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But don’t take burgers off the table yet. Our three tips for making a healthier burger will help you enjoy this classic favorite without compromising any progress you’ve made toward bathing-suit season.
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Check them out and then fire up your grill to make our healthier but oh-so-delicious recipes for a Classic Hamburger, Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger, Inside-Out Cheeseburger and more burgers. It’s time to put burgers back on the menu.
Tip 1: Mind Your Buns
Buns contribute significant amounts of sodium to a burger. (The
average bun has around 200 mg.) Compare brands and choose one with
the least amount. If you’re worried about sodium, eat your burger
without the bun.
Tip 2: Go Lean
Pay attention to the fat content of ground meat to keep saturated
fat and calories in check. Some ground meats are clearly labeled
with the percentage of fat. For example, 90%-lean (or 90/10) means
that 90 percent of the weight is lean meat and only 10 percent is
fat. Not all ground meat is labeled with the percent lean. Pork may
be just listed as “lean” (which means it has no more than 10 grams
of fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fat per 3-ounce serving). Ground
bison is not often labeled but typically has 8 to 10 percent fat.
Ground chicken is labeled “breast” (which is the leanest) or simply
“ground chicken” (slightly higher in calories and fat).
Tip 3: Keep It Juicy
Very lean meat can make dry burgers. So it’s a balancing act to
keep burgers healthy and at the same time juicy and delicious. We
opt for meat that’s 90%-lean or leaner, but we don’t always choose
the leanest available grind (e.g., 99%-lean chicken breast).
Incorporating additional ingredients, such as roasted chiles,
caramelized onions or cooked whole grains like bulgur or brown rice
(which will give you a fiber boost too), also helps to keep your
burgers moist.
How do you make your burgers stand out?
EatingWell Associate Food Editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
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