Donald Trump isn’t the only president who has had questionable eating habits, but it’s hard to miss his love for fast food — and the many devastating consequences it can have on the human body.
Of his go-to fast food locations, McDonald’s seems to be his favorite. That’s not necessarily a good thing. Here’s what Trump orders in a single meal at McDonald’s — and how dangerous that probably is for his health. We’ll also take a quick look at what the rest of Trump’s diet looks like (page 8).
2 Big Macs
These aren’t your typical cheeseburgers. McDonalds’ Big Mac sauce adds even more fat and salt to an already questionable menu item. There are 540 calories in a single Big Mac. Eating just one also adds 28 total grams of fat, 46 grams of carbohydrates, and 950 milligrams of sodium to your daily total.
This means the first portion of Trump’s McDonald’s order alone adds up to 1,080 calories, 56 grams of fat, 92 grams of carbohydrates, and 1,900 milligrams of sodium. But that’s only the beginning.
2 Filet-O-Fish sandwiches
Ordering one Filet-O-Fish sandwich provides 410 calories, 20 total grams of fat, 39 grams of carbohydrates, and 660 milligrams of sodium.
Trump’s McDonald’s order now adds up to 1,900 calories, 96 grams of fat, 170 grams of carbohydrates, and 3,220 milligrams of sodium. We still have one more item to add — and it doesn’t make up for what’s already on the menu.
A chocolate milkshake
When you order a small McCafe Chocolate Shake, you’re committing to 530 calories, 15 total grams of fat, 68 grams of carbohydrates, and 260 milligrams of sodium. In addition, a chocolate shake contains 74 grams of sugar. A large exceeds 120 grams of sugar in just one cup.
In total, Donald Trump consumes 2,430 calories, 111 grams of fat, 238 grams of carbohydrates, and 3,480 milligrams of sodium.
He also drinks soda
Trump might not drink beer, but he’s not opposed to indulging in soda. His beverage of choice appears to be Diet Coke. In fact, Trump apparently watched TV on election night with a Diet Coke in hand. And, according to Axios, Trump sometimes opts for the full-sugar Coke after a particularly trying day.
He’s particular about his French fries
Here’s an interesting story on the Donald’s food preferences: Writer Jen Deaderick recalled an incident her roommate, a pastry chef at one of Trump’s restaurants, recounted around 2003. Trump sent his fries back three or four times, saying they weren’t good enough. Eventually, the chef sent someone to the grocery store to buy Ore-Ida’s frozen French fries. Trump then deemed the fries perfect, not knowing they were frozen. The story’s not confirmed, but we wouldn’t put it past him.
McDonald’s is the safe option
Michael Wolff’s new book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, claims Trump likes McDonald’s because he’s afraid of being poisoned.
“[Trump] had a longtime fear of being poisoned, one reason why he liked to eat at McDonald’s — nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade,” Wolff wrote.
Furthermore, Trump enjoys the cleanliness and processes of fast food restaurants. “I like cleanliness. I think you’re better off going there than someplace you have no idea where the food is coming from. It’s a certain standard,” Trump explained.
No fruit
When asked whether Trump ever snacks on fruit or nuts, an aide told Axios, “Never seen it.” Instead, Trump reaches for original-flavored Lay’s potato chips and vanilla-flavored Keebler Vienna Fingers. He likes Oreos but apparently stopped eating them once the company moved plants to Mexico. The New York Times cited Lay’s chips, specifically, as a snack Trump stocked on his private plane and now keeps in the White House kitchen.
What does the rest of Donald Trump’s diet look like?
Sources say Trump also regularly consumes Kentucky Fried Chicken, pizza, cookies, and other packaged, highly-processed snack foods. It’s highly unlikely the president eats McDonald’s every single day, but it doesn’t seem like he eats much better on days Big Macs aren’t on his personal menu.
Does Trump’s diet reflect the way the average American eats? How does it compare to what health professionals say we should be eating?
How does this compare to the rest of America?
The average American consumes too many calories, and too much fat, salt, and added sugar. If the average American’s McDonald’s order looks anything like Trump’s, the government’s tight dietary recommendations make a lot of sense.
Calorie recommendations vary from person to person, but nutrition calculations usually follow an average 2,000-calorie diet. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults consume less than 10% of their daily calories from saturated fat. The average American should also consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Trump’s McDonald’s order exceeds all these recommendations — and that doesn’t even include what he eats the rest of those days.
What would happen if you ate like this every day?
Even if he doesn’t always consume over 2,000 calories in a single meal, Trump’s food choices can serve as a reminder of what could happen if you held on to bad dietary habits for even a day too long.
Eating large amounts of calories, fat, and sodium increases your risk for more than one life-altering chronic health condition. These eating habits raise your blood cholesterol and put you at risk for heart disease, stroke, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and more.
Love McDonald’s? Here’s a healthier meal you can order
If you like treating yourself to a lunch or dinner out at McDonald’s every now and then — or you don’t have another option — you can enjoy a decent meal without taking things too far.
Try an Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich — still high in sodium, but also high in protein and low in calories and fat. If you don’t want a side salad, add an order of apple slices and an iced tea or iced coffee to your order. Sometimes, on the go, you have to make the most of what’s there.
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