How Many Calories Does a Hamburger Have?

Whether you are grilling in your backyard or eating at a restaurant, it's hard to beat a juicy hamburger. Get the scoop on the nutrition and calories in a burger, as well as how to make it healthier without sacrificing flavor. From cheese to toppings, burgers can easily be customized to your taste.

Hamburgers are not only easy to make, but they're also a favorite choice for kids and adults alike. The basic recipe calls for a ground beef patty, which can be either grilled, pan-fried, flame-broiled or baked in an oven, and nestled between two hamburger buns. Cheese, onions, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes are some of the most popular toppings.

When considering hamburger calories, beware that toppings do add up. Let's start with the most important part of the hamburger — the meat.

A typical burger contains about 4 ounces of ground beef, which, according to the USDA, is 375 calories. For those who like bigger burgers, add on an additional 94 calories for each ounce. A 6-ounce burger, for example, will have 563 calories just from the beef. A traditional white hamburger bun will add 145 calories.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the ground beef in a burger is a good source of protein (16 grams in 4 ounces), niacin, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc. On the downside, beef hamburgers contain high levels of cholesterol (88 grams) and saturated fats (13 grams).

The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day. You would reach this limit with just one hamburger per day. Saturated fats increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood, which in turn, may increase your risk of stroke and heart disease.

Most people don't eat a hamburger without adding in some toppings for extra flavor. The most popular choices are bacon and cheese. But these calories add up.

A slice of cheddar cheese, for instance, adds 69 calories, while two slices of fried bacon add 90 calories. The calorie count for other popular hamburger toppings is as follows:

• Pickles: Half of a dill pickle has 5 calories
• Onions: 1/2 cup, sliced, has 23 calories
• Lettuce: 1 medium leaf provides 1 calorie
• Tomatoes: 1 medium slice has 4 calories
• Ketchup: 1 tablespoon has 20 calories
• Mustard: 1 teaspoon supplies 15 calories

Gourmet burgers often have more adventurous toppings, which can further increase the calorie count. Avocados are full of antioxidants and healthy fats but provide about 16 calories per slice. For those who want a kick without the extra calories, poblano peppers add spice with just 5 calories per ounce.

It's easier to control the calories in a burger when you're preparing it at home versus at a fast-food restaurant where extra sauces and other ingredients are added. Despite that, sometimes it is more convenient to drive through and pick up a ready-made burger.

The calorie count of some popular fast food burgers, such as McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King, includes:

• McDonald's Cheeseburger: 300 calories
• McDonald's Big Mac Burger: 540 calories
• McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese: 740 calories
• Burger King Hamburger: 240 calories
• Burger King Bacon King: 1,150 calories
• Burger King Extra Long Cheeseburger: 630 calories
• Wendy's Bacon Jalapeno Burger: 750 calories

If you plan on grabbing a fast food burger, your best bet is to go with a plain burger with a single patty rather than those with a double patty or extra cheese and toppings. As you can see, the plain Burger King hamburger has only 240 calories, compared to the Burger King Bacon King at 1,150 calories. You can also pick a junior size burger instead of a regular one to save calories.

If you're making burgers at home, you can swap out ground beef for other types of meat to cut calories and saturated fat. Ground turkey, for example, has 230 calories in 4 ounces, with just 6 grams of saturated fat (versus 13 grams in ground beef). Ground chicken has just 162 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat per 4 ounces.

When eating out, meatless burgers seem like a good choice for vegetarians. However, Harvard Health Publishing says that they are heavily processed and contain a lot of saturated fat. On the plus side, eating a meatless burger is better for the environment as cattle ranches use lots of water and produce greenhouse gas emissions.

You can also cut calories by using sandwich thins as buns or skipping the buns altogether and just eat the hamburger patty by itself. If you prefer a bun with your burger, opt for a multigrain brand, which will provide more fiber and other nutrients than a regular white bun.

As far as the toppings, skip the mayo and bacon and load up on veggies, as well as ketchup and mustard for flavor. A healthy burger can also be a tasty burger!