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Ditch unhealthy fast food nuggets. Try these instead!

  • Writer: Dr. Hansra
    Dr. Hansra
  • Apr 23
  • 5 min read

Updated: May 5



Fast food nuggets have become a staple in the diets of many, offering a quick and convenient meal option. However, beneath their crispy exterior lies a host of health concerns that make them a less-than-ideal choice for regular consumption. One of the primary issues with fast food nuggets is their lengthy ingredient list. As examples, did you know that Mc Donald's has 35 ingredients (Kowitt 2016), and Chick Fil-A has 26 ingredients in their chicken nuggets (Hari 2022). Research indicates that studies on fast food nuggets in general often contain high levels of unhealthy fats (Stender et al., 2007), high sodium levels (Moran et al., 2017), and potentially harmful compounds such as Phthalates (Edwards et al., 2022), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (Schaider et al., 2017), MSG (Niaz 2018, Kayode 2023), and acrylamide (Sansano et al., 2017)


Fast food nuggets in general are typically fried in vegetable oils, including canola oil, corn oil, and soybean oil. Some fast-food chains also use hydrogenated soybean oil. While vegetable oils can be a source of essential fatty acids, the process of frying and using hydrogenated oils can lead to the formation of unhealthy trans fats and other detrimental compounds such as acrylamide when fried at high temperatures, impacting human health negatively (Dhaka 2011, Kummerow 2009) Some fast-food chains also use hydrogenated soybean oil. While vegetable oils can be a source of essential fatty acids, the process of frying and using hydrogenated oils can lead to the formation of unhealthy trans fats and other detrimental compounds such as acrylamide when fried at high temperatures, impacting human health negatively. Research has demonstrated connections of trans fatty acids with cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, diabetes, obesity and allergic disease (Dhaka 2011). Acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen (group 2A) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) with links to certain cancers (Hogervorst 2022).


Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a widely used flavor enhancer derived from L-glutamic acid, a naturally occurring amino acid in a variety of food products. MSG has been linked to central nervous system disorders, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, liver damage, and reproductive malfunctions (Niaz 2018, Kayode 2023). Research also indicates that excessive MSG consumption can be detrimental go gut health (Ahangari et al., 2024).


Of concern research shows that fast food packaging can contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) which are highly persistent synthetic chemicals, some of which have been associated with cancer, developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, and other health effects (Schaider et al., 2017). PFASs are used as grease-resistant agents in food packaging but they can leach into food and increase dietary exposure (Schaider et al., 2017). Research indicates that fast food packaging can also contain Phthalates. These are industrial chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and are found in fast food due to their presence in food packaging, processing equipment, and even gloves used in handling food. They can leach out of these materials and contaminate food, leading to potential health concerns such as neurodevelopmental, metabolic, and reproductive disorders (Edwards et al., 2022). 


The health concerns over fast food are further exacerbated by the negative entourage effect: when you get fast food nuggets odds are you likely will purchase an unhealthy soda and fries to with it further increasing nutrient poor high calorie consumption further increasing your risk of obesity and cardiometabolic disease (Fuhrman 2018). Also, we need to take into account the cumulative effect of all these chemical compounds together over an extended period of time which is a very difficult thing to measure and control for in research studies. It is much safer err on the side of caution and to minimize long term consumption products with potential harm to human health rather than continue to consume and find out the hard way.



Ingredients


  1. Chicken breast 200 g

  2. Cooked potato 80 g

  3. Onion 50 g

  4. Salt 1/3 tsp

  5. Egg - 1 large

  6. Cornstarch 1 tsp

  7. Optional - Ground pepper to taste

  8. Olive oil - 1 tsp


Directions


  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor mix thoroughly

  2. Oil hands with olive oil (to coat nuggets and prevent sticking to hands)

  3. Pinch off pieces and make nuggets with your hands - makes about 15 nuggets

  4. Air fry for 20 minutes (cooking temperature may vary depending on nugget size and air fryer, always ensure chicken is properly cooked)

  5. Flip nuggets halfway to ensure even cooking

  6. Let stand for a few minutes before serving with favorite dipping sauce

Conclusion


Cooking you own nuggets at home has several health advantages. For example, when you cook at home, you can choose high-quality, unprocessed meats and avoid potentially harmful additives such as MSG, PFAS, unhealthy fats, and phalates (according to research). Also, baking or air frying at home can significantly reduce the amount of unhealthy fats compared to deep frying. Our recipe calls for olive oil and compared to other unsaturated vegetable oils, olive oil has a much higher oxidative stability due to its lipid profile, and it is considered a premium frying oil (Abranta-Pascual 2024). Also, there is evidence that if extra virgin or regular olive oil are used for frying, fried foods are enriched with health-promoting bioactive compounds as a consequence of oil absorption, leading to the increase in fried food nutritional value (Abranta-Pascual 2024). Essentially by cooking your own nuggets at home you can mitigate the risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other potential health risks including certain cancers over the long run. Furthermore, homemade chicken nuggets are cost-effective: Preparing nuggets at home can be more economical than purchasing them from fast food restaurants. Our recipe is half the cost of buying nuggets at a fast-food restaurant.

So go ahead and make your own chicken nuggets to save not only your health, but also your money too!



References


  1. Abrante-Pascual S, Nieva-Echevarría B, Goicoechea-Oses E. Vegetable Oils and Their Use for Frying: A Review of Their Compositional Differences and Degradation. Foods. 2024 Dec 23;13(24):4186.

  2. Ahangari H, Bahramian B, Khezerlou A, Tavassoli M, Kiani-Salmi N, Tarhriz V, Ehsani A. Association between monosodium glutamate consumption with changes in gut microbiota and related metabolic dysbiosis-A systematic review. Food Sci Nutr. 2024 Apr 29;12(8):5285-5295.

  3. Dhaka V, Gulia N, Ahlawat KS, Khatkar BS. Trans fats-sources, health risks and alternative approach - A review. J Food Sci Technol. 2011 Oct;48(5):534-41.

  4. Edwards L, McCray NL, VanNoy BN, Yau A, Geller RJ, Adamkiewicz G, Zota AR. Phthalate and novel plasticizer concentrations in food items from U.S. fast food chains: a preliminary analysis. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2022 May;32(3):366-373.

  5. Fuhrman J. The Hidden Dangers of Fast and Processed Food. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018 Apr 3;12(5):375-381.

  6. Hari, Vani 2022, "Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets Recipe (Copycat) without addicting chemicals! Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets Recipe (Copycat) without addicting chemicals! accessed 04/16/2025.

  7. Hogervorst JGF, Schouten LJ. Dietary acrylamide and human cancer; even after 20 years of research an open question. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Oct 6;116(4):846-847.

  8. International Agency for Research on Cancer . Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogen risk to humans: some industrial chemicals. Lyon (France): International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1994.

  9. Kayode OT, Bello JA, Oguntola JA, Kayode AAA, Olukoya DK. The interplay between monosodium glutamate (MSG) consumption and metabolic disorders. Heliyon. 2023 Sep 9;9(9):e19675.

  10. Kowitt, Beth, "McDonald's Just Made A Big Change to Its Chicken McNuggets". Fortune.com. Retrieved August 1, 2016. Accessed 04/15/25.

  11. Kummerow FA. The negative effects of hydrogenated trans fats and what to do about them. Atherosclerosis. 2009 Aug;205(2):458-65.

  12. Moran AJ, Ramirez M, Block JP. Consumer underestimation of sodium in fast food restaurant meals: Results from a cross-sectional observational study. Appetite. 2017 Jun 1;113:155-161.

  13. Niaz K, Zaplatic E, Spoor J. Extensive use of monosodium glutamate: A threat to public health? EXCLI J. 2018 Mar 19;17:273-278.

  14. Sansano M, Heredia A, Peinado I, Andrés A. Dietary acrylamide: What happens during digestion. Food Chem. 2017 Dec 15;237:58-64.

  15. Schaider LA, Balan SA, Blum A, Andrews DQ, Strynar MJ, Dickinson ME, Lunderberg DM, Lang JR, Peaslee GF. Fluorinated Compounds in U.S. Fast Food Packaging. Environ Sci Technol Lett. 2017;4(3):105-111

  16. Stender S, Dyerberg J, Astrup A. Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy. Int J Obes (Lond). 2007 Jun;31(6):887-90.


 
 
 

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