Veggie burgers: A diet disaster?
If you’re like me, all the holiday goodies have left you with a few extra pounds and a desire to eat healthier in the new year. However, if you’re eating at a restaurant, ordering the veggie burger might not be the best option.
The November issue of Cooking Light compared the fat and calorie counts of veggie burgers from three restaurants with meat burgers. You’d be better off with the veggie burger in all cases, but only by comparison: Burger King’s veggie burger (a Morningstar Farms patty) has 420 calories and 16g of fat; Red Robin’s (a Boca burger) has 458 calories and 13g of fat; and Ruby Tuesday’s homemade version has a whopping 952 calories and 53g (!!) of fat. The comparison didn’t specify how much of the calories and fat was from the patty itself and how much was from the toppings (cheese, mayo and the like). But be wary of those seemingly diet-friendly veggie burgers! (Of course, at some of these restaurants, a veggie burger is your only option….)
The magazine also included some recipes for much healthier make-at-home veggie burgers:
Quick Black Bean Burgers
Middle Eastern Chickpea Miniburgers
