A McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin is a popular breakfast sandwich that contains an English muffin, egg, slice of American cheese, and sausage patty. Many people enjoy this convenient sandwich but wonder about the carbohydrate content due to the English muffin and potential added sugars in the sausage patty.
Quick Answer
A McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin contains 31g of total carbohydrates. This comes from 24g of carbs in the English muffin, 3g of carbs in the American cheese, and 4g of carbs in the sausage patty.
Breaking Down the Carbohydrates
Let’s take a closer look at the carb count from each ingredient in the McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin:
English Muffin
The English muffin provides the bulk of the carbohydrates with 24g. A standard McDonald’s English muffin contains:
- Total Carbs: 30g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 2g
So the net carbs after subtracting fiber is 24g per English muffin. The English muffin is the biggest source of carbs in the sandwich.
American Cheese Slice
Each slice of processed American cheese in the McMuffin adds 3g of carbs. American cheese is low in carbs but each slice still contains:
- Total Carbs: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 5g
So the slice of cheese contributes 3g net carbs to the McMuffin.
Sausage Patty
The sausage patty provides 4g net carbs. McDonald’s sausage patties contain:
- Total Carbs: 4g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: <1g
- Protein: 7g
- Fat: 10g
The nutrition information shows 4g of carbs coming from the sausage patty, with minimal fiber or sugar.
Net Carbs in a Sausage Cheese McMuffin
Adding up the net carbs from each ingredient gives us a total of:
- English Muffin: 24g net carbs
- Cheese Slice: 3g net carbs
- Sausage Patty: 4g net carbs
So the total net carbohydrates in a McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin is 31g.
This carb count is confirmed on the McDonald’s nutrition information page. Always check for the latest details on menu items as recipes can change over time.
Daily Carb Recommendations
To put the 31g of carbs from a McMuffin into context, here are some general daily carb intake recommendations:
- Standard diet: 225-325g carbs per day
- Lower carb diet: 130g or fewer carbs per day
- Ketogenic diet: 50g or fewer carbs per day
On a standard diet with around 250g daily carbs, one sausage cheese McMuffin would provide about 12% of your total daily carb intake.
On a lower carb diet of around 130g daily carbs, one McMuffin would provide 24% of your total daily carbs.
And on a very low carb ketogenic diet of 50g daily carbs, one McMuffin would account for a full 62% of your total daily carb allowance.
As you can see, the carb count of one McMuffin ranges widely depending on your specific diet and carbohydrate needs.
Tips For Reducing Carbs
Here are some tips if you want to reduce the carbs in a McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin:
- Order an egg McMuffin without the muffin to remove 24g carbs
- Substitute the English muffin for a lower carb option like a Cloud Bread bun
- Skip the cheese slice to remove 3g carbs
- Order a sausage patty only sandwich with no bun or cheese
- Create a DIY McMuffin at home using lower carb alternatives
Making some simple substitutions or omissions can drastically cut the carbs from a fast food breakfast sandwich.
Nutrition Facts Summary
To summarize the complete nutrition facts of a McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 370 |
| Total Fat | 22g |
| Saturated Fat | 8g |
| Trans Fat | 1.5g |
| Cholesterol | 185mg |
| Sodium | 820mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 31g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Sugars | 3g |
| Protein | 16g |
As you can see, the McMuffin is high in fat and sodium from the sausage patty and cheese. It provides some protein but over half the calories come from fat.
The 31g of carbs is on the higher side, especially compared to the lower amounts of fiber and sugar. This makes the McMuffin a food to eat only occasionally if carbohydrates are a concern.
Healthier Breakfast Options
If you want a breakfast sandwich with fewer carbs, here are some healthier fast food options under 10g net carbs:
- Egg white delights McMuffin – 9g carbs
- Jimmy Dean Delights Turkey Sausage Muffin – 4g carbs
- Dunkin veggie egg white sandwich – 9g carbs
- Panera egg and cheese sandwich – 5g carbs
- Starbucks bacon, gouda and egg sandwich – 5g carbs
You can also make a healthier homemade breakfast sandwich using:
- Low carb cloud bread or seed bread
- Turkey bacon or pork sausage
- Egg whites or whole eggs
- Avocado, spinach, or tomato
With a few substitutions and smart choices, you can enjoy a satisfying breakfast sandwich to start your day while controlling your carb intake.
Should You Eat a Sausage McMuffin?
At the end of the day, whether or not you should eat a McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin depends on your individual nutrition goals and dietary needs. Here are some things to consider:
- It’s high in fat, sodium, and carbs – so limit frequency
- Make modifications to suit your macros if carbs are a concern
- Split it with someone or only eat half to reduce portion size
- Have it only occasionally as a treat – don’t make it a daily habit
- Balance it out by being active and making healthier choices the rest of the day
Used in moderation alongside an overall healthy diet and active lifestyle, enjoying a McMuffin as an occasional breakfast treat can be perfectly fine for most people.
The Bottom Line
A McDonald’s sausage cheese McMuffin contains 31g total carbs. This comes mostly from the English muffin, providing 24g carbs. The American cheese adds 3g carbs, and the sausage patty 4g.
To reduce carbs, you can modify the order or make your own lower carb McMuffin at home. Compared to other breakfast options, the McMuffin is higher in fat, sodium and carbs.
Overall, it can be consumed in moderation as an occasional treat in the context of a balanced diet. But limiting frequency and portion size is important, especially if watching total carb intake.
