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McDonald's Cheeseburger: calories, nutrition, ingredients and allergens
How many calories are in a McDonald's Cheeseburger? It contains 295 kcal, 12g of fat (5.5g saturated), 7g of sugar and 1.4g of salt, one of the lower-calorie hot items on the core menu.
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Dessert or McFlurry
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Nutrition information
Nutrition information: Cheeseburger
Energy
295 kcal
Fat
12g
of which saturates
5.5g
Carbohydrate
32g
of which sugars
7g
Salt
1.4g
Protein
15g
Source: McDonald’s UK nutrition information. Figures are per item as sold, before any optional sauces or extras.
A McDonald's Cheeseburger contains 295 kcal, which is 15% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake. It provides 12g of total fat, of which 5.5g is saturated, 7g of sugar, 1.4g of salt and 15g of protein.
The saturated fat content of 5.5g represents 28% of the adult daily guideline of 20g.
Adding a single processed cheese slice to the Hamburger increases the saturated fat from 3.2g to 5.5g, almost doubling it. The cheese slice itself is a processed cheese product containing emulsifying salts and added colours, not a block of cheddar.
A moderate choice on calories and saturated fat
A McDonald's Cheeseburger contains 295 kcal and 5.5g of saturated fat, 28% of the adult daily saturated fat guideline of 20g. Adding a single processed cheese slice to the Hamburger increases the saturated fat from 3.2g to 5.5g, almost doubling it. The cheese slice itself is a processed cheese product containing emulsifying salts and added colours, not a block of cheddar.
Reference Intakes are EU-wide guideline daily amounts for an average adult (2,000 kcal). The free sugar limit of 30g is the NHS/SACN guideline, which is stricter than the 90g total sugars RI as it excludes naturally occurring sugars in whole foods and dairy.
Sugar, salt and protein by age group
The table below shows how the sugar, salt and protein in a McDonald's Cheeseburger compares to daily guidelines for different age groups and life stages.
Sugar, salt and protein by age group: McDonald's Cheeseburger
Age group
Sugar (g / % limit)
Salt (g / % limit)
Protein (g / % target)
Age 4 to 6
7g / 37%
1.4g / 47%
15g / 75%
Age 7 to 10
7g / 29%
1.4g / 28%
15g / 54%
Age 11 to 17
7g / 23%
1.4g / 23%
15g / 36%
Adult
7g / 23%
1.4g / 23%
15g / 30%
Sugar and salt % shown against NHS/SACN daily limits. Protein % shown against estimated daily targets. Red = 75%+ of limit, amber = 20-74%, green = under 20%. Protein is beneficial and has no upper limit, shown for reference only.
Protein
Cheeseburger provides 15g of protein. For comparison, a general guide for adult daily protein intake is around 50g, so this item alone provides 30% of that target.
Salt
Cheeseburger contains 1.4g of salt, 23% of the adult daily limit of 6g. This is a moderate contribution, leaving room within the daily limit for sides and other meals.
Ultra-processed food: what is really in it
A McDonald's Cheeseburger is assembled from 4 separate components, each manufactured and prepared separately, often at different factories, before being combined and cooked at the point of sale. The most heavily formulated of these are the bun and cheese slice.
Reading the ingredient list closely, a McDonald's Cheeseburger contains emulsifiers, antioxidants, colourings, maltodextrin and dextrose. These are not used to add nutritional value. Emulsifiers help water-based and fat-based ingredients (such as oil and vinegar in a sauce, or fat and water in a bun dough) blend together and stay blended, rather than separating out. Antioxidants slow down the natural oxidation of fats and oils in baked goods, helping the product stay fresher for longer. Colourings standardise the appearance of a product so it looks the same in every restaurant, regardless of natural variation in the raw ingredients. Maltodextrin acts as a bulking agent and helps control texture and browning in baked goods. Dextrose assists with yeast fermentation and browning in the bun during baking.
None of this means the ingredients are unsafe; all additives used are approved for use in UK food. What it indicates is the degree of industrial formulation involved. A home-cooked equivalent, made from a small number of fresh or minimally processed ingredients prepared in one kitchen, would typically involve far fewer steps and far fewer additives. The version sold at McDonald's reaches a comparable end result using a longer list of industrially processed components, several manufacturing sites, and a number of functional additives designed to keep the product consistent across thousands of restaurants.
Looking at the ingredient list rather than just the nutrition panel tells a different story. Even where individual macros (sugar, salt, calories) look moderate, the number of separately manufactured components, and the additives used to bind, emulsify, preserve, colour and flavour them, place almost every hot item on the McDonald's menu in the most processed food category under the NOVA classification system.
Processing (NOVA classification)
A McDonald's Cheeseburger falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed food. The NOVA classification system groups foods by the extent and purpose of the processing involved, rather than by their individual nutrients. Group 4 covers products that are formulated mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods, plus additives, using a series of industrial processes with little or no whole food remaining recognisable in the final product. In this item, that includes emulsifiers, antioxidants, colourings, maltodextrin and dextrose, on top of the breaded or formed proteins, processed cheese and multi-stage assembly typical of the menu. This classification applies to almost all hot menu items at McDonald's, and indeed to most fast food and packaged convenience food generally; it is not a finding specific to this item.
Allergens at a glance
Allergen information: Cheeseburger
Wheat
Contains
Rye
May contain traces
Barley
May contain traces
Oats
Not present
Sesame
May contain traces
Soya
Contains
Milk
Contains
Eggs
Not present
Fish
Not present
Crustaceans
Not present
Celery
Not present
Mustard
Not present
Molluscs
Not present
Lupin
Not present
McDonald's UK prepares food in kitchens where allergens are present and equipment is shared. "May contain traces" reflects cross-contact risk from shared fryers, toasters and preparation areas. McDonald's cannot guarantee any item is completely allergen-free, even when ingredients are removed on request.
Frequently asked questions
A McDonald's Cheeseburger contains 295 kcal, which is 15% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake.
A McDonald's Cheeseburger contains 5.5g of saturated fat, 28% of the adult daily guideline of 20g, and 32% of the guideline for a child aged 11 to 17 (17g).
Yes. A McDonald's Cheeseburger falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed food. It contains emulsifiers, antioxidants, colourings, maltodextrin and dextrose, used to bind, preserve, stabilise or standardise the product, alongside breaded or formed proteins and processed cheese. This is a description of how the food is made and formulated, not a statement that it is unsafe to eat.
Calories, fat, sugar and salt only describe part of the picture. Two foods can have similar nutrition figures while differing substantially in how processed they are, how many ingredients they contain, and how many additives are used to replicate texture, flavour or appearance. The NOVA classification and ingredient list capture this difference, which the nutrition panel alone does not.
A McDonald's Cheeseburger contains wheat, soya and milk. May also contain traces of barley, rye and sesame from shared kitchen equipment.
A McDonald's Cheeseburger contains 1.4g of salt, 23% of the adult daily limit of 6g.
At 295 kcal, the McDonald's Cheeseburger is among the lower-calorie hot items on the core menu.
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Nutrition and allergen information from McDonald's UK official sources (allergen booklet and product pages). Figures are per item as sold, before optional sauces, dips or extras, and may vary slightly by recipe updates. Reference intakes: EU Reference Intakes for an average adult (2,000 kcal); NHS/SACN free sugar and saturated fat guidelines. For guidance only, not medical advice. Always check the McDonald's UK app or in-restaurant information for the most current data.
