burger King meal while keeping an eye on your blood sugar levels. Four chicken nuggets have 11 g of carbs and 8 g of protein, but you should try and avoid having a side of fries with them because that will drastically increase the total amount of carbs. When it comes to sauces, make sure that you stay under 10 grams of carbs. The best choices include mayonnaise, which comes with 1 g of carb per pack, ketchup, 3 grams per pack, and Zesty Onion Ring Dipping Sauce, which has 3 g of carbs per pack as well. Salads Just like with any other fast food outlet, salads are a good choice if you want to enjoy a guilt-free meal at Burger King. A garden side salad has 3 g of carbs and would be a good option with some chicken nuggets. A Caesar side salad has 21 g of carbs and packs 11 g of protein. You can always save some carbs in a salad by opting to get the grilled chicken instead of the crispy. When it comes to dressings, the best low-carb choice at Burger King is Ken's Ranch Dressing, which has 2 g of carbs per pack. Even though it has the word "lite" in its name, you should avoid Ken's Lite Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette because it packs a whopping 14 g of carbs per pack.
Drinks If you want a drink with your meal, it is best to stick to unsweetened tea or Diet Coke because you don't want to drink extra carbs that can immediately cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Plain coffee is also a good option if you want something that has caffeine in it. Bottom line It is possible to enjoy a meal at Burger King if you have diabetes, but it's essential to make sure you limit the amount of carbohydrates and fats when making your selection. The easiest trick is to remove half of the bun on the sandwiches and burgers to lower the number of carbs. The best bet is a grilled chicken salad accompanied by an unsweetened tea, coffee, or Diet Coke.
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