McDonald's Kale Salad Has More Calories Than a Big Mac

By Krysia Lenzo | @KrysiaLenzo, CNBC.com

If you ever thought “healthy fast food” was actually healthy, think again.

Though McDonald’s may be on a health kick, some of its nutrient-enhanced meals are actually worse for you than junk food, according to CBC News.

McDonald’s new Kale salad is the most outrageous offender, with more calories, fat, and sodium than a Double Big Mac burger.

Kale has received a good reputation as of late since it contains a significant amount of vitamins and can be easily added to a breakfast wrap or sandwich for an extra crunch.

On its website, McDonald’s boasts that the “Keep Calm, Caesar On” chicken salad contains “real parmesan” cheese petals and a “nutrient-rich lettuce blend with baby kale.” These ingredients may sound wonderfully healthy, but topped with creamy Asiago Caesar dressing on its crispy chicken version, the salad loses its appeal.

The salad contains more than 730 calories, 53 grams of fat, and 1,400 milligrams of salt, according to McDonald’s nutritional information.

As a point of comparison, someone would have to eat three traditional McDonald’s hamburgers to consume about the same number of calories. A Double Big Mac contains about 680 calories, 38 grams of fat, and 1,340 milligrams of salt.

The American Heart Association recommends eating just 2,000 milligrams of sodium and 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day.

If you are planning on eating a salad from McDonald’s, there are other options available that are less caloric. McDonald’s Southwest Salad only contains 280 calories and 490 milligrams of sodium, which includes a creamy southwest dressing. And, for the truly health-conscious eater, a side salad without dressing is only 15 calories and 10 milligrams of sodium.

Read the full report from CBC News here.