Inaccurate Nutrition Labels? How to Eat Safe at Restaurants

Hopefully by now you're aware of new legislation that required chain restaurants in New York City to post nutrition information on their menus. Studies have already shown that when calories are displayed people tend to choose lower calorie items. That's great but I just read about a new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that found that some restaurant meals contained more calories than indicated on the menu. In this study the calorie level amongst restaurants analyzed averaged 18% more than the stated values! That means that your 600 calorie burger (which is already a lot) could be closer to 708 calories!
This isn't good news but don't lose all hope. So what is someone who is watching their weight to do?!
Here are my tips on how to play it safe at restaurants:
1) It's probably safest to assume that the calorie levels are off, so when in doubt overestimate.
2) Even if you don't know the calorie amounts of the foods on the menu make healthy choices. For example, choose lean baked, broiled, or grilled meats instead of breaded or fried ones. Always order sauces and dressings on the side so that you can control how much you put on your food.
3) Learn what appropriate serving sizes are. Restaurant portions are out of control. Did you know that a stardard serving of meat is 3 oz? That's the size of a deck of cards. You'd be hard pressed to find anything less than a 6 oz steak at a restaurant. For more info on serving sizes visit www.mypyramid.gov
4) When going out to eat split your meal with a friend or take half home for leftovers the next day. Don't feel that you need to finish the whole plate by yourself.
5) Ask your server how foods are prepared. A lot of veggies are prepared in butter or oil so they may not be as low calorie as you think.
6). Don't eat out. This may seem like a "duh!" but if you prepare your own food at home you'll know exactly what's in it. Intead of going out to eat with friends all the time, invite them over for a potluck or to try out a new recipe.


You can check out the study yourself at www.adajournal.org