A cheeseburger with no bun from McDonald’s contains approximately 260 calories. This is based on the standard ingredients in a McDonald’s cheeseburger, which includes a 1/10 lb beef patty, a slice of melty American cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard. By removing the bun, which contains around 150 calories, the total calorie count comes down to around 260 calories for just the patty and toppings.
Nutrition Facts for a McDonald’s Cheeseburger with No Bun
Here are the basic nutrition facts for a McDonald’s cheeseburger without the bun:
- Calories: 260
- Total Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
- Sodium: 520mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 3g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 21g
As you can see, removing the bun significantly reduces the total carbs and calories, while maintaining the protein content from the beef patty.
Calories in a McDonald’s Cheeseburger Bun
A standard McDonald’s hamburger bun contains around 150 calories. The exact nutrition info for a McDonald’s bun is:
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 1.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 320mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 30g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 3g
- Protein: 4g
The bun contributes a significant amount of calories and carbs to the total sandwich. By removing it, you slash 150 calories and 30g of carbs from the meal.
Calories in a McDonald’s Cheeseburger Patty
The patty is where most of the protein and fat content comes from in a McDonald’s cheeseburger. Here are the nutrition facts for just the 1/10 lb beef patty:
- Calories: 90
- Total Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
- Sodium: 135mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 0g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 0g
- Protein: 12g
So the patty alone contains 90 calories and 12g of protein without any carbs.
Calories in McDonald’s Cheese Slice
The cheese slice adds these nutrients:
- Calories: 50
- Total Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
- Sodium: 230mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 1g
- Protein: 3g
The cheese contributes 50 calories, 4g of fat and 3g of protein.
Calories in Onions, Pickles, Ketchup and Mustard
The toppings on a McDonald’s cheeseburger have relatively low calorie counts:
- Onions: 5 calories
- Pickles: 0 calories
- Ketchup: 15 calories
- Mustard: 0 calories
So the onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard together add approximately 20 calories to the cheeseburger.
Putting It All Together
When you add up the calories from the patty, cheese and toppings, a McDonald’s cheeseburger without the bun contains:
- Patty: 90 calories
- Cheese Slice: 50 calories
- Onions, Pickles, Ketchup, Mustard: 20 calories
- Total: Around 260 calories
So the bottom line is that a cheeseburger at McDonald’s with no bun has about 260 calories.
This makes it a lower calorie option if you are trying to reduce carbs and total caloric intake. Some people will order a McDonald’s cheeseburger as a “protein style” burger by removing the bun.
How Many Carbs in a McDonald’s Cheeseburger with No Bun?
In addition to lower calories, ordering a McDonald’s cheeseburger protein style significantly reduces the carb count:
- Bun: 30g carbs
- No bun: Around 3g carbs
By removing the bun, you eliminate almost all of the carbs that would come from the sandwich.
McDonald’s Cheeseburger Protein Style Nutrition Facts
Here are the full nutrition facts for a McDonald’s cheeseburger without the bun:
| Nutrition Facts | 1 burger |
|---|---|
| Calories | 260 |
| Fat | 15g |
| Carbohydrates | 3g |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sugars | 2g |
| Protein | 21g |
As you can see, without the bun you get a good amount of protein and few carbs.
How to Order a McDonald’s Cheeseburger Protein Style
If you want to order a McDonald’s cheeseburger without the bun, here are some tips:
- Ask for a “cheeseburger protein style”
- Request it lettuce wrapped or in a salad/burger box
- Tell them no bun, patty and toppings only
- Order a “custom burger” and remove the bun
The staff should understand your request for a burger without a bun. But specifying protein style or lettuce wrapped makes it clear.
Low Carb McDonald’s Ordering Options
In addition to a cheeseburger or hamburger protein style, here are some other low carb fast food options at McDonald’s:
- Bacon McDouble protein style
- Sausage McMuffin without the English muffin
- Egg white delight without muffin
- Artisan grilled chicken sandwich lettuce wrapped
- Salads without croutons or high carb dressings
Sticking to the burger patties, grilled chicken, eggs, and salads without high carb extras allows you to eat keto-friendly and low glycemic at McDonald’s.
