Why You Should Think Twice About Getting The Original Style Wings At Hooters

Maybe it's a Sunday afternoon and you want to go watch football with a cold pint of beer in hand. Or maybe it's a Thursday evening and you want to hit up happy hour and indulge in some adult beverages and appetizers. There are plenty of places you could go, but if you're craving wings, there are few restaurants as famous for their meaty bites as Hooters. The national chain offers six different types of chicken wings along with a plethora of spices and sauces. You can get garlic habanero smoked wings, the famous Daytona Beach-style wings, or honey Sriracha wings, just to name a few.

Before you ask the waitress for a plate of original-style wings (blue cheese on the side, please and thank you), you may want to rethink your order. Turns out digging into a big pile of wings may not be the best decision — and it's not just because you're going to need hose off after the mess you're about to make. 

If you've ever felt like everything that tastes good (donuts, Doritos, ice cream, etc.) is bad for you, sorry to be the bearer of bad news — but the original-style wings at Hooters fall into that same bucket. Sure, they pack in protein with around 8 grams per wing, but they also pack in fat and sodium. According to Hooters' nutritional information, a 15-piece platter of original wings can contain up to 1,560 grams of sodium and 29 grams of saturated fat. For reference, the American Heart Association recommends adults consume no more than 1,500 grams of sodium and 13 grams of saturated fat per day. Yikes.

What should you order instead? Fortunately, you don't have to give up wings completely. A smarter (and healthier) choice is the naked wings. Without calorie-laden sauces, a 15-piece order of naked wings contains just 960 grams of sodium and 19 grams of saturated fat. Still high, but much better than the original-style wings.