Burger King opens in Mumbai -- tips for weight watchers to choose healthy options

After attracting a lot of crowd in Delhi, Burger King, a well-known American food chain, is opening its first outlet in Mumbai tomorrow. Although it is is well known for its delicious and sumptuous non-veg burgers, the food chain has a lot of options for vegetarians as well. The prices of the meals are on the same range as McDonald s. Crispy veg, crispy chicken, fiery rings, veggie strips, veg chilli cheezos, chicken nuggets, chicken strips, and chicken chilli cheezos are some of the meals that Burger King has to offer.

The burgers in the new outlet might be very appealing but they can bring along with them a host of calories. Here's a list of approximate calorie counts for some food items served at the food chain. Note that the list does not display exact calorie count for Burger King meals but they'll give you an estimate of how many calories you would consume. You may also want to know the calorie count of common junk food items.

• Vegetable burger: 1 piece = 299.4 cal
• Lamb burger: 1 piece = 456.9 cal
• Mutton burger: 1 piece=459.2 cal
• Chicken nuggets: 1 serving = 194 cal
• Chicken burger: 1 piece = 237.6 cal
• Onion rings: 8-9 = 275.6 cal
• Fried chicken strips: 1 piece = 114.5 cal

If you are on a weight loss diet, you might want to keep a track of the calories you are consuming. Here are some tips offered by dietician Neha Chandna to eat healthy at Burger King.

• Keep the fries and pepsi absolutely away. Avoiding these items minimises the fat and sugar intake automatically. Instead, order coffee or water to quench your thirst. Another nutritionist Akansha Jhalani suggests, 'Add a packaged fruit juice instead. Also swap your fries for a salad.'
• Opt for non-fried burgers patties like tandoori grill or grilled chicken burgers. Grilled burgers are healthier options than fried burgers.
• Ask for 'no cheese' and 'no mayo' burgers. A burger without cheese and mayo will contain lesser calories and saturated fats. Akansha says, 'Go for the barbecue sauce and fresh vegetables like jalepenos, lettuce, tomatoes and onions.'
• The bun in the burger contains empty calories and is processed with white flour. Request for an extra topping of veggies or salad in your burger in order to maximise its nutrient content.
• Take care of the portion sizes. Akansha suggests you to have the regular sized burgers and avoid the the large ones. 'Having the children's meal is even better,' she says.

Image source: Getty Images

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