Topic Shorts & Resources

HEALTHY DIET GUIDELINES
The recommended maximum daily calories for moderately active
women maintaining a healthy weight is about 2,000; for men, it’s
2,500. “Of course, that depends on a person’s metabolism and
physical-activity level,” The maximum fat grams most women
should consume is 65 per day; men, 85 grams. Saturated and
trans fats should total less than 20 grams (based on a 2,000-calorie
diet). As for hypertension-related sodium, 1,500 milligrams per
day is about right for adults. Check out what these fast food meals
do for your daily intake. McDonalds Pizza Hut Harveys, Tim
Hortons KFC Wendy's Subway Burger King

Harvey’s

The Big Harv with Cheese
710 calories, 37 g fat (17.4 saturated), 1,211 mg sodium TAKE OFF
THE ADD-ONS

Wow! This giant meat-stuffed sandwich is frightening enough without adding a
regular-sized order of fries (382 calories, 20 grams of fat) or, worse still, a poutine
(700 calories, 40 grams of fat). “Not even an athlete in training needs to eat that
burger,” says Yong, “especially since half the calories come from fat.” A healthy
diet should have no more than 30 percent of calories from fat, according to the
Heart and Stroke Foundation. No more than ten percent of calories should come
from saturated and trans fats.

Better: Order the Original Hamburger and save some 350 calories and 19 grams
of fat (357 calories, 18 grams of fat, seven saturated, 1,000 milligrams of sodium).
The nice thing about Harvey’s is that the burgers are flame broiled and get built in
front of you, so it’s easy to opt out of calorie-laden spreads like mayonnaise.

Even Better: Harvey’s Veggieburger is the best fast-food veggie burger I’ve ever
tasted. At 331 calories and just 9.2 grams of fat (2.5 saturated), you can afford to
get it with cheese.

Tim Hortons

Southern Country Raspberry Biscuit
490 calories, 20 g fat (5 saturated), 1,051 mg sodium

Nothing goes with coffee like a sweet treat, but with one fifth of even a man’s
calorie quota and almost a quarter of his fat allowance, this biscuit’s more than a
snack.

Better: If you must have some-thing with that java, a doughnut—while not exactly
good for you—isn’t the worst choice. Doughnuts at the “healthier” end (e.g.,
Maple or Chocolate Dip) have around 200 calories, six grams of fat (1.5
saturated) and 230 milligrams of sodium. The more decadent doughnuts (e.g.,
Blueberry Fritter, Walnut Crunch) have up to 350 calories and more fat and
sodium. The cookies have fewer calories (150 to 170 apiece), but about the same
amount of fat as the less-decadent doughnuts.

Best: Low-fat muffins are best if you’re counting fat grams, though they do pack
more calories than most doughnuts. But when it comes to snacks, suggests Yong,
it’s best to keep fruit, vegetables, low-fat yogurt or granola bars with you for your
coffee breaks. “Snacking is okay if it’s a healthy choice,” she says. “Try to think of
a doughnut as a treat, not a habit.”