Should You Eat a McDonald’s Cheeseburger Without Bun?
Here are some of the pros and cons of ordering a McDonald’s cheeseburger protein style:
Pros:
- Lower carb and calorie option if avoiding bun
- Provides protein from beef and cheese
- Makes it easier to fit into low carb, Paleo, or keto diet
- Eliminates blood sugar spike from bun
- Allows you to still enjoy the taste of a McDonald’s burger
Cons:
- Higher fat from cheese and mayonnaise-based sauces
- Potentially higher sodium without bun
- Less fiber than with standard bun
- More difficult to eat neatly without bun
Overall, it can be a good modification for people limiting carbs or following specific diets like keto. But you may want to balance it out with lower sodium side items.
Other Tips for Ordering McDonald’s on a Low Carb Diet
Here are some other tips for ordering at McDonald’s if you are reducing carbs:
- Choose grilled chicken sandwiches or burgers lettuce wrapped
- Opt for salads with vinaigrette dressing instead of creamy high carb dressings
- Add extra veggies as topping instead of sugary sauces
- Request burgers without ketchup or special sauce to reduce sugar
- Drink water or unsweetened tea instead of soda
- Avoid fries and go for a side salad instead
With a few modifications, you can still eat at McDonald’s while limiting your carb intake. Just focus on the grilled meat, egg, and salad options.
Should You Eat McDonald’s on Keto Diet?
Here is a recap of whether McDonald’s cheeseburgers without buns can fit into a keto diet:
- Keto requires very low carb intake, usually under 50g daily
- Removing bun drops carbs to around 3g for cheeseburger
- Stick to lettuce wrapped burgers, grilled chicken, eggs
- Avoid fries and sugary sauces
- Limit onion, pickles, ketchup as they contain some carbs
- Bunless burgers, grilled chicken and salads can work for keto
- But limit higher carb sides and sauces
Overall, it’s possible to order keto-friendly options at McDonald’s. Just be mindful of carb counts in sauces and sides.
Low Carb Protein Options at Other Fast Food Restaurants
In addition to McDonald’s, other fast food chains offer low carb protein options. Here are some examples:
Wendy’s
- Baconator without bun
- Grilled chicken sandwich lettuce wrapped
- Chicken wraps without tortilla
- Side salads instead of fries
Burger King
- Whopper Jr. with no bun
- Grilled chicken sandwich lettuce wrapped
- Egg and cheese croissan’wich, no croissant
- Side garden salad
Subway
- Sandwiches as salad instead of bread
- Double meat and cheese
- Load up veggies instead of heavy sauces
The same principles apply across fast food chains – stick to bunless burgers, grilled chicken, eggs, and salads.
Should You Eat Fast Food on a Low Carb Diet?
Here are some final tips on incorporating fast food into a low carb diet:
- Limit fast food to avoid excess sodium, fat, preservatives
- Prepare your own low carb meals whenever possible
- If you do get fast food, order bunless burgers, grilled chicken, eggs
- Avoid the fries, snacks, and sugary drinks
- Load up on veggies for fiber and nutrients
- Track your total carb intake including sauces
- Use fast food as an occasional option, not a daily habit
While fast food can fit into low carb diets, it shouldn’t be your standard daily choice. Use it sparingly when in a pinch.
Conclusion
A McDonald’s cheeseburger without the bun contains approximately 260 calories and 3g net carbs. By removing the bun, you can significantly reduce the carbs and calories versus a regular cheeseburger.
Ordering McDonald’s burgers “protein style” or lettuce wrapped allows you to reduce carbs while still enjoying the taste. Combined with salads, grilled chicken, and eggs, you can create fast food meals that fit a low carb or keto diet.
Overall, fast food can work in moderation into low carb eating plans. Just be mindful of preparation methods, ingredients, and carb counts.
