Some Tips to Eating Out Healthy

When you eat out at restaurants or fast food joints, you are eating food that is convenient, filling and tasty too. Of course, it is sometimes junk food and not a healthy option for those on a diet or a weight loss program. Unfortunately, fast food is usually high in trans-fats, sodium, saturated fats and calories, completely devoid of nutritional content. The way food is cooked in restaurants contributes to the loss of nutrients.

However, eating out healthy is not too difficult if you make a conscious effort to stick to eating nutritious items on the menu. You will find that restaurants do offer healthy choices to those people eating out healthy and you can ask for food prepared the way you'd like it. A few tips to help you on your quest to eating out healthily even for those once in a while occasions:

• Make careful menu selections when eating out healthy: Pay attention to the description of the items in the menu. Items that are deep fried or batter dipped or those that contain creamy sauces are high in sodium and trans fats. Choose dishes with lean meat, grilled chicken or go for a vegetable dish or soup. These food items will ensure that you are eating a good helping of vegetables and proteins that are good for you.

• Watch what goes as topping and dressing when eating out healthy: Salads are the healthiest of foods if they are prepared with healthy dressing. Choose light vinaigrette on your salad or ask for the dressings to be served on the side. Also, you could substitute ketchup or mustard as a sandwich topping served on the side, so that you can control how much of it you eat. Avoid cheese spreads, mayonnaise or sour cream dressings.

• When eating out healthily ask for specially prepared dishes: As mentioned earlier, items served at a restaurant would be healthy but for their method of preparation. When placing your order, ask for the dressings and sauces to be placed on the side. Order food items that are steamed, broiled or grilled. Vegetable dishes can be lightly grilled or cooked in canola or olive oil.

• Be careful of the salt content in junk food: The salt content in restaurant food and takeaways is always on the higher side. Sodium is a major cause of high blood pressure, so avoid adding more salt to the dish.

• Portion Control: The average portions at restaurants are usually very large, and so you end up consuming more than a thousand calories in one go, and your plan of eating out healthy goes out the window. Still, you might want to be a little careful to order smaller portions of the items or avoid fries as a side dish but instead opt for a salad with a light olive oil dressing.

• If you aim to eating out healthy, avoid "All-you-can-have" buffets: Buffets will usually tempt you to eat more than you should; it is all a matter of self control. Don't eat to get your money's worth. Instead, choose fresh fruits and salads so that you would be eating healthy. Also, go for second helpings only if you are hungry. 

• Eat healthy and drink healthy: Your body needs at least 8 glasses of water each day, so drink water instead of soda with your meals. Sodas are another source of empty calories that your body could do without. For dessert, select a fresh fruit salad or have a tiny scoop of low-fat, sugar-free ice cream.