The Best And Worst Burgers

By Amanda MacMillan

Who doesn't love a good burger? Unfortunately, not all hamburgers, or even turkey or veggie burgers, are created equal. Cooking method, portion size and choice of bread and toppings can mean the difference between a relatively harmless lunch and a day's worth of calories, fat and sodium.

We rounded up some of the healthiest and unhealthiest examples of what American restaurants are serving between two buns, and got an expert's feedback on the nutritional pitfalls. Here's what to look for -- and what to stay far away from -- the next time a burger craving hits.

Comments

[emperance]

06:53 PM on 02/11/2012

RED meat is horrible for you --- period --- even organic, if you can find it or afford it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It will age you quicker than the sun.

[JSDKoeln]

09:11 AM on 02/13/2012

Bull. constantly eating it, isn't good. However, once a month, it is actually beneficial.

[emperance]

02:55 PM on 02/13/2012

TIME SEARCH TIME.COM

Red Alert on Red Meat
By Anastasia Toufexis Sunday, June 24, 2001

With each new dietary study, eating seems to become less of a joyful experience and more of a risky business. The latest word follows that depressing pattern: researchers announced that the chances of developing colon cancer appear to rise almost in direct proportion to the amount of red meat and animal fat that people consume. That left fearful Americans grappling with the question: Is it wise to eat any red meat at all?

[emperance]

02:56 PM on 02/13/2012

Reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine, Harvard scientists found that women who had beef, lamb or pork as a daily main dish ran 2 1/2 times the risk of developing colon cancer as did those who ate the meats less than once a month. One surprise: eating dairy products, which also tend to be high in animal fats, did not appear to increase the disease risk. The conclusions are drawn from a study of 88,751 nurses that was begun in 1980. The women filled out diet and medical questionnaires and were resurveyed at intervals over the next six years; 150 of the nurses developed colon cancer. The researchers believe their findings apply to men as well, though confirmation awaits the results of a parallel study.

[HallowellCenter]

02:46 PM on 02/11/2012

..when is a burger REALLY a bad burger anyway? :)

[Emily Yue]

10:12 PM on 02/10/2012

They put the ham in hamburger. http://www.inchbearing.com

[wdwflash]

09:34 PM on 02/10/2012

Crazy Eric's Bergers in Bremerton, Washington. Best Burger, onions rings
on earth. Just a hole in the wall place, but always a lineup of people and for good
reason.

[joshkaydee]

01:58 AM on 02/11/2012

Yep, Crazy Eric's is crazy good. Seattle's Red Mill Burgers also rule. Towers of bacon, amazing fries and shakes, and for vegetarians their Verde Veggie Burger is amazing.

Cheers!

[bellaluna30]

06:36 PM on 02/10/2012

I wish Chili's still offered their turkey burger. You could substitute it for any burger (patty) on the menu. When they discontinued it, I switched to the chicken breast sandwiches.

(It's not always about the "health conscious" choice - I just don't like beef.)

[gevan]

05:17 PM on 02/10/2012

Gone but not forgotten...the Roy Roger's double-R-bar burger. They put the ham in hamburger.

[rewith85man]

03:48 PM on 02/10/2012

Just looking at those pictures make me hungry for a good juicy, healthy, and attractive cheeseburger.

[rewith85man]

03:47 PM on 02/10/2012

Honestly, the worst burgers look better than the best ones.

In my opinion, McDonald's has the worst burgers because of not only of a health issue but also the tastes too.

[Tiffy919]

12:23 PM on 02/10/2012

I love that most of the pictures in this slide show are of how the burgers actually look when you get them at the restaurant...not all doctored and photoshoped, just raw and uncut. Yum! I'm getting hungry!

[Bugsy Weiss]

09:07 AM on 02/10/2012

Wendy's is the best. At least they use beef not cardboard mixed with horsemeat like McD's.

[6531WilliamsG]

07:49 PM on 02/09/2012

I always wondered why after eating that burger from Chillis my stomach would be wanting to murder me for the rest of the day.

[BeerLover]

07:42 PM on 02/09/2012

How can you POSSIBLY categorize real burgers.... with fast food burgers?!?! Sweet Jeebus!!! BURGER KING? Really?

If you enjoy meat that is treated with amonia and the has a plethora of chemicals ADDED for flavor after the amonia has destroyed the taste....by all means eat a fast food burger... that includes, McD's, BK, Wendy's and Hardys and any other fast food garbage there is out there.

Shame on you article writer! Get a life that involves OTHER than writing about food...cause you don't have a clue what good burgers are.

Best REAL meat burger...... Bone Fish Grill! Yes, it does cost $12....but if you want a real burger... and REAL MEAT.... get one! It's an excellent fix!

The rest is ALL garbage.... as is this article.

[Ryan Bourgo]

02:24 PM on 02/10/2012

100% correct. Uninformed public: please watch the documentary Food, Inc. for a brief introduction to the rest of your life.

[JSDKoeln]

09:13 AM on 02/13/2012

Best REAL meat burger??? my kitchen!

[RickyM]

02:24 PM on 02/09/2012

the in-n-out protein buger is good and they use fresh meat

[bellaluna30]

06:38 PM on 02/10/2012

Yes, it's awesome (every once in awhile, minus that awful sauce). But the one in the picture is a "Double-Double," not the naked burger discussed in the article.

[bev morse]

12:46 PM on 02/09/2012

isn't carl jr's one of the biggest perpetuators of sexism AND supporters of anti choice programs in america? why would any woman want to eat its burgers? or anything else it slaps women in the face with? (seen their ads lately?)

[VelenoSangue]

12:30 PM on 02/09/2012

Who took these pictures? These are the most disgusting looking burgers I've ever seen.

[Kortney]

10:30 PM on 02/09/2012

That's probably what they look like in real life. lol