The best and the worst elements of the A & W menu

This is the ultimate guide to eat well with this fast food point.


When you think of a delicious and cold root beer, the brandA & w Always always comes in mind. But did you know that the A & W root beer goes beyond pick up a pack of 12 cans in the grocery store? That's right, A & W restaurants are a popular fast food chain that offers a series of hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and salted products, as well as root beer floats and other desserts. But if you dine at one of their many global places not only for root beer, it's important to know the best and worst A & W menu options at your disposal. That said, we recorded with Amy Tao, MS,Well-being based, to help us decipher the menu of the chain.

Here are the best and the worst items you can order from the A & W menu.

Classic burgers and chicken

Best: Hand-made chicken tenders 3 pieces

a&w hand breaded chicken tenders
Courtesy of A & W
260 calories, 9 g of grease (2.5 g saturated grease, 0 g of trans grease), 1 100 mg of sodium, 5 g of carbohydrates (1 g of fiber, 0 g sugar), 40 g protein

Although it is the best choice in its category, it is important to know what soak the sauce you choose.

"When to chooseseasoning, do not forget to think about things like fat, sugar orsodium Content, as the choice of the condiment could send it to the bottom of the list, "says Tao.

In this case, you are preferable without one.

Worse: Double cheeseburger bacon

a&w bacon double cheeseburger
Courtesy of A & W
647 calories, 41 g of grease (16 g saturated grease, 0 g of trans grease), 1,923 mg of sodium, 42 g of carbohydrates (2 g of fiber, 11 g sugar), 29 g protein

If you really want a hamburger, it's not the one to get. Instead, when it comes to grilled options, "opting for hamburgers or sandwiches without cheese and mayonnaise and half or no bun is also a way to save some calories," says Tao. "Choose a solid yellow mustard and ask them to double lettuce, tomato and onion! Or you can always indulge in selecting the ordinary hamburger, which contains 342 calories, 16 grams of grease and 875 grams of sodium. Add additional vegetables to this option, ditch half of the bun, and even if you choose to add cheese, it will always be a much better option than the bacon's double cheeseburger! "

Hot Dogs

Best: 5 Piece Corn Nuggets

a&w corn nuggets
Courtesy of A & W
175 calories, 9 g of grease (2 g saturated grease, 0.5 g of trans grease), 519 mg of sodium, 20 g of carbohydrates (1 g of fiber, 6 g of sugar), 6 g protein

These hot-dogs palated and fries are surprisingly not too high in calories.

"I have never imagined that I would place an order of 5 pieces of maize dogs on a" best "list, but everything is relative," says Tao. "Even with 175 calories, 9 grams of fat, 519 mg of sodium and 6 grams of sugar, it's always the best option."

Worst: Coney Cheese Dog

a&w coney cheese dog
Courtesy of A & W
380 calories, 23 g of grease (9 g saturated grease, 1.5 g of trans grease), of 1,100 mg of sodium, 28 g of carbohydrates (2 g of fiber, 5 g sugar), 14 g Protein

It can not be a surprise that aHot-dog Cheese, Chile and onion loaded have landed as one of the worst menu options A & W.

"The Coney Cheese Dog has more than double calories, grease and sodium compared to corn dog nuggets," says Tao.

Sides

Best: small fries

a&w small fries
Courtesy of A & W
201 calories, 8 g of fat (2 g saturated grease, 0 g of trans grease), 290 mg of sodium, 29 g of carbohydrates (3 g of fiber, 0 g sugar), 2 g protein

Believe it or not, a hot little order and crispfries landed like the best lateral option, but Tao does not think you should be content with that.

"Do not hesitate to ask if they have options that may not appear on the menu, such as lateral salad, fruit (even layers or slices!), A broth soup or all this That is cooked to shoot your meal with more nutrient -den food, "she says.

Worse: big cheese cursor

a&w cheese curds
Courtesy of A & W
1,140 calories, 80 g of grease (42 g saturated grease, 0 g fat), 2,440 mg of sodium, 54 g of carbohydrates (4 g of fiber, 6 g sugar), 54 g protein

These succulent stings of 100% of Wisconsin CheddarcheeseCan be slightly breaded and fried gold with a delicious taste, but a large cheese current order contains 1 140 calories, 80 grams of fat and 2,440 milligrams of sodium.

"It's more than a whole day," says Tao. "Steer Clear!"

RELATED: The easy way to make comfortable foods healthier.

Treat

Best: Small chocolate ice cream (4 oz)

chocolate soft serve in cone
Refuge
155 calories, 4.5 g of fat (3 g saturated grease, 0 g of trans grease), 105 mg of sodium, 26 g of carbohydrates (1 g of fiber, 17 g of sugar), 3 g protein

You will be happy to know that this chocolate treatment on a crisp cone is one of the best menu options A & W. But it is important to note that with all the candies, thesugar The content tends to be on the upper side.

"Although it contains 17 grams of sugar, everything is relative," says Tao. "ThisSoft serve ice cream Contains less sugar than the majority of items in this category! "

Best: small root diet Beer Float (16 oz).

a&w root beer float
Courtesy of A & W
170 calories, 5 g of fat (3 g of saturated fat, 0 g of trans fat), 105 mg of sodium, carbohydrates 30 g (0 g of fibers, 17 g of sugar), 2 g of protein

While the Root Beer diet float can not be as high in calories, fat or sugar compared to other options, most "savings" are due to the use of diet root beer, Who is sweetened with an artificial sweetener called aspartame, says Tao. Becausestudies Show negative effects of too aspartame consumption, Tao says "The food root beer float must be consumed with moderation, and it can just be better to opt for a small portion of the option full of sugar! »

Worst: Grand Chocolate Milkshake (32 oz)

chocolate milkshake
Refuge
1322 calories, 36 g of fat (24 g saturated fatty acids, 0 g of trans fat), 1045 mg of sodium, 225 g of carbohydrates (3 g fiber, 188 g sugar), 34 g of protein

All we have to say here is Hello, the sugar!

"Greatchocolate milkshake is not only the worst option in this category, but it is also one of the worst elements of the whole menu [if the worst] "says Tao. This struck milk contains 1322 calories, 36 grams of fat and a seriously shocking 188 grams of sugar, which translates with 47 teaspoons of sugar. To put it in perspective, 47 teaspoons of sugar is barely under an entire cup of sugar.

"If you are at A & W and I really want a Milk Shake, order a small and divided with someone," she says.

Worst: Large Vanilla Milkshake (32 oz)

vanilla milkshake
Refuge
1,182 calories, 36 g of fat (24 g saturated fatty acids, 0 g of trans fat), 825 mg of sodium, 196 g of carbohydrates (0 g of fibers, 174 g of sugar), 31 g of protein

Go with a milk struck to vanilla on chocolate is not much better, whether.

"While the big vanilla milk is not as packed with calories, fat and sugar like chocolate milk, it's not far behind at all, and it's probably better to avoid a Order unless you will share with a few others people, "says Tao. "The big vanilla-stricken milk contains 174 grams of sugar, which is the equivalent of 43.5 teaspoons of sugar. YIKES!


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