The BTS Meal from McDonald’s is a popular limited-edition collaboration between the fast food chain and the hugely popular K-pop group BTS. With seven members and a massive global following, the BTS Meal puts the spotlight on the band while bringing their favorite order to the masses.
What’s In The BTS Meal?
The BTS Meal includes 10 pieces of Chicken McNuggets, a medium World Famous Fries, a medium Coca-Cola, and for the first time in the US, Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by recipes from McDonald’s South Korea.
Chicken McNuggets
A 10 piece serving of Chicken McNuggets contains:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 470 |
| Total Fat | 28g |
| Carbohydrates | 44g |
| Protein | 20g |
So in a 10 piece serving of McNuggets, there are 44g of carbs.
Medium Fries
A medium serving of McDonald’s World Famous Fries contains:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 380 |
| Total Fat | 19g |
| Carbohydrates | 44g |
| Protein | 4g |
So a medium fries contains 44g of carbs.
Medium Coca-Cola
A medium Coca-Cola contains:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 240 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Carbohydrates | 59g |
| Protein | 0g |
A medium Coke has 65g of carbs.
Total Carbs In The BTS Meal
Adding up the carbohydrates from each item in the BTS Meal:
- Chicken McNuggets: 44g
- Medium Fries: 44g
- Medium Coke: 65g
The total carbs in the BTS Meal is 153g.
How The BTS Meal Compares to Other McDonald’s Meals
The BTS Meal is on the higher end for carb content compared to other McDonald’s meals.
Here’s how it compares:
Big Mac Meal
A Big Mac meal with a medium fries and medium Coke contains:
- Big Mac: 45g carbs
- Medium Fries: 44g carbs
- Medium Coke: 65g carbs
Total: 154g carbs
Quarter Pounder Meal
A Quarter Pounder meal with medium fries and medium Coke has:
- Quarter Pounder: 41g carbs
- Medium Fries: 44g carbs
- Medium Coke: 65g carbs
Total: 150g carbs
6 Piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal
A 6 piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal with small fries, apple slices, and milk contains:
- 6 McNuggets: 22g carbs
- Small Fries: 24g carbs
- Apple Slices: 14g carbs
- Milk: 12g carbs
Total: 72g carbs
So the BTS Meal contains over double the carbs of a Happy Meal!
Ways To Make The BTS Meal More Carb Conscious
If you’re looking to limit your carb intake but still want to enjoy the BTS Meal, there are some easy swaps you can make:
- Choose a small fries instead of a medium
- Skip the fries entirely and choose a side salad
- Order a diet soda instead of regular Coke
- Opt for grilled chicken instead of McNuggets
- Request extra sauce and dip your nuggets instead of fries
Making any of those simple swaps can save you anywhere from 22-44g of carbs in your BTS Meal.
How The Carbs In The BTS Meal Fit Into A Low Carb Diet
For those following a low carb or ketogenic diet, the BTS Meal would likely need to be avoided or modified.
A typical low carb diet aims for under 50g of net carbs per day, so the BTS Meal’s 153g of carbs would easily exceed that limit.
Even just the 10 piece McNuggets alone, with 44g of carbs, make up almost an entire day’s worth of carbs on a strict low carb diet.
Some ways to make the meal work for a low carb diet include:
- Get the nuggets as your protein and skip the fries and soda, sticking to water instead
- Order a side salad or apple slices instead of fries
- Opt for grilled chicken instead of breaded and fried nuggets
- Request extra sauce for dipping to limit carbs
- Only eat half the meal and take the rest to go
With some modifications, you can likely enjoy a lower carb version of the signature BTS Meal.
How Many Carbs You Should Eat Per Day
So how many carbs should you aim to eat daily? Here are some general recommendations:
Standard Diet
For a standard 2000 calorie diet, the recommended daily intake of carbs is:
- Women: 225-325g
- Men: 300-375g
So on a typical diet, the BTS Meal’s 153g of carbs would represent about half of your daily intake if you’re a woman, or 40% for men.
Low Carb Diet
For a low carb diet, daily carb intake is usually:
- 20-50g net carbs
The BTS Meal far exceeds recommended low carb intake.
Ketogenic Diet
A ketogenic diet strictly limits carbs to:
- 20-30g net carbs
Again, the BTS Meal is too high in carbs for keto.
Diabetic Diet
For people with diabetes, daily carb intake should be based on factors like weight, medications, and activity level. Some general recommendations are:
- Women: 45-60g carbs per meal
- Men: 60-75g carbs per meal
So the BTS Meal would likely contain too many carbs per meal for some diabetics. Portion control and modifications would be required.
Conclusion
The BTS Meal contains a hearty 153g of carbohydrates. That places it on the higher end compared to other McDonald’s meals.
While fine for a standard diet, the BTS Meal would need to be significantly modified for low carb, ketogenic, or diabetic diets. Opting for smaller portions, skipping the soda and fries, and choosing grilled chicken can help reduce the carb content.
At the end of the day, enjoying the BTS Meal in moderation or with swaps is certainly possible even when limiting carbs. With some planning, you can satisfy your craving while still meeting your dietary needs!
