Today's Special: Half a Days Worth of Calories in One Meal

Today’s Special:
Half a Days Worth of Calories in One Meal 

Odds are you enjoy dining out on occasion, maybe even multiple times a week. Let’s face it, it’s fun to try new restaurants and eat at your favorites too! It’s relaxing and convenient to have your meals cooked and delivered straight to you. We all know that large-chain restaurants and fast-food places have earned a bad rap when it comes to having nutritious meals, but are local restaurants to blame for the ongoing obesity epidemic in the United States too?

According to a new study released by the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, non-chain restaurants are just as guilty as fast-food restaurants when it comes to packing their meals with excessive amounts of calories! In fact, in the study produced by Urban, L. E., Weber, J. L., Heyman, M. B., Schichtl, R. L., Verstraete, S., Lowery, N. S., . . . Roberts, S. B. (2016), a whopping 92% of meals that were chosen based on popularity from random restaurants around San Francisco, CA; Boston, MA; and Little Rock, AR contained more than the recommended amount of calories to consume at lunch or dinner. The average amount of calories that one meal contained, not including any appetizers, desserts, or sugar sweetened beverages, was about 1,200. That’s about 55% of the typical daily recommendation for women following a 2,000 calorie daily diet and about 44% for men following a 2,500 calorie daily diet! If you’re thinking that you’re in the clear because you don’t order sides with your meals, think again! The entrees themselves made up the majority of the calories which averaged about 1,000! American, Italian, and Chinese cuisines ranked among the highest energy amounts, averaging almost 1,500 calories per meal!

Recent legislation requires restaurants that have twenty or more locations to provide accurate nutrition information to the public. However, only about 50% of restaurants are subject to this law because the other 50% are non-chain restaurants. The study discussed the benefits of possibly requiring all restaurants to post nutrition facts, but researchers don’t think that would be enough to combat the obesity epidemic. The study states that one reason for overeating while dining out may be that our neurobiology drives us to overindulge when excessive portions are presented to us. This has led to the proposed idea that restaurants should allow their customers to select their own portion size which is also reflected in the price. It is noted that this suggestion would not restrict what restaurants could offer or how much people could consume, but simply offer more choices for the diet-conscious customer. Until then, there are a few ways that we can fight off extra calories ourselves if we choose to dine out!

Tips to Reduce Your Calorie Intake at Restaurants:

Know before you go!

Reviewing nutrition facts for meals served at chain restaurants before dining out allows you to choose an option low in calories, saturated fat, and sodium!

Water, please!

Drinking water with your meals will easily cut out calories and also help make you feel full faster if you take a sip in between bites!

Ask for a to-go box before, not after!

Immediately placing half of your meal in a to-go box helps prevent overeating, and hey, that means leftovers for the next day!

On the side, please!

Requesting dressings and sauces on the side will allow you to be in control of how many additional calories you want to consume!

In today's fast paced world, it's inevitable that people are going to dine out. Research shows that whether we choose a local restaurant or a fast-food restaurant, we are susceptible to consuming excessive amounts of calories that are known to be a leading cause in obesity. This doesn't mean that we can't dine out, it just means that we need to be in control! Hopefully you found some of the suggested tips helpful and will be able to practice mindful eating habits the next time you decide to visit any restaurant. Remember, everything in moderation!

Reference:

Urban, L. E., Weber, J. L., Heyman, M. B., Schichtl, R. L., Verstraete, S., Lowery, N. S., . . . Roberts, S. B. (2016). Energy Contents of Frequently Ordered Restaurant Meals and Comparison with Human Energy Requirements and US Department of Agriculture Database Information: A Multisite Randomized Study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(4).