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7 “Healthy” Pura Vida Menu Items With More Fat Than a Big Mac

Evidence-Based
These seven Pura Vida favorites pack far more fat than a Big Mac, despite their healthy image.

The McDonald’s Big Mac has long been considered the standard bearer of fast food excess since it launched in 1968, but there are many fast food burgers and sandwiches that double if not triple the calorie count of this signature menu item. At 580 calories and 34 g of total fat per burger, the Big Mac contains fewer calories than items at Pura Vida, which has locations in New York, California, and Florida. Here are seven Pura Vida menu items with more fat than a Big Mac, based on nutrition information.

Croissant Sandwich

Pura Vida Croissant Sandwich
Pura Vida
Nutrition (Per Sandwich):
Calories: 1,040
Fat: 79 g (Saturated Fat: 29 g)
Sodium: 1410 mg
Carbs: 48 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 11 g)
Protein: 30 g

The Pura Vida Croissant Sandwich is made with a pasture-raised egg omelette with mozzarella, served on a plain croissant with tomato, mixed greens, and a side of spicy aioli. Sounds like a farmers’ market dream, right? Despite the wholesome ingredients, this sandwich delivers a massive fat load that rivals some full-size restaurant burgers.

The real fat stat: This breakfast sammie has more than double the Big Mac’s total fat!

Winter Greens Salad

Pura Vida Winter Greens Salad
Pura Vida
Nutrition (Per Salad):
Calories: 550
Fat: 46 g (Saturated Fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 590 mg
Carbs: 24 g (Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 16 g

The Pura Vida Winter Greens Salad is made with mixed greens, arugula, dill, basil, fennel, shaved parmesan, avocado, toasted pistachio crumbles, tossed in sumac vinaigrette. Each salad contains 46 g of total fat compared to 34 for the Big Mac.

The real fat stat: Most of the fat comes from the avocado, pistachios, shaved parmesan, and the vinaigrette, which together turn this “light” salad into a surprisingly rich dish.

Kale Chicken Caesar Wrap

Pura Vida Kale Chicken Caesar Wrap
Pura Vida
Nutrition (Per Wrap):
Calories: 1,350
Fat: 93 g (Saturated Fat: 20 g)
Sodium: 2240 mg
Carbs: 66 g (Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 66 g

The Kale Chicken Caesar Wrap at Pura Vida is made from “antibiotic-free chicken, locally sourced kale, croutons, shaved parmesan, and our seriously addicting homemade caesar dressing,” the chain says. Each wrap contains 93 g of fat and 2,240 mg of sodium, more than the FDA’s entire daily recommended value of 2,300 mg a day.

The real fat stat: Nearly triple the Big Mac’s fat and almost a full day’s sodium.

Jen’s Herb Salad

Pura Vida Jen's Herb Salad
Pura Vida
Nutrition (Per Salad):
Calories: 750
Fat: 46 g (Saturated Fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 1,050 mg
Carbs: 70 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 25 g)
Protein: 19 g

Jen’s Herb Salad is made with arugula, kale, mint, Italian parsley, micro cilantro, quinoa, jalapeño, spiced pumpkin seed, crumbled feta, scallion, and apple cider vinaigrette. Each salad contains more fat and carbs than a Big Mac.

The real fat stat: This “clean” salad still out-fats the Big Mac.

Tuna Salad

Pura Vida Tuna Salad Plate
Pura Vida
Nutrition (Per Plate):
Calories: 1,060
Fat: 68 g (Saturated Fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 2,420 mg
Carbs: 75 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 34 g

The Tuna Salad Plate is made with tuna salad and the choice of base, topped with sesame seed, served with ponzu yuzu sauce and house salad made with mixed greens, green onion, radish, pecan, parmesan, and sumac. Each plate contains twice the amount of fat as a Big Mac burger.

The real fat stat: A so-called lean tuna dish with double the fat of a Big Mac.

Crunchie Veggie Wrap

Pura Vida
Nutrition (Per Wrap):
Calories: 920
Fat: 96 g (Saturated Fat: 14 g)
Sodium: 1,900 mg
Carbs: 111 g (Fiber: 16 g, Sugar: 15 g)
Protein: 37 g

The Crunchie Veggie Wrap is made with roasted sweet potato, hummus, spinach, avocado, cucumber, tomato, carrot, sprouts, red onion, herb vinaigrette, and green tahini dressing on the side. Each wrap contains more than twice the fat in a Big Mac.

The real fat stat: The veggie wrap actually delivers the biggest fat punch of all.

Perfect Egg Sandwich

Pura Vida Perfect Egg Sandwhich
Pura Vida
Nutrition (Per Sandwich):
Calories: 630
Fat: 37 g (Saturated Fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 3,160 mg
Carbs: 42 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 26 g

The Perfect Egg Sandwich is made with artisanal toasted bagel scooped, pasture-raised eggs, mozzarella, arugula, avocado smash, tomatoes, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. This breakfast sandwich has slightly more fat than a Big Mac but three times as much sodium.

The real fat stat: A breakfast sandwich with Big Mac–level fat and triple the sodium!

Ferozan Mast
Ferozan Mast is a writer for Eat This, Not That! Read more about Ferozan