Restaurant Shakedown
The COVID-19 pandemic that shuttered restaurants resulted in many more people preparing their meals, but let’s be honest, this shift in eating patterns is likely temporary. Meals from full-service restaurants (also called fast-casual restaurants) will remain an integral part of US diets. Whether it’s for convenience, cravings or a return to social gatherings (like Fri-Yays!), sometimes we’d rather have someone else do the cooking. Pre-pandemic, about 20 percent of Americans visited a fullservice restaurant such as Applebee’s and Olive Garden at least once weekly and the money spent on food away from home during normal times now surpasses the money spent on food prepared at home.
This would not be such a concern if menus weren’t full of meals of questionable nutritional value served up in monster portions that can upend healthy eating goals.
A report in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when eating full-service restaurant food, it can result in a net increase in total energy, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium intake. While a Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics study discovered that very few chain restaurants met the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check meal certification criteria for calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and fiber. And…surprise, surprise…main entrées from family-style establishments typically have significantly more calories, fat and saturated fat than what is offered at fast-food restaurants, and this includes the child’s menu. “Interestingly, the portions at these restaurants are often considerably larger than portions in fast-food places and, hence, the higher calorie counts,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim. More liberal use of items like sauces and cheese doesn’t help with calorie control either.
No wonder the average entree at a sit-down restaurant can ring in at a lofty 1,200 calories. And since just one typical fast-casual meal—with an entrée, beverage, and dessert—can eat up half of a person’s daily calorie allotment, Young says it’s easy to see how a couple of restaurant visits a week could show up on the waistline. Data does suggest that more frequent meals away from home are associated with higher body weights and lower intake of essential nutrients. “This can increase risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease,” notes Young.
But it’s not all complete doom-and gloom when it comes to occasionally skipping doing the dishes in favor of dining a la booth. Research suggests that menu calorie labeling, now a requirement for chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, can help steer patrons to some lower-calorie options when dining out, although the science is a bit mixed on how effective mandatory menu nutrition labeling is on changing consumer behavior. Increased transparency may make a restaurant increase their offering of lighter fare.
Young adds that many of America’s favorite restaurants are now offering better-for-you options including grilled salmon, baked chicken, and whole grains like pasta and quinoa bowls. Consumers are demanding healthier options that also taste great. Popular restaurants like Panera and Outback Steakhouse have menus with several entree choices under 600-700 calories. You just have to give them a try.
The post Restaurant Shakedown appeared first on University Health News.
