Reconnecting with friends and neighbors often means dining out. While challenging, this doesn’t have to destroy your health goals. If you’re the fortunate one who gets to choose the restaurant, then you have a little advantage over the rest of your party. Here are some strategies you can employ to make your outing both enjoyable and healthy.
• Preview the menu. Most restaurants post their menus online. Take advantage of this to plan your options instead of making impulsive choices. Too many options, time constraints, and the conversation of others can cloud your awareness of what you’re choosing to eat.
• Select foods that are the least processed. Choosing raw where appropriate and selecting steamed, baked or grilled food are the next best choices. These forms of preparation help to limit sodium, saturated fat, sugar and additional calories while preserving nutrients naturally found in food. As food labeling guidelines are changing, some restaurants are beginning to implement changes, too. For instance, many chain restaurants have included calories on their menus beside each item to help guide the savvy consumer. Somehow to see a single item that, if chosen, can eat up over half of your daily caloric needs is an eye-opener……but you have to be looking.
Trudy Moon Eisel is a chiropractic physician specializing in functional medicine. She is a certified clinical nutritionist and diplomat of the American Board of Clinical Nutrition. She can be reached at moon@swspotlight.com.
• “Sides” can be more distracting than beneficial. Most people will begin by eating a starch-filled side before tackling the protein. Not only are sides usually higher in calories but also they fill you up faster. Choose wisely here. Pick steamed low starch vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts or asparagus over potatoes and skip the bread, pasta or rice. Skipping the higher starch options helps keep your blood sugar in check by adding fiber-rich, low-starch vegetables.
• Request sauces and dressings to be served on the side. These are stealth vehicles that deliver sugar, fat and salt. This will allow you to decide if you want to add them and how much flavor your dish actually needs. Need convincing? Start your research at home by opening your fridge or pantry and perusing the labels on your condiments, marinades and dressings.
• Choose water as your beverage of choice. Avoiding extra calories can be accomplished simply by choosing water as your beverage of choice when enjoying a meal out. Not only does this keep costs down but also it allows you to count these ounces as pure unadulterated hydration. In south Florida it takes diligence to keep up with the body’s higher fluid demands given our climate.
• Celebrate wisely. If you’re celebrating or simply want to imbibe, consider choosing to skip the dessert and enjoy your wine or cocktail as your dessert. Alternatively, if alcohol is not something you enjoy but rather have a penchant for sweets, look for a fresh fruit medley. Berries are preferred as they have an abundance of antioxidants and the higher fiber content slows down the absorption of the natural sugars.
Stay consistent with your meal timing. Going to a restaurant when you’re overly hungry or have skipped meals is just as bad as going to the grocery store hungry. You’ll choose poorly, eat too much and feel sluggish from over-consumption. Bon appétit!
Disclaimer: The information in this column is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice.