When going keto, it can sometimes feel as if all of your comfort food favorites have been immediately taken off the table, but that is not necessarily the case. We've noted before that it's possible for people who are on the ketogenic diet to eat at a number of fast food chains, including Taco Bell and Shake Shack.

Now you can add McDonald's to that list. Joe Duff, also known as YouTube's Diet Chef, just ordered every low-carb item on the menu at a McDonald's drive-thru, to see whether life under the golden arches is conducive to being keto.

There are a couple of obvious caveats, namely that buns, muffins, and other bread items all off-limits, including breadcrumb-coated products like nuggets, as are the french fries, milkshakes, and ice cream. Duff adds that the soft drinks and sugar-free coffee drinks are also loaded with carbs.

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Duff starts off with the breakfast McMuffins (sans muffin, of course), and concludes that the sausage, egg and cheese option is the best value at $2, and offers the most benefits in terms of protein, with just 3 net carbs. The breakfast menu also includes biscuit sandwiches, which Duff orders minus the biscuit, and the sausage, egg and cheese here (which includes a folded egg rather than a rounded one) has the same amount of carbs, mainly from the cheese.

When it comes to keto-friendly burgers and sandwiches, Duff's advice is twofold: first, order it without the bun. So far, so obvious. But he also recommends ordering without ketchup, as it is full of carb and tends to be included in most of the burgers, and says that the ranch or buffalo dipping sauces are tasty low-carb alternatives to the salad dressings.

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The bunless hamburger from the dollar menu has precisely zero carbs, but if you're looking for a higher quality patty, Duff advises getting a bunless quarter pounder, although you'll be paying more, and the cheese and toppings give it a net carb count of 3. Similarly, if you want to order the classic Big Mac, just do so without the bun or the sauce, and it will also only have 3 net carbs.

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Philip Ellis
Philip Ellis is a freelance writer and journalist from the United Kingdom covering pop culture, relationships and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV.