[musings & memoirs]

A hamburger isn't, by itself, a terrible nutritional choice. Topped with some lettuce and tomato, ketchup and mustard, and served on a relatively small bun, a burger is a high-protein treat that shouldn't pack too much fat or too many calories. But every few months, we watch in horror as another bacon-enhanced, cheese-embalmed, ranch-riddled weapon of mass inflation hits menu boards. Why are we so concerned? Americans scarf down more than 40 billion restaurant burgers annually (or about 150 per person), and if you stack one of those bloated burgers next to a beverage like those on our list of the 20 unhealthiest drinks in America, you can rack up a whole day’s worth of calories in a single, misguided meal.

On the flipside, that also means you can save 10 or 15 pounds a year simply by making smarter burger choices. To get you started, we compiled a list of the 15 greasiest patties ever to be sandwiched between two buns. And to make sure you stay on track, we also tracked down a handful of healthier alternatives that prove you can eat better without sacrificing flavor.