McDonalds Menu

This product earns a 1/5 green leaf rating. The McDonald’s Menu Hotcakes and Sausage meal is a combination of hotcakes, a sausage patty, hotcake syrup, and salted whipped butter. It’s a non-organic option that includes genetically modified (GMO) ingredients.

The hotcakes are made with enriched flour and contain whey, corn flour, soybean oil, sugar, eggs, and various leavening agents. They also include emulsifiers such as mono and diglycerides, propylene glycol monoesters of fats and fatty acids, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and soy lecithin. These emulsifiers, alongside other ingredients like xanthan gum and beta carotene for color, contribute to the overall texture and appearance of the hotcakes.

The accompanying syrup is primarily composed of corn syrup and sugar, with potassium sorbate as a preservative and caramel color for visual appeal. The sausage patty consists of pork, water, salt, spices, dextrose, sugar, and flavorings, including rosemary extract. Lastly, the meal includes salted whipped butter that is a simple blend of sweet cream and salt.

A significant concern with this meal is the presence of added sugars, which come in the form of sugar, dextrose, and corn syrup. These contribute to the high sugar content of the meal. Additionally, the meal contains a variety of potentially harmful additives and known harmful additives such as natural flavors, caramel color, and propylene glycol. The use of soybean oil, which is often considered a less desirable oil due to its fatty acid composition and potential health implications, further impacts the product’s rating.

Given these considerations, the McDonald’s Menu Hotcakes and Sausage meal is rated poorly on our scale. The ingredients used and the lack of organic and non-GMO certifications lead to a low green leaf rating, indicating that this product is among the least recommended options for those seeking cleaner food choices.