Eating out is almost a necessity in today’s fast-paced, hectic lifestyle. But restaurant food is the downfall of many people who want to eat a healthy diet and/or lose weight. What can you do if cooking every meal at home isn’t an option? Just make healthier choices, says Diane Hart, editor of Oxygen and author of Pick It Kick It.
“Portion control is the key,” she says, along with choosing smarter foods. Here are some of Hart’s tips when ordering some of our favorite ethnic cuisine.
1. Chinese
Many Chinese dishes are deep fried and their sauces are high in sugar. Do order: Steamed dumplings (low in fat), wonton soup (low in calories), dishes made with tofu (protein), stir-fried chicken (high in protein), and pineapple chicken (sweet, but with fewer calories than sweet-and-sour chicken). Don’t order: Fried noodles (high in fat — perhaps even trans fats), spare ribs (high in fat and sugar), egg rolls (high in calories and salt), fried rice (high in fat and salt), and egg foo yung (cholesterol — and maybe trans fats). Stir fry is a good choice, but ask the cook to use as little oil as possible.
