McDonald's New McWrap Sandwiches: A Healthy Option?

On April 1, McDonald's is launching a huge advertising campaign to promote its new line of sandwiches called the Premium McWrap. Rumor has it that they are hoping the McWrap will attract the millennial customers who are presently going to Subway for a "healthy" sandwich.

The McWrap will come in three varieties: Chicken and Bacon, Chicken and Ranch, and Chicken and Sweet Chili, and each can be ordered grilled or crispy (read: fried). Depending on your selection, you're looking at:

360 to 600 calories

9 to 30g fat (2.5 to 8g saturated fat)

23 to 30g protein

2 to 3g fiber

1,030 to 1,420mg sodium

With these numbers, you may be wondering if Mickey D's should even be promoting this as a healthy choice. I actually think that the McWrap can be a healthier choice for many usual fast-food partakers as well as some who might not typically go that route. It really comes down to which one you choose or how you order it.

The Sweet Chili Grilled Chicken is the best choice with only 360 calories, meaning it could fit into anyone's daily lunch calorie allotment. Yes, the sodium is sky high (1,200 mg), but if you are very careful the rest of the day and limit high-sodium foods, this could be an exception.

Choosing either of the other grilled options would be the next best, keeping calories in the 400s range. Opting for grilled over fried is always the way to go, and in my opinion probably should have been the only option available, especially if they want to portray the wrap as healthy.

However, what you probably didn't realize is that you can special-order anything at McDonald's. So, if you really wanted a crispy chicken wrap, you could order it without the bacon or cheese (all versions contain cheese), and save yourself 100 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 3.5 grams of saturated fat. The Ranch Grilled Chicken ordered sans cheese saves you 60 calories and clocks in at 370 total calories.

Eating healthy at any fast food restaurant all comes down to the choice you make. Sure, you could walk into McDonald's and still order a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese for 750 calories, but why would you with healthier options available?