How to Make Your Hamburger Healthier

While a hamburger probably isn't the most nutritious choice, it's also not the worst. There are a few things you can do to make your burger more healthy.

Cook Your Hamburger at Home – When you cook at home, you can control the portion size. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended serving size for beef is just three cooked ounces.

Load Up the Veggies – Add vegetables to your hamburger patty. Spinach, onions, chopped peppers, and other veggies add flavor, crunch, and boost the nutritional value. It may also help to reduce the amount of meat you use and increase your fiber intake.

Go Grilled – Whether you eat out or cook at home, a grilled burger is better than a burger that is fried. When you grill meat, the fat drains away. When you cook your patty in a frying pan, the meat sits in fat and absorbs much of it.

Shop for Leaner Meat – When you select ground beef for your burger at the grocery store or butcher, look for 95% lean ground beef to save on calories and saturated fat. You can also combine lean ground beef with lean ground turkey to keep the beef flavor, but minimize the saturated fat and calories.

Try It Topless – Most hamburger buns add calories, fat and refined carbohydrates to your meal. So cut your count in half by going without the top of your bun. Your hamburger will be messier to eat, but a little bit healthier.

Be Cautious With Condiments – The burger patty is high in calories on its own. Toppings and condiments can send your fat and calorie count over the edge. Skip bacon, mayo, barbecue sauce, and even ketchup if you want a burger with fewer calories and fat and less sugar.

Try burger alternatives – You can try a burger alternative to make your meal more healthy. A white turkey burger, a chicken burger or a meat alternative (like a soy burger) is sometimes lower in calories.

Try a veggie burger – A good health move is to make some of your burgers meatless. It can be as simple as grilling a large portobello mushroom cap, which has a meaty taste.

Sources: Very Well Fit