There’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy burger, loaded with melted cheese, oozing mayonnaise and ketchup, probably accompanied by a side of fries. They’re delicious and not surprisingly, burgers are one of the most popular foods around the world.

Unfortunately, they’re also one of the unhealthiest. But they don’t have to be.  If you’re taking steps towards a healthier way of eating, there’s no need to give up on the burger.

With a few minor tweaks here and there, it’s perfectly possible to turn that cholesterol laden feast into a healthy, nutritionally balanced meal. It all boils down to the ingredients you’re using in your burger and the way you prepare and cook it.

The Bun

While a white sesame seed bun may be what you’re used to, it’s virtually devoid of any nutritional value. The white flour used is heavily refined and stripped of many important nutrients. By swapping your white bun for a wholemeal bun, you’ll be benefiting from the whole grains which contain valuable B vitamins, vitamin E and minerals. It also contains far more fiber than white bread, which helps fill you up.

The Pattie

If you must have red meat, only buy extra lean ground beef. By swapping regular ground burger beef for extra lean, you’ll be cutting down on saturated fat and saving on calories. For a change you could try swapping to turkey mince which is extremely low in fat. But steer clear of lamb as this is the fattiest choice of meat.

The Toppings

The toppings you put on your burger are obviously very important to the overall taste. Ketchup, relishes and mayonnaises can be particularly high in salt and sugar, but there are healthier alternatives. Ketchup, for instance, can actually be a healthy addition to your burger.

The cooked tomatoes used in the ketchup contain lycopene which has been shown to help fight against heart disease.  Swap to a low sugar and low salt ketchup instead of your regular variety. The same goes for mayonnaise. Extra light versions of mayonnaise are still very creamy and tasty but vastly lower in fat and calories than their original.

Feel free to top up with as much crisp and crunchy lettuce as possible, not forgetting freshly sliced tomatoes and a couple of red onion rings. If you like pickles, stick to one. Add a little freshly ground black pepper but don’t add any extra salt.
If you want to turn your burger into a chees
e burger, choose a reduced fat cheese and slice it thinly. Processed cheese isn’t too bad as some brands are very low in calories, high in calcium and vitamin A. However, you need to watch out for the salt levels which can be high.

The Cooking

The way you cook your pattie plays a major part to your burger’s overall state of healthiness. By grilling or dry frying in a non-stick pan, you’ll be cutting down on saturated fats and calories. There’s no need to add extra oil or fat when cooking. If you’re grilling, use a grill tray so there’s room for any excess fat to drip down and the pattie isn’t left to sit in any fat. If you’re dry frying, cook at a medium setting and drain off any excess fat that’s released during cooking.

By making a few simple swaps to your burger ingredients, you’ll have turned your former unhealthy, artery clogging, junk food snack into a balanced meal containing each of the five food groups. You'll also be cutting right down on saturated fats and saving hundreds of calories on a fast food burger bar version.  And after enjoying your new style healthy burger, you won’t feel the urge to consume the greasy offerings from a fast food restaurant any time soon.