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96 Percent of Restaurants Aren’t Meeting Health Guidelines
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Few menu items from U.S. chain restaurants meet health recommendations set by the USDA, according to a new study [ChicagoTribune.com].
Researchers looked at the nutrition content of 30,923 menu items from 245 restaurants, including fast food, buffet, takeout, family style, and upscale establishments. They found that 96 percent of the menu items failed to meet the recommendations for calories, sodium, saturated fat, and fat.
While fast food joints are often looked down upon compared to other options, the study found that food from family style restaurants, like Pizza Hut, Red Lobster, or Denny’s, actually had higher calories (271 more), fat (16 g more), and sodium (435 g more). Appetizers were also more likely to be high in calories, compared to other menu items. The average calorie count for appetizers was 813.
The study also found that restaurants that tend to have menu items with higher calories, fat, and sodium don’t provide nutrition information on their websites.
“Just because food is served at a nice restaurant doesn’t mean it’s healthy or nutritious,” says Kris Bio, director of nutrition at Core Performance. "Go online and review the menu’s nutrition information before you leave the house. If nutrition information isn’t available, consider eating somewhere else." Or stay in and cook. Home-cooked meals can add years to your life.
Visit www.CorePerformance.com/eating-out for more tips.
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