McGriddles are a popular breakfast sandwich sold at McDonald’s. They feature an egg, cheese and choice of meat sandwiched between two sweet maple-flavored pancake buns. But with the rise in popularity of low-carb diets like keto, many people wonder just how many net carbs are in a McGriddle.
This article will provide a detailed breakdown of the net carb count in a McGriddle based on the different meat options and size. We’ll look at the total carbs, fiber content, and resulting net carbs so you know exactly what you’re getting nutrition-wise in this sandwich. Whether you’re on keto or simply want to make a smarter breakfast choice, read on to find out the carb facts on McGriddles.
What are Net Carbs?
Before diving into the specifics on McGriddles, it’s helpful to understand what net carbs are.
Carbs (short for carbohydrates) are one of the three main macronutrients found in food, along with protein and fat. Carbs are the main source of energy for the body and brain.
But not all carbs are created equal. Carbs can be divided into two main types:
– Simple carbs: Sugars found naturally in foods like fruits or added to foods like sweets. They are digested and absorbed quickly by the body.
– Complex carbs: Found in whole grains, legumes, vegetables. They are made of longer chains of sugar molecules so they take longer to digest.
Fiber is a type of complex carb that our bodies cannot digest. It passes through the body undigested.
So to find the net carbs in a food, you take the total carbs and subtract the fiber.
Net carbs = Total carbs – Fiber
The result gives you the number of digestible or “net” carbs that actually impact your blood sugar levels.
Knowing the net carbs is especially important for low carb, ketogenic and diabetic diets. It gives a more accurate view of a food’s true carbohydrate content.
Okay, now that we’ve covered net carbs, let’s look specifically at how many are in a McGriddle sandwich.
Breakdown of Ingredients in a McGriddle
A McGriddle is made up of the following main ingredients:
– McGriddle pancake buns
– Egg
– Cheese slice
– Meat
The type of meat can vary depending on if you get a Sausage McGriddle, Bacon McGriddle or Sausage & Egg McGriddle.
The pancake buns and the type of meat used will be the main factors that impact the net carb count.
Let’s start by looking at the standard nutrition facts for a McGriddle with bacon:
McGriddle with Bacon Nutrition Facts
– Calories: 470
– Total Fat: 24g
– Carbohydrates: 47g
– Fiber: 1g
– Protein: 19g
As you can see, a standard McGriddle has 47g total carbs. But with 1g of fiber, that brings the net carbs down to 46g.
Now let’s break down the net carbs contribution of each main ingredient.
Net Carbs in McGriddle Buns
The two maple-flavored pancake buns used to make a McGriddle contain the bulk of the carbohydrates.
According to McDonald’s nutrition information, one McGriddle pancake bun contains:
– Calories: 160
– Total Carbs: 30g
– Fiber: 1g
So the **net carbs per pancake bun is 29g.**
With two buns used to make a full McGriddle sandwich, that’s a total of **58g net carbs** coming just from the buns alone.
Net Carbs in Sausage Patty
If you get a McGriddle with sausage, the nutrition facts are slightly different than bacon.
Here are the nutrition facts for a Sausage McGriddle:
– Calories: 510
– Total Fat: 32g
– Carbohydrates: 47g
– Fiber: 1g
– Protein: 21g
The protein is a bit higher from the sausage patty compared to the bacon.
But the total carbs remain 47g with 1g fiber, so the **net carbs is still 46g.**
The Jimmy Dean pork sausage patty used at McDonald’s contains:
– Calories: 210
– Total Carbs: 1g
– Fiber: 0g
So the sausage patty adds just **1g net carb** to the McGriddle.
Net Carbs in Bacon
If you opt for bacon instead of sausage, the nutrition profile changes slightly.
Here are the nutrition facts for a Bacon McGriddle:
– Calories: 470
– Total Fat: 28g
– Carbohydrates: 47g
– Fiber: 1g
– Protein: 18g
Again, we see 47g total carbs and 1g fiber, for a net carb count of **46g.**
The bacon contains minimal carbs:
– Calories: 43
– Total Carbs: 0g
– Fiber: 0g
So the bacon does not add any significant net carbs to the total. It’s still the buns providing the bulk of carbs.
