Big Mac vs. Chicken Breast
Nutrition comparison of Big Mac and Cooked Chicken Breast
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
big mac
versus
cooked
chicken breast
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in big mac and chicken breast:
- Both big mac and chicken breast are high in calories and protein.
- Big mac has 58% less cholesterol than chicken breast.
- Big mac has more thiamin, folate and Vitamin B12, however, chicken breast contains more niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
- Big mac has signficantly more dietary fiber than chicken breast.
- Big mac is an excellent source of calcium.
- Chicken breast has 73% less saturated fat than big mac.
- Chicken breast is a great source of potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Big Mac (McDONALD'S, BIG MAC) and Chicken Breast (Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both big mac and chicken breast are high in calories. Big mac has 56% more calories than chicken breast - big mac has 257 calories per 100 grams and chicken breast has 165 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, big mac is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and much heavier in fat compared to chicken breast per calorie. Big mac has a macronutrient ratio of 18:31:51 and for chicken breast, 79:0:21 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Big Mac | Chicken Breast | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 18% | 79% |
| Carbohydrates | 31% | ~ |
| Fat | 51% | 21% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Chicken breast has less carbohydrates than big mac - big mac has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and chicken breast does not contain significant amounts.
dietary fiber
Big mac has signficantly more dietary fiber than chicken breast - big mac has 1.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and chicken breast does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Chicken breast has less sugar than big mac - big mac has 4g of sugar per 100 grams and chicken breast does not contain significant amounts.
Protein
protein
Both big mac and chicken breast are high in protein. Chicken breast has 162% more protein than big mac - big mac has 11.8g of protein per 100 grams and chicken breast has 31g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Chicken breast has 73% less saturated fat than big mac - big mac has 3.8g of saturated fat per 100 grams and chicken breast has 1g of saturated fat.
cholesterol
Big mac has 58% less cholesterol than chicken breast - big mac has 36mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and chicken breast has 85mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Big mac and chicken breast contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - big mac has 0.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and chicken breast does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Chicken breast has more Vitamin A than big mac - chicken breast has 6ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin D
Chicken breast has more Vitamin D than big mac - chicken breast has 5iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Chicken breast and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - chicken breast has 0.27mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin K
Chicken breast and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - chicken breast has 0.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Big mac has more thiamin, folate and Vitamin B12, however, chicken breast contains more niacin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6. Both big mac and chicken breast contain significant amounts of riboflavin.
| Big Mac | Chicken Breast | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.176 MG | 0.07 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.209 MG | 0.114 MG |
| Niacin | 3.384 MG | 13.712 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | ~ | 0.965 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | ~ | 0.6 MG |
| Folate | 46 UG | 4 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.88 UG | 0.34 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Big mac is an excellent source of calcium and it has 673% more calcium than chicken breast - big mac has 116mg of calcium per 100 grams and chicken breast has 15mg of calcium.
iron
Big mac has 92% more iron than chicken breast - big mac has 2mg of iron per 100 grams and chicken breast has 1mg of iron.
potassium
Chicken breast is a great source of potassium and it has 41% more potassium than big mac - big mac has 181mg of potassium per 100 grams and chicken breast has 256mg of potassium.
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Note: The specific food items compared are: Big Mac (McDONALD'S, BIG MAC) and Chicken Breast (Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted) .
Big Mac g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Cooked Chicken Breast g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does big mac or chicken breast contain more calories in 100 grams?Both big mac and chicken breast are high in calories. Big mac has 60% more calories than chicken breast - big mac has 257 calories in 100g and chicken breast has 165 calories.
Is big mac or chicken breast better for protein?
Both big mac and chicken breast are high in protein. Chicken breast has 160% more protein than big mac - big mac has 11.8g of protein per 100 grams and chicken breast has 31g of protein.
Does big mac or chicken breast have more carbohydrates?
By weight, chicken breast has fewer carbohydrates than big mac - big mac has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and chicken breast has no carbs..
Does big mac or chicken breast contain more calcium?
Big mac is a rich source of calcium and it has 670% more calcium than chicken breast - big mac has 116mg of calcium in 100 grams and chicken breast has 15mg of calcium.