Can you eat a healthful fast-food breakfast? It's not exactly simple, but there are some choices that are the lesser of several evils. Keep in mind that breakfast should be about 25 percent of your daily calories.

McDonald's

Calorie Rip-Offs:

* Deluxe Breakfast (biscuit, eggs, sausage and hash browns) without syrup or margarine: 1,070 calories, 55 g fat, 2,090 mg sodium, 109 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 36 g protein.

* Hotcakes and Sausage (with two pats margarine and syrup): 780 calories, 33 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 4 g trans fat, 1,020 mg sodium, 106 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 15 g protein.

Picks:

* English Muffin (no butter): 140 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 260 mg sodium, 27 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein.

* Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12 g fat, 820 mg sodium, 30 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 18 g protein.

* Scrambled Eggs (two): 170 calories, 11 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 180 mg sodium, 1 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 15 g protein.

Fit Tip: Avoid the biscuits; they start at 250 calories and go up to 570. If you're going to go for something high in calories, you're better off, from a hunger perspective, having an Egg McMuffin. At least it has protein rather than just heavy carbs, which could leave you feeling hungry a few hours later. Also, watch out for the flavored coffees, McDonald's adds syrup, so the calories are up there (190 for a medium).

Burger King

Calorie Rip-Offs:

* Enormous Omelet Sandwich: 730 calories, 45 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 1 g trans fat, 1,940 mg sodium, 44 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 37 g protein.

* Double Croissan'wich with Sausage, Egg & Cheese: 680 calories, 51 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fat, 1,060 mg sodium, 26 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 19 g protein.

* Large Hash Browns: 620 calories, 40 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 13 g trans fat, 1,200 mg sodium, 60 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 5 g protein.

* Cini-minis with Vanilla Icing: 500 calories, 21 g fat, 5.5 g saturated fat, 4.5 g trans fat, 600 mg sodium, 72 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Picks:

* Croissan'wich Egg & Cheese: 300 calories, 17 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fat, 740 mg sodium, 26 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 12 g protein.

* Ham Omelet Sandwich: 330 calories, 14 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1,130 mg sodium, 35 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 16 g protein.

Fit Tip: If you have a choice of sausage, ham or bacon, skip the sausage -- it can be 130 calories more.

Dunkin' Donuts

Calorie Rip-Offs:

* Bacon Lover's Supreme Breakfast Sandwich: 640 calories, 43 g fat, 19 g saturated fat, 0.5 g trans fat, 1,120 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 26 g protein.

* Sausage Egg Cheese Croissant Sandwich: 690 calories, 51 g fat, 17 g saturated fat, 7 g trans fat, 1,080 mg sodium, 40 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 22 g protein.

* Maple Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich: 690 calories, 45 g fat, 15 g saturated fat, 7 g trans fat, 630 mg sodium, 45 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 25 g protein.

Picks:

* Bacon Egg Cheese English Muffin Sandwich: 360 calories, 16 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1,300 mg sodium, 36 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 17 g protein.

* Egg Cheese English Muffin Sandwich: 280 calories, 9 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1,010 mg sodium, 34 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 15 g protein.

* Flavored Coffee: 20 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 65 mg sodium, 4 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein.

Fit Tip: What about a doughnut? Believe it or not, it just might be your lowest calorie choice (about 250 to 350), although it could leave you hungry. The flavored coffee at Dunkin' Donuts is great.

Starbucks

Calorie Rip-Offs:

* Blueberry Scone: 480 calories, 22 g fat, 0.5 g trans fat, 520 mg sodium, 64 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.

* Cinnamon Chip Scone: 490 calories, 25 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 500 mg sodium, 62 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Picks:

* Black Forest Ham, Egg and Cheddar Sandwich: 380 calories, 16 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 930 mg sodium, 37 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 21 g protein.

* Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon, Cholesterol-Free Egg, Reduced-Fat White Cheddar Sandwich: 350 calories, 11 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 820 mg sodium, 41 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 20 g protein.

Fit Tip: Almost all the baked goods (muffins, coffee cakes, Danishes, etc.) are high in calories and nutritionally void (although they don't have saturated fat). Your best bet is a real meal. Not all Starbucks carry breakfast, but if they do, go for the Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon, Cholesterol-Free Egg, Reduced-Fat White Cheddar sandwich. Starbucks makes good plain coffee; get that with skim milk. (Note: Starbucks nutritional information varies by region.)

Arby's

Calorie Rip-Offs:

* Sausage Gravy Biscuit: 961 calories, 68 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 3,755 mg sodium, 107 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein.

* Pecan Sticky Bun: 688 calories, 22 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 420 mg sodium, 91 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 12 g protein.

Picks:

* Bacon & Egg Croissant: 337 calories, 22 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 651 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 11 g protein.

* Ham & Cheese Croissant: 274 calories, 12 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 842 mg sodium, 22 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 13 g protein.

Fit Tip: Avoid all the T.J. Cinnamons goodies -- especially the Pecan Sticky Buns.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public health advocate, founder of DietDetective.com, the health and fitness network and author of "The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible" (Simon & Schuster, 2007). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter and iTunes podcast at www.DietDetective.com.