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McDonald's Big Mac vs. Tamale — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison

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The main differences between mcDonald's Big Mac and tamale

  • McDonald's Big Mac is richer in vitamin B12, vitamin B3, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, iron, calcium, and folate, yet tamale is richer in fiber.
  • Daily need coverage for vitamin B12 for mcDonald's Big Mac is 14% higher.
  • McDonald's Big Mac contains 4 times more calcium than tamale. McDonald's Big Mac contains 116mg of calcium, while tamale contains 29mg.
  • Tamale contains less cholesterol.
  • McDonald's Big Mac has a lower glycemic index than tamale.

Food types used in this article are McDONALD'S, BIG MAC and Tamales (Navajo).

Infographic

McDonald's Big Mac vs Tamale infographic
Infographic link

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 14% 35% 16% 75% 33% 52% 52% 60% 27% 0%
Tamale
1
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 16% 8.7% 12% 46% 21% 40% 42% 56% 23% 33%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +300%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +38.2%
Contains more IronIron +63.9%
Contains more CopperCopper +55.6%
Contains more ZincZinc +29.1%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +23.2%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +18.4%
~equal in Magnesium ~22mg
~equal in Sodium ~427mg

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 1.3% 0% 0% 0% 44% 48% 63% 0% 0% 110% 0% 35% 0%
Tamale
3
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 5.7% 0% 0% 0% 13% 18% 30% 12% 33% 68% 0% 11% 0%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +252%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +161.3%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +112.8%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +63%
Contains more FolateFolate +206.7%
Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +325%
~equal in Vitamin A ~0µg
~equal in Vitamin E ~0mg
~equal in Vitamin D ~µg
~equal in Vitamin K ~µg
~equal in Choline ~mg

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
12% 15% 20% 51% 2%
Protein: 11.82 g
Fats: 14.96 g
Carbs: 20.08 g
Water: 51.3 g
Other: 1.84 g
Tamale
1
6% 6% 18% 68%
Protein: 6.28 g
Fats: 6.12 g
Carbs: 18.12 g
Water: 68.1 g
Other: 1.38 g
Contains more ProteinProtein +88.2%
Contains more FatsFats +144.4%
Contains more OtherOther +33.3%
Contains more WaterWater +32.7%
~equal in Carbs ~18.12g

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
50% 46% 4%
Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 3.803 g
Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 3.474 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.306 g
Tamale
2
41% 47% 12%
Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 2.396 g
Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 2.739 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.688 g
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +26.8%
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -37%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +124.8%

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
12% 26% 42% 8% 12%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 0.46 g
Glucose: 1.04 g
Fructose: 1.69 g
Lactose: 0.32 g
Maltose: 0.49 g
Galactose: 0 g
Tamale
1
92% 3%
Starch: 12.27 g
Sucrose: 0.4 g
Glucose: 0.21 g
Fructose: 0.17 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0.22 g
Galactose: 0 g
Contains more SucroseSucrose +15%
Contains more GlucoseGlucose +395.2%
Contains more FructoseFructose +894.1%
Contains more LactoseLactose +∞%
Contains more MaltoseMaltose +122.7%
Contains more StarchStarch +∞%
~equal in Galactose ~0g

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
McDonald's Big Mac Tamale
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in price Equal
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient McDonald's Big Mac Tamale DV% diff.
Fats 14.96g 6.12g 14%
Vitamin B12 0.88µg 0.54µg 14%
Selenium 6µg 11%
Vitamin B6 0.143mg 11%
Vitamin B3 3.384mg 1.59mg 11%
Protein 11.82g 6.28g 11%
Vitamin B1 0.176mg 0.05mg 11%
Vitamin B2 0.209mg 0.08mg 10%
Iron 2mg 1.22mg 10%
Calcium 116mg 29mg 9%
Folate 46µg 15µg 8%
Saturated fat 3.803g 2.396g 6%
Cholesterol 36mg 17mg 6%
Fiber 1.6g 3.1g 6%
Calories 257kcal 153kcal 5%
Starch 12.27g 5%
Zinc 1.91mg 1.48mg 4%
Copper 0.098mg 0.063mg 4%
Vitamin B5 0.205mg 4%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.306g 0.688g 3%
Phosphorus 122mg 99mg 3%
Fructose 1.69g 0.17g 2%
Monounsaturated fat 3.474g 2.739g 2%
Carbs 20.08g 18.12g 1%
Vitamin C 0.4mg 1.7mg 1%
Sodium 460mg 427mg 1%
Potassium 181mg 131mg 1%
Manganese 0.206mg 0.174mg 1%
Net carbs 18.48g 15.02g N/A
Magnesium 20mg 22mg 0%
Sugar 3.97g 0.99g N/A
Trans fat 0.588g N/A
Tryptophan 0.052mg 0%
Threonine 0.239mg 0%
Isoleucine 0.271mg 0%
Leucine 0.568mg 0%
Lysine 0.427mg 0%
Methionine 0.15mg 0%
Phenylalanine 0.275mg 0%
Valine 0.318mg 0%
Histidine 0.196mg 0%
Omega-3 - ALA 0.029g N/A

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
McDonald's Big Mac Tamale
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
23%
McDonald's Big Mac
15%
Tamale
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
36%
McDonald's Big Mac
30%
Tamale

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Tamale
Tamale is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 19mg)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Tamale
Tamale is lower in Sugar (difference - 2.98g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Tamale
Tamale contains less Sodium (difference - 33mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated fat?
Tamale
Tamale is lower in Saturated fat (difference - 1.407g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
McDonald's Big Mac
McDonald's Big Mac is lower in glycemic index (difference - 16)
Which food is richer in minerals?
McDonald's Big Mac
McDonald's Big Mac is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. McDonald's Big Mac - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170720/nutrients
  2. Tamale - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167636/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.