Net Carbs in Egg and Cheese
The egg and cheese used on a McGriddle have minimal impact on the net carb total:
**Scrambled Egg:**
– Calories: 31
– Total Carbs: 0.49g
– Fiber: 0g
**American Cheese Slice**
– Calories: 49
– Total Carbs: 1g
– Fiber: 0g
So combined, the egg and cheese add just **1.49g net carbs** to a McGriddle.
Net Carb Summary for McGriddle Ingredients
Adding up the net carb counts for all the components of a McGriddle gives us:
– Pancake Buns: 58g
– Sausage Patty: 1g
– Bacon: 0g
– Egg: 0.49g
– Cheese: 1g
**Total Net Carbs in Sausage McGriddle: 60.49g**
**Total Net Carbs in Bacon McGriddle: 59.49g**
As you can see, the sweet maple-flavored buns account for the vast majority of net carbs in a McGriddle.
How McGriddle Sizes Affect Net Carbs
The nutrition information we’ve looked at so far applies to a regular-sized McGriddle. But McDonald’s also offers the sandwich in smallerSizes, which have slightly fewer carbs.
Here are the nutrition specs for a small McGriddle with bacon:
– **Small McGriddle with Bacon**
– Calories: 370
– Total Carbs: 41g
– Fiber: 1g
– **Net Carbs: 40g**
And the nutrition facts for a small Sausage McGriddle:
– **Small Sausage McGriddle**
– Calories: 410
– Total Carbs: 41g
– Fiber: 1g
– **Net Carbs: 40g**
So by opting for a small rather than regular-size, you’ll take in about 10g fewer net carbs.
McDonald’s also offers McGriddles as part of a Extra Value Meal, which comes with hash browns and a drink. The hash browns will add more carbs to your total:
– Hash Browns
– Calories: 150
– Total Carbs: 17g
– Fiber: 1g
– **Net Carbs: 16g**
So if you order a McGriddle meal with hash browns, be sure to account for those additional net carbs.
Low Carb McGriddle Options
If you’re following a low-carb diet, there are couple ways to reduce the net carb impact of your McGriddle:
– Order a small McGriddle rather than regular size
– Skip the hash browns if getting the Extra Value Meal
– Order with bacon instead of sausage
– Ask for no cheese or egg to cut a few more carbs
– Eat open-faced by removing the top bun
– Order just the sausage patty and bacon as a low-carb breakfast sandwich
These changes can help incrementally reduce the carb content for a more keto-friendly McGriddle. But even with adjustments, the pancake buns alone still contain a hefty dose of carbs.
Healthier Lower Carb Breakfast Options
While McGriddles can fit into low-carb diets in moderation, there are much healthier and lower carb breakfast options if you’re looking to keep carbs minimal.
Here are some ideas for more keto-friendly McDonald’s breakfast items:
– **Egg White Delight McMuffin** – 250 calories, 2g net carbs
– **Bacon, Egg & Cheese McMuffin** – 300 calories, 5g net carbs
– **Sausage McMuffin** – 370 calories, 8g net carbs
– **Sausage Patty** – 210 calories, 1g net carb
– **Egg & Cheese Biscuit** – 350 calories, 11g net carbs
– **Hash Browns** – 150 calories, 16g net carbs
Making some simple substitutions like egg whites instead of whole eggs, skipping the muffin or biscuit, or adding extra bacon or sausage can significantly reduce the carbs.
You can also get any breakfast sandwich in a bowl rather than biscuit or muffin to cut the carbs.
And sticking to plain coffee and skipping juice or soda prevents extra sugar.
Making your own lower carb breakfast creations at home is also an option for those strictly limiting carbs. Options like:
– Veggie omelets
– Keto breakfast bowls
– Low carb smoothies or protein shakes
– Bacon and egg cups
– Chia pudding
Conclusion
So in summary, a regular-size McGriddle sandwich contains between 59-60g net carbs, with the sweet maple pancake buns providing the bulk of carbohydrates. Sticking to a small size, skipping high-carb add-ons, and choosing lower carb alternatives like bunless sandwiches, bowls, or eggs can help reduce that number for low carb diets.
While the occasional McGriddle may fit into a daily low carb target, it’s ideal to opt for more nutritious and lower sugar breakfast options to start your day if weight loss or better health are your goals.
