The Healthiest Burger King Items You Can Eat

Burger King is famous for its mouthwatering Whoppers but rarely associated with healthy eating. If you're trying to eat well but craving fast food, is Burger King even an option?

This depends on your definition of "healthy." Everyone's idea of what's healthy is changing (and very individual). Restaurants are noticing, and fast food chains are adapting. Vegan, low-fat, and more diet choices are popping up on menus across the country. In a company press release (via BusinessWire), Ellie Doty, chief marketing officer for Burger King North America, explained, "We know our guests' expectations are changing, and they want to make choices they can feel good about...By banning these 120 ingredients from our food, we're offering guests an easy choice – delicious food made with quality ingredients."

While Burger King has made positive changes, some of the chain's healthy options, including salads, are nowhere to be found. The company didn't issue a formal statement, but customers complained on social media. In February 2022, Arrogant A tweeted, "I can't believe...Burger King took side salads off their menu." Another user, Camille Case, posted in March 2022, that Burger King "removed all salads" and is "really tired of cheap and fast healthy options being removed from fast food menus."

Although you might not find salads, other options are considered both fast and nourishing. So if you're busy but don't want to sacrifice your well-being, enjoy some of these healthier Burger King items.

It's hard to imagine the word "fries" and "healthy" in one sentence, but Burger King's Chicken Fries aren't made of potatoes at all. Chicken Fries are long and skinny like fries but made of breaded white-meat chicken. The shape is perfect for dipping into barbecue sauce or honey mustard. One serving of these crispy chicken sticks has 260 calories and 15 grams of protein which is a high percentage of protein for such a low-calorie item.

Most people know protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass. Your muscles and bones require protein amino acids to strengthen and repair themselves from normal wear and tear. According to the Better Health Channel, not eating enough protein can lead to muscle loss, swelling due to fluid retention, and iron deficiency. Many amino acids are essential, meaning we can't make them ourselves and need to get them from our diet. By eating Chicken Fries, you get some of the essential amino acids in chicken, like arginine, leucine, and lysine.

As a bonus, Chicken Fries aren't packed with calories compared to most fast food items, meaning you get all the benefits of protein without the extra calories. So next time you're craving fries, try chicken ones instead. You'll get a healthy dose of protein, which is usually more filling anyways.

There's nothing quite as mouthwatering as a warm croissant first thing in the morning. You can just feel that Pavlovian response when you think about Burger King's Ham, Egg, and Cheese Croissan'wich. It's oddly satisfying — and it turns out there's science that can explain why.

A 2014 review in Trends in Food Science & Technology describes how our digestion of food is more than just ingredients on a plate. When we see, smell, or even think about food, our digestive system prepares for what's to come. This anticipation affects how satisfied we are with the food and how much we end up eating. It's not just about the ingredients, but all the aspects of the food — the taste, texture, and smell are all important. Most people would agree that the Burger King Croissan'wich excels in all three categories.

With all its goodies, this sandwich also has a healthy balance of fats, carbs, and protein to start your day. Eating a solid breakfast can jump-start your metabolism and stave off hunger later in the day, which can ultimately help with weight control. Plus, with 19 grams of protein per 370-calorie sandwich, your muscles are sure to thank you.

When you think of Burger King, applesauce is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. But surprisingly, you can find this refreshingly natural food at almost all locations nationwide. While it's not a full meal, it makes a tasty side or nutritious dessert. It can be consumed any time of day and accompany your favorite Burger King staples like hamburgers, cheeseburgers, or chicken nuggets.

Burger King uses  Mott's Applesauce cups with no added sugar. This applesauce is made entirely of natural ingredients and has only 50 calories. It's an excellent choice for many diets because it's low-calorie, low-fat, vegan, and gluten-free. Each cup has one whole serving of fruit and a healthy dose of vitamin C, which has many health benefits. Vitamin C supports your immune system in fighting off nasty infections and diseases. Plus, it helps your body produce collagen to keep your joints strong and give your skin that plump, youthful look we all love.

French toast is a nostalgic food worth waking up for — and with Burger King's breakfast menu, you won't even have to cook them yourself. These sticks are easy to eat on the go if you're having a busy morning or want a treat before work. Burger King doesn't offer breakfast all day, so order them before 10:30 a.m. You can even add some honey or maple syrup or just eat them plain.

While French toast by itself isn't a well-balanced meal, it makes a decent side or snack. Burger King's French Toast Sticks have 350 calories and are one of the few items on the menu with very low sodium levels. Like many bread-based products, they're also low in saturated fat and have almost zero cholesterol.

They are heavy on sugar, but morning may be the best time to eat higher-carb items. The New York Times discussed a study of two groups of obese participants on low-calorie diets, the main difference being that one group ate dessert with breakfast. Surprisingly, the group that ate dessert lost more weight. Giving in to cravings may help people eat less, or they may have more time to burn it off throughout the day. Either way, starting with the sweet stuff might not be so bad after all.

If one thing is certain, Americans are crazy for chicken nuggets. And what's not to like? These bite-sized treats are crispy on the outside and meaty in the middle. It's the perfect vessel to dip into tasty sauces like ketchup, barbecue sauce, or for the extra adventurous — honey.

Chicken nuggets have been around for decades, and it's no surprise seeing how delicious and convenient they are. More and more fast-food chains are putting nuggets on their menus and competing to create the best ones. What helps Burger King's chicken nuggets stand out is their crispy seasoned coating.

Burger King sells its nuggets in packs of 4, 8, or 10. The 4-piece chicken nuggets have 192 calories, which falls between the suggested 150 to 250 calorie amount for snacks, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Properly-sized snacks are a smart way to stave off hunger without ruining your appetite. So if you want a quick bite or need a side for those fries, chicken nuggets are a decent option.

We've come full circle with another Impossible Foods addition. The Impossible Croissan'wich includes eggs, cheese, and an Impossible sausage patty inside Burger King's Signature Croissant. Fake meat has come a long way, and this Impossible sausage does a shockingly good job of imitating the real thing. That's good if you want that salty meat flavor or hope to get an extra protein boost. Vegetarians have limited choices at fast food joints and often order potatoes or meatless burgers. However, with this sandwich, vegetarians can have all the flavor without the carbo-loading.

On The Impulsive Buy, the blogger described her experience with the Impossible Croissan'wich. "I've had a couple plant-based breakfast sausages, and this was easily the best texturally. It wasn't chewy or gritty at all. Coupled with BK's classic fluffy egg and croissant, it actually had the exact same bite as a regular Croissan'wich." Although the blogger felt the sausage overcompensated with its smoky flavor, they still said, "This is my favorite plant-based fast food item to date," — a solid claim in an increasingly competitive market.

If you're looking to eat healthier fast food, it requires a little creativity and critical thinking. Burger King isn't known for being healthy, but it has menu items to fit your dietary needs. Plus, the chain has eliminated additives and added plant-based items, which is a promising sign for things to come.