In a world where hamburgers are served in fast-food chains, in local businesses, and fancy restaurants they are known as one of the more delicious and savory foods. Hamburgers are not considered healthy due to having excessive amounts of fat and calories. However, what about buying a more healthy option, in healthy hamburgers instead?
Sean Dowd ’27 said “Healthy hamburgers can be more accepted into society by adding ingredients that can make it more flavorful, while also keeping it healthy.”
An AOL.com list ranks the ten healthiest burgers from common fast food chains in America, with Wendy’s, Burger King, and McDonald’s snagging the top three.
The Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger, Burger King’s Whopper Jr., and The Classic McDonald’s Burger at 280, 310, and 250 calories respectively.
Beyond going to a chain, there are several ways to make the classic burger healthier, whether it is switching out the beef patty for a plant-based patty, or simply adding on more toppings. However, normal hamburgers contribute negatively to health. Burgers in general are highly caloric, and too much intake can lead to rise in cholesterol levels, increased risk of diabetes, and a rise in blood pressure.
Thomas Huerta ’27 said, “A healthier burger is likely to have better health outcomes; such as easier digestion, and positive effects to the environment.”
Biology teacher Jack Reardon said, “Just having too much meat in your diet in general, is not how the body is designed to function.” He added, “Companies make eating food as enjoyable and addicting as possible, which can lead to why regular hamburgers are more widely recognized than healthy hamburgers.”
Furthermore, according to AOL News, burgers aren’t necessarily “healthy,” but they can offer nutrients and protein depending on its toppings and preparation.
Even though healthy hamburgers provide more benefits to the body, it is not as well recognized. It can be hard to adapt to eating a hamburger without the authentic meat patty, and instead substituting it for a plant-based patty.
The difference of taste in plant-based burgers is that it is more bland and not as full of flavor, unlike the meaty hamburger. Healthier burgers, whether it’s extra toppings like more lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles, or plant-based, does not get the same recognition and attention as a regular meaty burger. Huerta added, “They should be made more accessible and advertised, similar to fast-food products.”
