McDonalds reveals calorie counts – and a salad tops a Double Cheeseburger

McDonald's has unveiled a new menu in the US that adds a calorie count beside each item.

The new menu also adds total fat, sodium (salt), carbohydrate (carb) and protein numbers.

The chain's newly informative menu comes on the heels of a New York ban on transfats, and giant soft drinks (those above 16 fluid ounces or 1 pint (473ml or just under half a litre).

McDonald's has no immediate plans to make a similar move here, but thanks to the wonders of the internet New Zealanders can take a virtual tour of the US version.

Helpfully, the McDonald's online menu lets you rank items by calorie, or build your own meal.

It offer some surprises.

A regular side salad is just 20 calories.

But a Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken has 450 – making it more calorific than a Double Cheeseburger (440). 

And while there are several zero-calorie drink options (including bottled water, coffee, tea and diet soft drinks), a pineapple and mango smoothie weighs in at 350 calories and a McFlurry with M&Ms is a stonking 650.

Americans looking to cut back on salt will probably want to avoid the Big Breakfast With Hotcakes, which beyond being the most calorific choice (1090) also has 2050mg of sodium – 90% of the recommended daily intake.

So if you stick to water and sunflower seeds for the rest of the day, you'll actually be under the limit.

Recommended consumption
WebMD says:

• A moderately active adult male should consume 2200 to 2400 calories a day.
• A moderately active adult female 1800 to 2000.

NBR's worst McDonald's lunch option (US menu)

• Angus Bacon & Cheese Burger: 790
• Fries: 690*
• Coke: 450*
• McFlurry with Rolo: 700

Total calories: 2620 
*McDonald's only offers calorie counts for the Small option, which NBR tripled for a Large

How the lunch stacks up according to McDonald's online menu builder (click to zoom):

NBR's best McDonald's lunch option (US menu)

• Bottled water: 0
• Black coffee*: 0
• Apple Slices: 15
• Premium Caeser Salad With Grilled Chicken : 190

Total calories: 205
* NBR recommends three to five black coffees

How the lunch stacks up according to McDonald's online menu builder (click to zoom):

Calorie counts for some common menu items:
4-piece Chicken Nuggets: 190
Small Fries: 230
Hamburger: 250
Cheeseburger: 300
Double Cheeseburger: 440
Quarter Pounder With Cheese: 520
Big Mac: 550