WHICH IS WORSE: FAST FOOD OR SIT-DOWN RESTAURANTS? BOTH!

A new study confirms that eating out, no matter what type of restaurant you choose, is less healthy than eating at home.  Using dietary intake data gathered from 24-hour food recalls of more than 18,000 U.S. adults, the analysis revealed  that eating at full-service sit-down restaurants is nutritionally similar to eating at fast-food outlets and that eating at home is significantly healthier.   

Compared to eating at home, eating out at either sit-down or fast food outlets, led to an average increased intake of nearly 200 calories per day. As for sodium and total fat, both fast-food and restaurant diners increase their intake but full-service restaurant meals contained an additional 412 mg of sodium compared to home while fast food offered 297 mg of additional sodium.

Still, fast-food meals got poorer marks with respect to excess saturated fat content.  Fast-food meals also contained significantly more sugar and significantly less fiber, potassium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A and C than home-cooked meals, while full-service restaurant meals did not.  Interestingly, when participants ordered out from sit-down restaurants, they consumed less than when they ate out.  This was not the case at fast-food restaurants.  The authors hypothesize that eating in the home setting rather than at a restaurant, prevents impulse orders of desserts or extra drinks and may facilitate adding some healthy foods from home to the take-out.

What to do:  Prepare food at home as a much as possible.  Menu planning is one of the most effective ways to increase meals prepared at home.  Convenience foods, (e.g. frozen meals, canned soups, ready-to-eat grilled chicken, etc.), though often high in sodium, can also be a reasonable calorie-controlled home option.  Combining these with frozen veggies steamed in the microwave or fresh raw vegetables can result in very quick, healthy meals.  There's also always eggs or canned tuna for a lightning fast healthy dinner. 

When you do eat out, look for entrees that include lean proteins and plenty of vegetables.  Avoid options high in carbohydrate (i.e. pasta entrees) or cream (i.e. Alfredo sauce) and meat fats (i.e. prime rib).  Also focus on keeping the portions controlled.  When available, choose the small option, half-portion, or kid's sized meals.  And, extras such as bread, drinks that contain calories, and dessert.

Adapted from articles available at:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_153530.html

http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-study-fast-food-restaurant-20150720-story.html

Source:

An R.  Fast-food and full-service restaurant consumption and daily energy and nutrient intakes in US adults.  European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  Available online ahead of publication 1 July 2015. DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2015.104