Thursday, September 22, 2011

Healthy Foods

Are you able to pick out the healthiest foods on the menu at a restaurant? According to a new poll by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, most people are unable to identify the dishes lowest in calories, salt, and fat. I’ll give you a sample question. Which popular dish in a typical restaurant is lowest in calories? A ham and cheddar omelet, country fried steak and eggs, three slices of French toast with syrup and margarine, or three pancakes with syrup and margarine. The answer? Country fried steak and eggs. If that isn’t hard enough, there are other issues like understanding the difference between carbohydrates, fat, and protein and what it means. One suggestion is more restaurants take advantage of the heart-healthy option signals that can be used to signal good choices. It’s very important we look at that option.