These Fries Are The Unhealthiest Side At Wendy's

Which of the sides at Wendy's is the least healthy? The answer is the Chili Cheese Fries made with beef chili, a cheese sauce, and a heaping of extra shredded cheese. The fries come to a total of 520 calories, which isn't too bad considering that we know fries are not a low-calorie snack — and relative to how many calories we should eat in a day. However, it's the other nutritional facts that may give you pause.

For example, the dish has 1,270 milligrams of sodium, which almost makes up the entirety of what's recommended an individual consumes in a day. More specifically, the ideal maximum of sodium for an adult per day is just 1,500 milligrams. However, if you do go over that, the FDA recommends not exceeding 2,300 milligrams per day. So even looking at the higher number, the fries still contain about half of what's recommended — and remember, this is just in one small side dish. This is important to understand fully because eating too much sodium can increase your blood pressure, as well as increase the chance of heart disease and stroke.

Additionally, the Chili Cheese Fries contain 27 grams of total fat, which is the entirety of what's recommended for a 2,400-calorie daily intake. Too much saturated fat in your diet has the same risks as too much sodium.

We've established that the Chili Cheese Fries are the unhealthiest side, but how much healthier are they compared to the other sides? Well, both the Baconator Fries and the Cheese Fries are not far behind the Chili Cheese Fries in the unhealthy department. When it comes to sodium, the Baconator Fries have 1,030 milligrams, while the Cheese Fries have 1,120 milligrams. Meanwhile, the saturated fat in the Baconator Fries is just one gram lower, while the Cheese Fries have the same saturated fat (which differs from unsaturated fat).

If you're looking for a filling side dish that isn't as bad nutritionally, you may want to try the Chili Cheese Baked Potato. This baked potato will also satisfy your craving for a potato-chili-cheese combination. It is lower in sodium, at just 830 milligrams, and lower in total fat, at just 14 grams. However, it has 500 calories, so it's not much different from the Chili Cheese Fries there.

Of course, there's one Wendy's side that you can't beat when it comes to health: the apple bites. It goes without saying that apples are healthy, so these are obviously your best option if you're trying to be health conscious. Of course, eating the unhealthy sides occasionally is okay, so just keep in mind the nutritional facts and enjoy your favorite unhealthy sides in moderation. For a healthier alternative to Wendy's Chili Cheese Fries, you could make your own all-American chili and place it on top of baked fries.