Burger King: Salad, Smoothies And 'Healthier' New Menu

When most people think of fast food, they aren't exactly focused on health benefits. But over the last few years, several chains that are known for diet-busting cheeseburgers have introduced some better-for-you alternatives. The latest restaurant to get on the bandwagon? Burger King. But are their new menu items really healthier?

Burger King's new salad and smoothie menu options may be an attempt to emulate McDonald's successful move into more healthful fare, according to a recent AP story:

[T]here are unmistakable similarities between Burger King's new lineup and the offerings its much-bigger rival McDonald's has rolled out in recent years. The Golden Arches already rolled out specialty salads in 2003, snack wraps in 2006, premium coffee drinks in 2009, and fruit smoothies in 2010.

While many of McD's latest products seemed healthier upon first perusal, as we later learned, they were anything but. McDonald's Fruit & Nut Oatmeal, for example, was revealed to have more sugar than a Snickers bar.

So how did Burger King do? We decided to compare the nutrition information from their new offerings to the traditional fare they're known for: