Do YOU really know what's in your McDonald's? How the ingredients and calories compare between the UK and US… and the results might shock you
June 10, 2023
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Some meals in the US have twice as many additives as their UK counterpart
It's one of the most popular fast food chains on both sides of the Atlantic.
Yet, despite having almost identical menus, food sold at McDonald's in Britain can have drastically different ingredients and nutritional values than their American equivalents.
Here, MailOnline shares how six popular items can vary between the two nations.
It's the fast food chain's flagship product, loved by millions worldwide.
The Big Mac consists of two beef patties, packed inside a sesame seed bun dressed with lettuce, Big Mac sauce, cheese, pickles and onions.
Despite being made with exactly the same seven components, the burger contains an extra 100 calories in the US. The American version has 590, compared to 493 in the UK.
The difference is the equivalent of treating yourself to a hash brown.
For reference, the daily recommended intake to maintain a healthy weight is 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men.
As well as being more calorific, the US burger is packed with more fat (34g vs 24g), saturated fat (11g vs 8.8g) and carbohydrates (46g vs 42g) than the UK version.
The burgers, however, have similar sugar and salt levels in both countries at around 9g and 2.2g, respectively.
Adults in the UK are advised to eat no more than 6g of salt per day, while officials in the US say not to exceed 2.3g. Too much can lead to high blood pressure, and its knock-on complications.
Registered dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine said the salt content in both burgers, which is around a third of the daily recommended limit in Britain and the entire recommended amount in America, is 'huge'.
But the Chicken McNuggets loved on either side of the pond have big differences.
The US option has nine more components — such as extra additives, oils and flours — than the box of six sold in the UK.
The UK uses just two oils — sunflower and rapeseed — while the US uses canola, corn, soybean and hydrogenated soybean oils.
And the US option is made from 'white boneless chicken', rather than the 'chicken breast meat' specified in the UK
And it has more than double the salt (1.25g vs 0.57g) in the US, as well as more fat (15g vs 13g) and saturates (2.5g vs 1.5g).
Despite this, a standard UK box of six chicken nuggets contains 261 calories, while the US has fewer at 250.
The British option also has more carbohydrates (21 vs 15g) and sugar (0.6g vs 0g).
UK health chiefs advise men to eat no more than 30g of saturated fat per day, while women should stick to a 20g limit.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting saturated fat to less than a tenth of daily calories. This is around 22g for those who eat 2,000 calories per day.
Miss Ludlam-Raine warned that the US nuggets are 'very salty'.
She told MailOnline: 'Chicken nuggets can be a slightly healthier option in comparison to a burger at McDonald's as chicken tends to be a leaner protein option in comparison to beef.
'They are both though what we call "processed red" so consumption should be moderated.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12138705/How-McDonalds-UK-menu-compares-Americas-items-calorific.html