Eating fast food is convenient but can also pack a lot of calories. When trying to watch your calorie intake or make healthier choices, it helps to know how many calories are in popular fast food meals. One such meal is the Burger King junior Whopper with fries. Let’s take a detailed look at the nutrition information and calories for this combo meal.
Calories in a Junior Whopper
The Burger King junior Whopper is a smaller version of their signature Whopper burger. It features a flame-grilled beef patty topped with tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun.
Here are the nutrition facts for a Burger King junior Whopper:
| Nutrition Facts | Junior Whopper |
|---|---|
| Calories | 390 |
| Total Fat | 18g |
| Saturated Fat | 7g |
| Trans Fat | 1.5g |
| Cholesterol | 60mg |
| Sodium | 720mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 34g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g |
| Sugar | 9g |
| Protein | 20g |
As you can see, a single Burger King Junior Whopper contains 390 calories. This comes from 18g of total fat, 34g of carbs, and 20g of protein.
The junior Whopper packs a decent protein punch at 20g. However, it’s also high in saturated fat and sodium. It has lower calories compared to a regular Whopper, which contains 670 calories.
Major Nutrients in a Junior Whopper
Let’s look at the most abundant nutrients in a junior Whopper:
- Total Fat: 18g total fat, including 7g saturated fat and 1.5g trans fat. Dietary guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories.
- Carbohydrates: 34g carbs. Most of this comes from the bun rather than sugar or fiber.
- Protein: 20g protein. This provides a good amount of satisfying protein for a single burger.
While the junior Whopper provides protein, the saturated and trans fat could be concerning if this is a regular part of your diet. Eating this burger alone would give you about 65% of the recommended daily value for saturated fat.
Calories in Burger King French Fries
French fries are the classic fast food side. Here are the nutrition facts for a medium order of Burger King french fries (approximately 115g):
| Nutrition Facts | Medium French Fries |
|---|---|
| Calories | 320 |
| Total Fat | 15g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 290mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 44g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g |
| Sugar | 1g |
| Protein | 3g |
A medium order of fries contains 320 calories. This comes mostly from 44g of carbohydrates, including 3g of fiber.
Burger King fries are high in carbs while providing very little protein or fiber. They also contain 15g of fat, although not much is from unhealthy saturated or trans fats.
Major Nutrients in Medium Fries
Here are the main nutrients in a medium order of Burger King fries:
- Total Carbohydrates: 44g carbs, making up nearly 50% of calories
- Total Fat: 15g fat. However, only 2.5g is saturated fat.
- Fiber: 3g fiber. More than many other fast food fries.
- Protein: Only 3g protein.
The high amount of carbs and fat make the fries very energy dense at over 3 calories per gram. The fiber content helps slightly to slow digestion.
Total Calories in a Junior Whopper Meal with Fries
When ordered as a meal, the Burger King junior Whopper is served along with medium french fries and a drink.
Here are the total calories when the meal is ordered with:
- Junior Whopper: 390 calories
- Medium French Fries: 320 calories
- Medium Coke: 150 calories
This brings the total calories in a junior Whopper meal with medium fries and Coke to 860 calories.
Of course, you can customize your order to cut down on calories. Here are some options:
- Get a small fry instead of medium – saves 70 calories
- Choose diet soda – saves 150 calories
- Skip fries for a side salad – saves 320 calories
- Share your fries and drink – saves half the calories
Daily Calorie Needs
To put this meal into the context of your total daily needs:
- The average moderately active woman needs 2,000 calories per day.
- The average moderately active man needs 2,500 calories per day.
An 860 calorie junior Whopper meal would provide 43% of daily calories for women and 34% for men.
For less active individuals who require fewer calories, this one fast food meal could provide over half of your calorie needs for the day.
Comparing Burger King and McDonald’s Junior Burgers
How does Burger King’s junior Whopper compare to other popular junior burgers? Let’s see how it stacks up against the McDonald’s Cheeseburger:
| Junior Whopper | McDonald’s Cheeseburger | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 390 | 290 |
| Total Fat | 18g | 12g |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 6g |
| Carbs | 34g | 30g |
| Protein | 20g | 13g |
Compared to the McDonald’s Cheeseburger:
- The junior Whopper has 100 more calories
- It has more total fat and saturated fat
- It also edges out the McDonald’s burger in protein
Overall the McDonald’s Cheeseburger is the lighter option. But the junior Whopper offers more protein.
Healthier Options at Burger King
If you visit Burger King but want a lighter meal, here are some healthier menu options to consider:
Salads
Burger King offers several garden salads including chef, apple pecan, and Caesar. Without creamy dressings or toppings, their salads range from 40-60 calories.
Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
A grilled chicken sandwich averages around 320 calories. Lower calorie than most burgers without the red meat.
Satisfries
Satisfries are crinkle-cut fries with less fat and calories than regular fries. A medium order is 230 calories compared to 320 calories in regular fries.
Smoothies
Their orange, strawberry banana, and tropical mango smoothies have 200-260 calories. Much lower calorie than a shake!
Veggie Burger
The BK Veggie burger has 270 calories, less fat, and more fiber than regular beef burgers.
Nutrition Tips for Fast Food Meals
Here are some tips to eat a bit healthier when you do indulge in fast food:
- Compare nutrition info and calories before ordering
- Opt for grilled chicken, salads, and veggie burgers
- Choose smaller regular or medium fries instead of large
- Skip the creamy dressings and sauces
- Order diet soda or water instead of milkshakes and sugary drinks
- Share a meal or split a combo meal with someone
Being mindful about customizing your order can help reduce calorie overload from fast food.
The Bottom Line
So how many calories are in a Burger King junior Whopper and fries?
- A junior Whopper alone contains 390 calories
- A medium order of french fries has 320 calories
- Together as a meal with a soda, the total is 860 calories
Ordering the junior burger, skipping fries, and choosing diet soda can reduce calories closer to 500. While not the healthiest, Burger King does offer lower calorie alternatives to limit fast food overload.
