It Turns Out McDonald's Nuggets Aren't As Unhealthy As We Thought

McDonald's probably isn't the first food you think of for a healthy, nutritious meal. If anything, it's probably close to last. For decades, the popular fast-food chain has been criticized for its unhealthy reputation — especially when it comes to its chicken products. However, as it turns out, McDonald's chicken nuggets might not be as unhealthy as we all thought.

You may remember the brand's infamous early 2010s scandal involving their use of pink slime, a substance made from finely ground chicken trimmings and treated with ammonium hydroxide to destroy bacteria, in their classic McNuggets. However, shortly after the news made worldwide headlines, McDonalds came out to clear the air and say that they stopped using pink slime in 2011. If you've eaten McNuggets since then, it's safe to say you're eating real chicken with meat from the animal's breast, tenderloin, and ribs — not that scary pink stuff that nightmares are made of.

While McNuggets are a fast-food staple, they actually do carry some nutritional value. McNuggets provide a pretty moderate amount of calories (170) and saturated fat (1.5 grams) in every four-piece serving. Additionally, a four-nugget serving offers 9 grams of protein, which is more than a boiled egg.

Before you replace your protein shakes, eggs, and healthy snacks with McNuggets, there are a few things to note. While the nuggets are moderately low in calories and contain a fair amount of protein, they're also packed with sodium. Four nuggets contain 340 milligrams of sodium, which totals up to 15% of your daily value. Additionally, McNuggets lack nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, and dietary fiber, which are necessary for maintaining a stable diet.

It's also worth mentioning that if you were to get a bigger size — let's say, a 10-count McNugget — the calorie, cholesterol, and sodium counts would almost triple. Most notably, the sodium would rise to about 850 milligrams, which is approximately 37% of your daily value. That's not even counting the fries.

In comparison to the rest of the menu, though (especially the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes, which clocks in at 1340 calories and 175% of your daily value of cholesterol), McNuggets aren't the worst thing you can get. If you don't want to get a salad or a smoothie, a serving of some delicious, crispy chicken nuggets once in a while (and in tandem with a balanced diet) won't negatively impact you much in the long run.