Have you ever noticed that a hearty pasta or decadent burger and fries at your favorite restaurant impacts your body differently than when you eat a similar meal cooked at home? Restaurant foods often contain more ingredients and are served in larger portions. Why should we focus on healthy eating at restaurants?
Importance of learning about our food
Millions of people suffer from chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. There is a consensus among health experts that a higher risk for some of these diseases results from several nutrients in our food, namely: carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and sodium. This is an oversimplification of the relationship our bodies have with our food, as there are many other factors that contribute to our overall health, but focusing on these three nutrients will provide valuable metrics in guiding us towards making better decisions.
Even if you do not suffer from an illness, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, you will still feel the effects of your diet. Indulging in too many carbohydrates may leave you feeling more tired than usual. Too much salt could make you feel bloated. Many have difficulty waking up every morning, maintaining consistent energy, or feel heightened anxiety at times. Your nutrition absolutely affects how you feel throughout the day, and this can impact your productivity at work, school, and in everyday activities.
What can we do?
Most of us have a vast selection to choose from for our meals. Large corporations, restaurant chains, and numerous retailers disproportionately control what foods we have available to us. We don’t have to resort to cooking all of our meals under the scrutiny of our own kitchens. We can dine out and still enjoy delicious food. Most restaurant chains provide nutritional information on their websites. Focus on carbohydrates, saturated/trans fats, and sodium. This will prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by the volume of information provided. You may be surprised by what even a supposed healthy salad could contain.
Make it a goal to understand the nutrient profiles of some of your favorite meals. Not all restaurants will have this information available. As you spend more time familiarizing yourself with various restaurant menus, you will develop a good sense of the nutrient profiles of most dishes based on the ingredients and descriptions. This can be likened to how you can gauge the temperature outside based on your experiences comparing against the thermometer. Becoming better informed about our meal choices when eating out will help translate to better health!