Can burgers be healthy?

It is one of the nutritional dilemmas which vexes London mothers on a regular basis - particularly over half-terms and holidays. Can burgers - so perennially popular with children of all ages - ever be considered a decent meal?

The standard wisdom is that burgers are bad, full stop. They are frequently vilified - because of the considerable quantities of calories, saturated fat and salt which they contain - as being partly responsible for the epidemic of obesity which is creeping over the country.

But now a hospital in Norwich which allows visits from McDonald's representatives who hand out vouchers for free burgers and fries to children has defended this practice, claiming that burgers helped provide "sufficient calories" for children.

Is this a cynical marketing ploy, or do burgers provide a helpful dose of protein for children recovering from illness? It is true that many children dislike hospital food, and that not eating will not help their recovery, but do burgers provide what they need?

"Yes, burgers certainly provide protein and calories," says Natalie Savona, author of The Kitchen Shrink (Duncan Baird Publishing, £10.99), "but you have to think of the quality of those calories. If you just want to give children some protein and calories, you can do that with a protein drink. Most commercially made burgers are not of high quality. You wonder which part of the animal the meat has come from, whether the meat is mechanically recovered, and whether the burger contains fillers or additives. Commercial burgers are also high in saturated fats and are usually high in salt.

"Of course, burgers can be good for you," adds Savona. "If you get some lean steak, mix it up with some minced onion, perhaps add some garlic or herbs such as parsley, and bind the mixture with an egg or Worcester sauce, you've got a great meal."

Here we examine six burger patties - from two high-street fast-food outlets, three supermakets and a homemade version - to compare their nutritional content, and give them a rating out of five. Savona recommends below the best way to serve up your burger without piling on the calories.

Big Mac: McDonald's says its burgers are 100 per cent beef, from good cuts of quality meat from accredited suppliers, with no fillers, additives or flavour enhancers - which sounds impressive. But it's hard to eat without the bun, which is all refined carbohydrates, with added salt.

Burger King: 100 per cent meat. Same as above. Again, the salt in this package comes from the bun, the pickle and the ketchup, rather than from the burger.

Birds Eye: This contains less meat (77 per cent) and more fillers in the way of onion and rusk than the high-street burgers, but if you grilled it, dressed it up in a wholemeal bun and ate it with a fresh tomato salsa and a salad, it would be a reasonably healthy meal.

Safeway: Again, this contains less meat and more flavourings than high-street burgers. Why is there sugar in the ingredient list? Don't be tempted to fry burgers like this at home or to smother them in mayonnaise, otherwise you could end up with a less healthy option than a high-street takeaway.

M&S vegetable burgers: This sounds like a healthier alternative - and it contains plenty of vegetables - but the fat content is high, thanks in part to the batter and crumb coating which will absorb more fat if you fry it.

Homemade burger: (4oz of 10-per-cent-fat organic beef, onion, egg, parsley). Lower in fat, full of fresh ingredients, there's not much wrong with this. Serve with a fresh crunchy salad and a clear conscience.