- NFL wide recevier DeVonta Smith says he eats McDonald's breakfast every game day.
- Smith said he favors the Chicken McGriddle Sandwich, which is high in sodium content.
- However, nutritionists say that the sandwich does have nutritional value for an athlete like Smith.
NFL wide receiver DeVonta Smith says he eats a hefty McDonald's meal before every game, and it might not be the worst pre-game snack for an athlete like him, according to nutritionists.
The 23-year-old Philadelphia Eagles rookie said his pre-game meal of choice is the Chicken McGriddle Sandwich, which is a piece of fried chicken in between two pancakes that have pockets of maple syrup injected into the pancake itself. Smith also eats two hash browns, drinks a glass of orange juice, and has some fruit to round out his meal.
"McDonald's breakfast is my go-to, it's just something I've always been doing," Smith told Insider after surprising youth athletes in New Jersey with gift cards to Dick's Sporting Goods. "With me being me, I try to keep things traditional."
Smith's meal comes to a rough total of 810 calories, 30 grams of total fat, 46 grams of sugar, 122 grams of carbohydrates, and 20 grams of protein, according to the McDonald's nutrition calculator.
While that might not be the healthiest breakfast for the average person, it is sustainable for an athlete like Smith who expends a lot of energy and calories during games, and it can be good fuel for his performance, according to nutritionists.
Nutritionists say Smith is getting the calories he needs from McDonald's, but maybe too much saturated fat
The calories, fat, carbs, and protein Smith is getting from McDonald's breakfast is not that much in the scope of his regular dietary needs.
Smith, who is 23 years old, 6'0, 170 lbs, and a professional athlete needs roughly 3,100-3,500 calories to just maintain his weight, according to registered dietitian Alix Turoff. On game days when he is running plays at full speed for up to three hours, he would likely need even more calories, as well as carbs and fat for energy.
"If we put it into context, his 900 calorie breakfast is about a third of his day which is reasonable," Turoff told Insider. "That being said, for 900 calories, he's not getting very much protein or fiber so there are certainly better options out there."
Registered dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, the founder of BetterThanDieting.com, agrees that Smith does have a need for the calories, carbs, and fat he's getting from McDonald's, but there are still downsides to his meal of choice.
The biggest issue, according to Taub-Dix, is the 6.5 grams of saturated fat and 1,645 milligrams of sodium in the meal. The saturated fat content exceeds 23% daily value, while the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends people to aim for 10% or less of saturated fat daily value.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, so Smith is below that threshold but doesn't leave himself much room to stay below for the rest of the day.
The worst of what Smith is getting from his McDonald's meal is the 46 grams of sugar. The AHA recommends no more than 24 grams of sugar per day, as it can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease, depression, dementia, liver disease, and certain types of cancer in multiple studies, according to Healthline.