Dine Out In Style on a Variety of Heart-Healthy Foods
Eating healthy when you dine out doesn't mean you can't enjoy some of your favorites. It may just mean changing some of your habits and asking for your meals to be prepared a little differently.
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EATING OUT IN RESTAURANTS
Take charge with portion control.
Restaurants often give you more food than you might usually eat for one meal. Split the food into two portions and take one home to be eaten the next day.
Dress it on the side.
Ask to have sauces and dressings on the side so you can control how much you add. Many dressings contain oil, butter and creams that add hundreds of fat calories to dishes.
Skin the bird and trim the meat.
A lot of fat calories can be found in the skin of chicken and the fat of meats.
Take a bite before adding salt.
Salt (sodium) can cause your blood pressure to increase. When you must add salt (sodium), shake a bit into your palm, and sprinkle it across your food instead of shaking it directly over your meal.
Look for foods that are roasted, broiled, poached, baked or steamed.
They tend to be much healthier for you than those that are deep-fried. Deep-fried foods are fat-heavy.
Most importantly, enjoy your meals—don't feel you have to deny yourself everything all the time.
These tips are meant as guidelines. If you want a dessert or French fries, split an order with a friend. And don't feel bad about throwing away food—it may be what you need to do to reach your blood pressure goal.
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THE DASH EATING PLAN FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
The government has an eating plan that can help people with high blood pressure. It's called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan.
DINING OUT AT ETHNIC RESTAURANTS
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Obesity Guidelines, the following are healthier choices you can make when dining out at different ethnic restaurants.
Chinese Food
When reading the menu, look for foods that are described as:
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Steamed |
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Jum (poached) |
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Kow (roasted) |
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Shu (barbecued) |
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Steamed rice (instead of fried rice) |
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Dishes without MSG added (or ask for your dish to be prepared without MSG) |
Italian Food
When reading the menu, look for pastas or dishes that:
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Have red, tomato-based sauces (not cream-based or "alfredo") |
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Are described as "piccata" (lemon) |
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Are lightly sautéed |
Mexican Food
When reading the menu, choose:
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Spicy chicken or grilled chicken dishes |
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Soft, flour or corn tortillas (not crisp, fried tortillas or tortilla chips) |
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Dishes where you can substitute salsa or picante sauces for sour cream or guacamole |
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