I love my hamburgers! They just have such a special treat feel to them. Unfortunately the fast food industry has made the burger into something that I would not recommend to my worst enemy!
Why are fast food burgers a problem?
There are quite a few answers to this question. I don’t want to go on forever, so I will just do a summary.
Fast food hamburger and chips.
- The buns – when the buns are made they remove all the goodness from them. Healthy grains are whole grains. Fast food buns have had the fibre removed, the germ (this is where most of the nutrients in a grain live) removed and sugar and salt added in, with the perfect combination to make you want to come back for more.
- The salad is minimal. On a home-made burger you can top it up with as much salad as you like. Keeping a good intake of vegetables is important so pile on the salad!
- The meat is full of saturated fats and if Jamie Oliver is correct they use the worst meat they can source as it is cheap. Plus they add in chemical power to preserve it and kill everything.
- They offer chips and soft-drinks on the side and make it affordable to do so. Chips are ok on occasion, but definitely not good for your health. They are a filler food and the salt, fat and crunch combination is such a feel good combination that we want to eat lots of them. Soft-drink is also bad for our health and our teeth.
Why home-made is better?
- You can use healthy buns with lots of wholegrain. These will help you feel fuller for longer and provide some essential vitamins which our body needs.
- You can use quality low fat meat. this means you will avoid a lot of saturated fats which are a big concern for heart health.
- You can pile on the salad. This helps you meet your fibre needs and your vitamin and mineral needs.
- You can add fermented foods which help provide good bacteria to your gut which has many flow on benefits.
- You can avoid preserved meats such as bacon if you choose. I love bacon as much as the next non-vegetarian/vegan person. But the health risks are high in having it. So unless you don’t have it very often, it is better to not have it.
- You can sneak in some extra veggies or beans – improving the fibre and vitamin & mineral content.
That is my quick summary of the humble burger. You may have your own hamburger recipe that you love. If you stick with the few basic tips I have shared here, you can still have your burger and eat it!
Healthy Hamburger
Yes, you can have a burger and be healthy! Lean beef and cannellini bean patties on a wholegrain roll, piled high with salad and sauerkraut.
Ingredients
- Burger patties
- Burger fillings
Method
- 1
Place the cannellini beans in a bowl and mash until reasonably smooth.
- 2
Add all the remaining burger patty ingredients and mix well to combine.
- 3
Shape the mixture into balls and flatten them. You should have around 6–7 patties depending on the size.
- 4
Cook over high heat on a barbecue or in a frying pan. Flip the burgers when the bottom is darkened, after about 5 minutes. Cook the other side for another 5 minutes or so, and check the inside is cooked through before removing from the heat.
- 5
While the burgers are cooking, cook the sliced onion with a small splash of oil.
- 6
If you prefer your bread rolls toasted, put them briefly on the barbecue while everything else is cooking.
- 7
Once everything is cooked, assemble your burgers in whatever order you like. I start with the patty, onion and cheese, then pile the salad ingredients on top.
- 8
Extra patties can be frozen uncooked for another easy meal, or cooked and reheated for a leftovers dinner.
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimated from the FSANZ Australian Food Composition Database. Actual values will vary depending on the specific products used — not a substitute for individual dietary advice.
