Eating Out: 5 Ways to eat healthy at restaurants

Karen GEORGE

18 May 2015

updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:07

1/5
Ask for water
Instead of opting for fizzy drinks and sugar-laden smoothies, opt for water instead. Besides being the best option to quench your thirst, it's also friendlier on your wallet.
2/5
Ask for less salt & MSG
Restaurant food can be very high in sodium. Most restaurants will be happy to accommodate if you request for less salt and MSG in the food. However, some foods are naturally high in sodium so stay clear from foods like pickles, bacon, cheese, soy sauce and fast food.
3/5
Lay off the fried food
You don't need to be a nutritionist to know fried food is unhealthy and a contributing cause to diabetes and heart disease. Stay away from the deep fried stuff and opt for the baked or grilled versions instead.
4/5
Choose fruits
At the end of the meal, it can be tempting to give in to your sweet tooth and order ice cream or cake for dessert. Don't! Opt for fruits instead as a sweet yet healthy way to end your meal.
5/5
Don’t overeat
Having paid so much for your meal, it's natural that you feel inclined to stuff yourself till the last morsel. Avoid piling on the calories by setting some food aside or packing half of it immediately. If you know the restaurant has large servings, ask for smaller portions or choose to share the mains with a friend.

You don’t have to abandon your diet just because you’re eating out. Follow these tips for an enjoyable meal that’ll keep your health in check.

Singaporeans love eating out. The many thriving cafes and restaurants in the city are testament to this. While the practice is vilified and constantly labelled as unhealthy, there’s no reason why eating out has to be a terrifying minefield of salt, saturated fat and regrettable calorie choices.

Whether you’re sitting down to a quick mid day snack or a multi-course dinner, navigating the menu can be a challenge for those on a diet or trying to eat healthy because you don’t always know what’s going into your food and you can’t exactly count the calories in each dish.

But don’t turn down those those lunch invitations or a trip to your favourite sushi joint just yet. Here are a few ordering tips to ensure your next eating out trip keeps you slim, trim and most importantly healthy.

Karen George

Tiffany & Co unveils new Tiffany T collection

#HMBALMAINATION: Balmain is H&M's next designer...

Eating Out: 5 Ways to eat healthy at restaurants

React to this post Cancel reply