This Is The 'Least Unhealthy' Dessert At Cheesecake Factory

As the restaurant's name suggests, a lot about dining at The Cheesecake Factory is about, well, the cheesecake. The restaurant has a huge menu that is comprised of a whopping 250 dishes, of which, more than 30 items are the namesake desserts, from the usual Key Lime and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecakes to more indulgent options like the Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake and the Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake. It's safe to say, if you're in the mood for a slice, you know where to go.

But when you're enjoying the treat, the high amount of calories, sugar, and fat is probably the last thing on your mind. Everyone deserves a bit of guilt-free dessert eating, right? However, The Cheesecake Factory's menu is maybe a little too indulgent. In fact, the Xtreme Eating Awards in 2014 gave a special award to The Cheesecake Factory for taking up three of the nine spots (one of which was designated for the restaurant's Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake) on their list of worst restaurant dishes for overall calories.

If everything's that bad, which dessert should you order? In an interview with Eat This, Not That!, Karen Graham, a registered dietician that has penned three books on diabetes, said that, while really nothing on the restaurant's menu is particularly healthy, the desserts range from "bad to worst."

A bowl of fruit probably isn't what you want to be ordering for dessert at a restaurant that is known for its decadent desserts but, says registered dietitian Karen Graham, if you're going to count calories, a helping of fresh strawberries is going to do the least damage (via Eat This, Not That!). If it helps, the fruit comes with a side of whipped cream for dipping.

Although, if it's a cheesecake that you're really craving, Graham recommends going with The Cheesecake Factory's Low-Licious Cheesecake. With 580 calories, 44 grams of fat, and 39 grams of carbohydrates, it may be the "healthiest" dessert option at the restaurant — but it's not exactly healthy.

But, Thrillist pits the Low-Licious Cheesecake last in their ranked list of The Cheesecake Factory's cheesecakes in terms of flavor (it's sweetened with Splenda after all). So if you'd rather not be stuck eating something bland when you're already going for a calorie bomb, Graham suggests ordering the chain's Original Cheesecake. With 830 calories (about 250 more than the low-carb version), 59 grams of fat, and 63 grams of carbohydrates, Graham says that it's the only other "least unhealthiest option" on the menu. And, it ranks fourth on Thrillist's list, so it's a pretty decent win-win.