McDonald's hamburger vs McDonald's Cheeseburger - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison
Summary
McDonald’s cheeseburger is higher in vitamin B12, proteins, and iron, while McDonald’s hamburger is higher in phosphorus. Cheeseburger contains 4 times less polyunsaturated fats than a hamburger. Hamburger is lower in sodium content, so it is a better choice for people with hypertension.
Introduction
This article compares the two most favorite fast foods in America on McDonald’s menu - McDonald’s Hamburger(1) and McDonald’s Cheeseburger (2). Check the sections of the article to find information about the differences in their nutritional composition and health impact.
Actual differences
The main difference between McDonald’s classical hamburger and cheeseburger is the slice of American pasteurized cheese, which tops the meat in the cheeseburger. Other ingredients are the same: it is a burger patty prepared from ground beef using various condiments. It is topped with slices of a pickle, chopped onions, mustard, and ketchup.
Additionally, hamburger comes from Hamburg, Germany, while cheeseburger has an American origin.
Nutrition
This section will compare the nutritional profiles of a 100g serving of McDonald’s hamburger and cheeseburger. Consider that the serving size for a hamburger equals 95g, while a cheeseburger’s serving size is 119g.
Macronutrient Comparison
Calories
Hamburgers and cheeseburgers are classified as medium-calorie foods. Their calorie content is nearly similar.
Carbs
Hamburger contains 30.3g of carbs. In contrast, a cheeseburger contains 27.8g of carbs. They are both high in carbs. However, cheeseburger contains fewer carbs. Hamburgers are richer in fructose.
Carbohydrate type comparison
Protein
Cheeseburger is slightly richer in proteins than the hamburger. The difference is not significant.
Fats
Cheeseburger is higher in fats than the hamburger. It provides 11.8g of fats per 100g compared to 10.1g in hamburger. Cheeseburgers are significantly higher in trans fats. They provide 8mg more cholesterol than hamburgers.
Surprisingly, a hamburger contains more mono- and polyunsaturated fats than a cheeseburger.
Fat Type Comparison
Minerals
Cheeseburger is richer in calcium and phosphorus. Hamburger contains more iron and less sodium: it covers 108% of the DV of iron.
Mineral Comparison
Vitamins
Hamburger is higher in B vitamins: it contains more vitamins B1, B2, and B3 than a cheeseburger. Cheeseburger provides more vitamins A and B12, covering 15% of the DV of vitamin A.
Vitamin Comparison
Health impact
Cardiovascular health
One of the main problems is the sodium concentration of both of these foods. Due to the high sodium level of these foods, nearly one serving of cheeseburger and hamburger combined can exceed the DV for sodium.
Consuming too much sodium raises the risk of hypertension and the development of cardiovascular disease (3) (4).
Cheeseburger contains 132mg more sodium per 100g, so it is not a better choice for people with hypertension. Try eating lower-sodium foods if you have problems with your blood pressure.
The cholesterol and trans fat content in a cheeseburger are higher. However, as shown by recent meta-analytic studies, dietary cholesterol is not the only factor associated with a higher risk of hyperlipidemia and overall mortality rates. High-calorie intake, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol are all associated with hyperlipidemia. Remember that only a small portion of the eaten 100 mg of dietary cholesterol is absorbed (5)(6).
References
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170717/nutrients
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170320/nutrients
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34579105/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29565029/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26109578/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27739004/
Infographic
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Cholesterol |
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| Lower in Saturated Fat |
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| Lower in glycemic index | Equal | ||
| Lower in price | Equal | ||
| Rich in minerals | Equal | ||
| Rich in vitamins | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Net carbs | 28.98g | 26.71g |
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| Protein | 12.92g | 12.97g |
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| Fats | 10.09g | 11.79g |
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| Carbs | 30.28g | 27.81g |
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| Calories | 264kcal | 263kcal |
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| Fructose | 3.3g | 2.59g |
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| Sugar | 6.03g | 6.22g |
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| Fiber | 1.3g | 1.1g |
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| Calcium | 127mg | 167mg |
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| Iron | 2.87mg | 2.35mg |
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| Magnesium | 21mg | 20mg |
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| Phosphorus | 107mg | 140mg |
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| Potassium | 192mg | 200mg |
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| Sodium | 494mg | 626mg |
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| Zinc | 1.95mg | 1.91mg |
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| Copper | 0.096mg | 0.097mg |
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| Vitamin A | 55IU | 243IU |
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| Vitamin C | 0.6mg | 0.6mg | |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.247mg | 0.223mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 0.239mg | 0.26mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 4.544mg | 4.026mg |
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| Folate | 64µg | 59µg |
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| Vitamin B12 | 0.83µg | 0.86µg |
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| Cholesterol | 27mg | 35mg |
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| Trans Fat | 0.428g | 0.647g |
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| Saturated Fat | 3.504g | 4.435g |
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| Omega-3 - EPA | 0.002g |
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| Omega-3 - DPA | 0.006g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 3.768g | 3.631g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.42g | 0.355g |
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| Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid | 0.004g |
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| Omega-6 - Linoleic acid | 1.135g |
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| Omega-6 - Gamma-linoleic acid | 0.004g |
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| Omega-3 - ALA | 0.134g |
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| Omega-3 - Eicosatrienoic acid | 0.001g |
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| Omega-6 - Dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid | 0.011g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low glycemic index diet | Equal | |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary