If you think Burger King is getting light and healthy with its new spring menu, think again. The Miami-based fast-food company has launched a series of lighter-sounding options -- including a revamp of the veggie burger that's been an on-again/off-again part of BK's menu for some time. The menu, which is available for a limited time at participating BK restaurants, includes a fire-grilled turkey burger, a veggie burger, chipotle chicken sandwiches and wraps, iced teas, and a piña colada smoothie.
For those of you not into anything even remotely healthy-sounding, BK is also introducing a chipotle Whopper, loaded tater tots filled with bacon and cheese, and a bacon-and-cheddar-stuffed burger topped with onion rings -- because more is, apparently, more.
The seemingly healthful turkey burger is fire-grilled and topped with fresh-cut lettuce, sliced tomatoes, crisp red onions, and mayonnaise. According to its nutritional web page, the turkey burger contains 530 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 1,210 milligrams of sodium.
Burger King's veggie burger, made with a MorningStar Farms garden veggie patty, has been giving vegetarians a somewhat boring option for a while. The sandwich has been dressed up with lettuce, tomatoes, and red onions in its relaunch. The sandwich contains 412 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 960 milligrams of sodium -- which is sort of astounding because the actual MorningStar patty contains only 110 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, and 350 milligrams of sodium.
On the gut-bomb side of the menu, the bacon-cheddar-stuffed burger, topped with onion rings, has 650 calories, 39 grams of fat, and 1,420 milligrams of sodium. The chipotle Whopper has 770 calories, 47 grams of fat, and 1,540 milligrams of sodium.
Thinking of a side? A small serving of eight loaded tater tots -- stuffed with cheese, onion, and bacon -- will add 380 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 640 milligrams of sodium to your meal.
All in all, though we enjoy seeing Burger King try different items each season, we'd love to see the restaurant make healthful-sounding menu items that are actually healthful.
