McDonald’s Big Mac
McDonald’s Big Mac is a highly popular double patty cheeseburger made with 100% beef and a slice of American cheese. The burger is topped with lettuce, onions, pickles, and a special sauce, and served on a sesame seed bun.
One Big Mac has 580 calories, 34 grams of fat, 45 grams of carbohydrates, and 25 grams of protein.
Read this guide for a detailed overview of the nutritional information, calories, ingredients, and allergens in McDonald’s famous cheeseburger.
Big Mac Nutritional Information
Nutritional information is presented in this guide based on a single serving measured as one cheeseburger.
Daily Value
Daily value indicates how much of a specific nutrient is in a Big Mac, relative to the recommended daily limit. Use the %DV to compare foods and check if a menu item is a good option for your diet.
As shown in the chart below, McDonald’s Big Mac is high in saturated fat and sodium.
Serving size: 1 Cheeseburger
% DAILY VALUE
Use %DV to determine if the level of nutrients in a food is low (5% or less) or high (20% or more).
|
%DV |
Level | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saturated Fat |
56% |
HIGH |
|
Sodium |
46% |
HIGH |
|
Added Sugars |
10% |
MED |
%DV based on 2,000 calories
Calories
There are 580 calories in a single Big Mac.
Here is a summary of the calories by macronutrient in one cheeseburger.
Dietary fats contribute over half of the total calories. Carbohydrates make up another 31% of the total calories and the remaining 17% is from protein.
McDonald’s Big Mac
% calories from fat, carbs and proteinThe summary of calories by macronutrient above is a rounded estimate based on the nutrition facts provided by McDonald’s. Calories may vary as a result of how the sandwich is prepared or due to topping choices.
ESTIMATED FITNESS TIME TO BURN 580 CALORIES
Remove the bun for a lower calorie option. A Big Mac without the bun has 390 calories (190 fewer than the standard cheeseburger).
Total Fat
Each serving of the Big Mac has 34 grams of total fat, including 11 grams of saturated fat. That is high.
There are approximately 100 calories from saturated fat, 17% of the total 580 calories per serving.
SUMMARY OF FAT PER SERVING
Compare the nutritional value of a Burger King Whopper and the Five Guys Cheeseburger. Check the amount of sodium and saturated fat to determine if one of the fast food burgers is a good fit for your diet plan.
Sodium
McDonald’s Big Mac contains 1,060 milligrams of sodium, which is nearly half the recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams for an entire day (based on 2,000 calories).
Dietary Cholesterol
Dietary cholesterol is also high. There are 85 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. That equates to 28% of the daily limit.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Big Mac
Amount per serving
|
Calories |
580 |
% Daily Value
Red indicates a high %DV.
|
Total Fat |
34g |
43% |
|
Saturated Fat |
11g |
56% |
|
Trans Fat |
1g | |
|
Cholesterol |
85mg |
28% |
|
Sodium |
1060mg |
46% |
|
Carbohydrates |
45g |
16% |
|
Dietary Fiber |
3g |
10% |
|
Total Sugars |
7g | |
|
Added Sugars |
5g |
14% |
|
Protein |
25g |
%DV based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calorie needs vary and your %DV may be higher or lower. Provided for informational purposes only. Consult with your physician for dietary or healthcare advice.
Big Mac Ingredients and Allergens
What’s on McDonald’s Big Mac?
McDonald’s famous Big Mac is made with two beef patties seasoned with salt and pepper. The sandwich includes melting American cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped onions, pickles, and a special Big Mac sauce.
Big Macs are served on a sesame seed bun.
According to McDonald’s, the cheeseburger is made without artificial flavors or colors. However, the pickle contains an artificial preservative.
Ingredients
The section that follows include the list of ingredients in McDonald’s Big Mac, which (in addition to below) includes lettuce and onions.
Beef Patty
Ingredients:100% Pure USDA inspected Beef prepared with Salt and Black Pepper.
Bun
Ingredients:Enriched Flour, Water, Sugar, Yeast, Soybean Oil, Sesame Seeds, Potato Starch, Salt, Dextrose, Corn Starch, Modified Food Starch, Vinegar, Vegetable Proteins (pea, potato, rice, and/or faba bean), Sunflower and/or Canola Oil, Maltodextrin, Wheat Gluten, Natural Flavors, and Dough Conditioners.
Big Mac Sauce
Ingredients:Soybean Oil, Sweet Relish, Water, Egg Yolks, Distilled Vinegar, Spices, Onion Powder, Salt, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Garlic Powder, Vegetable Protein, Sugar, Caramel Color, Turmeric, Extractives of Paprika, and Soy Lecithin.
Pasteurized Process American Cheese
Ingredients:Milk, Cream, Water, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Citric Acid, Enzymes, Soy Lecithin, and Color Added.
Pickles
McDonald’s pickles contain an artificial preservative (potassium sorbate). Here is the full list of ingredients in the pickles.
Ingredients:Cucumbers, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Alum, Potassium Sorbate, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80, and Extractives of Turmeric (color).
What is DATEM?
DATEM is an acronym short for Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Ester of Mono- and Diglycerides. It’s a synthetic food additive derived from plants and vegetable oils.
This ingredient – used as a dough conditioner in McDonald’s bun – is often used as an emulsifier in the production of baked goods to strengthen gluten in dough and create a chewier texture in breads.
DATEM is also used as an emulsifier in the production of other foods such as salsa, ice cream, and salad dressing to help ingredients remain mixed.
Allergens
The hamburger is made with ingredients that contain egg, sesame, soy, and wheat.
Nutrition facts, prices, and ingredients are based on available information as of the date of publication. Restaurants and food manufacturers may change their recipes without notice. Check directly with the food provider for the most up-to-date information. NutritionandIngredients.com does not provide health or wellness advice or dietary recommendations. All reports and reviews published on this site are for informational purposes only. Unless otherwise stated, %DV is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Always consult your physician for any healthcare or dietary advice.
Nutrition facts and ingredients source: McDonald’s