A recent study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, discovered that “eating at a restaurant is comparable to — or in some cases less healthy than — eating at a fast-food outlet. While people who eat at restaurants tend to take in more healthy nutrients… than those who eat at home or at a fast-food outlet, the restaurant diners also consume substantially more sodium and cholesterol — two nutrients that Americans generally eat in excess, even at home”.1
Another concerning factor is sodium intake, since the recommended daily allowance is 1,500 – 2,300 milligrams. In this study, they found that eating fast food increases sodium intake by roughly 300 milligrams, and eating at a restaurant boosts your sodium intake by 412 milligrams.1 Consuming too much sodium is bad for your health, so perhaps it’s time to rethink the commonly held belief that dining at restaurants is healthier than eating at fast food outlets.
In conclusion, eating at a restaurant isn’t always healthier than eating fast food. This means that we need to pay careful attention to what we order, as well as the portion size when dining at restaurants. If your aim is to be as healthy as possible, than it’s best to prepare your own food and cook at home. Create your own, healthier versions of your favorite restaurant meals. Let’s cook up some healthy, delicious and nutritious meals today!
1University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Restaurant meals can be as bad for your waistline as fast food is.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 1 July 2015.www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150701123350.htm
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