While the fish composition of the sandwich has changed through the years to cater to taste preferences and address supply limitations, the framework of its ingredients have remained constant; a fried breaded fish fillet, a steamed bun, tartar sauce and pasteurized American cheese.
McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
It's the lowest in calories and sodium, compared to the others, says Yelena Wheeler, M.P.H., R.D.N., of MIDSS. It's also lower in sugar and carbs, and has a “decent amount” of protein (16 grams) and fiber (2g), Beam adds.
Fillets are usually obtained by slicing the fish parallel to the spine, rather than perpendicular to the spine as is the case with steaks. The remaining bones with the attached flesh is called the "frame", and is often used to make fish stock.
Our Filet-o-Fish® patty is cooked separately from meat items in 100% vegetable oil. However, due to the design of the oil filtration system, during the oil filtering process, there is a small chance the oil used to cook our fish patties can come into contact with oil that has been used to cook chicken products.
Once at the restaurant our fries are simply cooked in dedicated frying vats in a non-hydrogenated blend of sunflower and rapeseed oil which is 100 percent suitable for vegetarians (McDonald's French Fries are officially accredited by the Vegetarian Society).
Best Sandwich: McChicken
This is the smartest choice among all of McDonald's sandwiches since it contains 350 calories and 15 grams of fat. To us that's a little head-scratching, since it's a fried chicken option that somehow beats out even the Filet-O-Fish, which contains 390 calories and 19 grams of fat.
We use wild-caught Alaska Pollock for our Filet-O-Fish® sandwich in the U.S., which is 100% sourced from sustainable fisheries. Why is sustainable fish so important to us? Because it helps protect our oceans—something that's important to you. Interested in learning more about the Filet-O-Fish®?
Believe it or not, the Filet-O-Fish is actually fish. McDonald's uses Marine Stewardship Council certified wild-caught Alaska Pollock.
Ingredients: Pollock, Water, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil), Wheat Flour, Modified Food Starch, Contains 2% Or Less: Yellow Corn Flour, Bleached Wheat Flour, Salt, Whey (Milk), Dextrose, Dried Yeast, Sugar, Cellulose Gum, Paprika And Turmeric Extract (Color), Natural Flavors ...
Nutritionally, the Filet-O-Fish is healthier than most other fast food burger staples – by comparison, a McDonald's Quarter Pounder has five times more saturated fat, nearly three times more sugar and double the salt. Taste-wise, the Filet-O-Fish's subtlety befits its fancy French-sounding name.
Because of its simplicity and flavor. The Filet-O-Fish is plain and simple: a crispy breaded fish patty, McDonald's tartar sauce, American cheese, and a pillowy, steamed bun.
McDonald's doesn't think a fish sandwich should taste cheesy
But McDonald's has always provided only half a slice. This is not to save costs but to save flavor. The full slice of American cheese would overpower the mild, delicate flavor of the lightly breaded fish patties, the brand claims.
Once the fish filets are fried and the tartar sauce is made, it's time to assemble the sandwich! Now McDonald's actually puts the American cheese slice on the bottom bun below the fried fish filet but I decided to put it above because it just made more sense to me.
Like most fried foods, McDonald's fries are cooked in canola oil.
Typically, when you order a burger from McDonald's, you're going to get a toasted bun to hold all those ingredients. However, the Filet-O-Fish isn't a typical sandwich, so its buns get a rather unique treatment to make it so delicious. Rather than being toasted, Filet-O-Fish buns get steamed.
We use a blend including canola and sunflower oils to cook with. Like all vegetable oils, it's cholesterol free. We use only 100% Aussie grown beef to serve you the best beef burgers, sourced from farmers across the country. Our Angus beef is 100% Aussie grown.
But McDonald's insisted the popular item has not shrunk, leaving confused customers second-guessing their measurements. One customer at a branch in New South Wales shared a snap of the Filet-O-Fish next to a McChicken sandwich and a burly beef burger.
Fast food business including. McDonalds, KFC, Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster, Subway, Domino's all use halal certified chicken and cheese, even though the majority of stores are not halal certified.
The Bering Sea is one of the best places to catch wild Alaskan Pollock. McDonald's is the other. From the dock at Dutch Harbor, Kenny Longaker sets out on his boat, the Defender, to catch the wild Alaskan Pollock used in our Filet-O-Fish® sandwich. Alaskan Pollock is a fast-growing species.
Although the Tartare Sauce used in our Filet-o-Fish® is suitable for vegetarians, it is not Halal.
Why is the Filet-O-Fish® square? 🐟 At sea, we layer whole Alaska Pollock fillets in a large block. Then, we slice it into squares to ensure we deliver our customers a perfect sandwich every time!
INSIDER rounded up 10 of the least healthy menu items on the current US McDonald's menu. The worst drink or dessert you can buy is the strawberry or chocolate shake. The unhealthiest food overall is the Big Breakfast with Hotcakes.