The United States is known as the great melting pot, where cultures from around the world simmer and swirl together to share traditions, religions, and, yes, food. While it is a great luxury to be able to enjoy so many flavors from around the world, many are unfamiliar with the ingredients and preparation of their favorite exotic dishes, which can make it difficult to choose healthy options. This article will help you navigate through all the dishes at your favorite restaurant and choose the healthiest and most delicious options from almost every corner of the world.
For simplicity, we have used a semaphore system. “Green light” foods are your best nutritional choice, and “yellow light” foods are second best, to be enjoyed in moderation. There are no “red light” foods, as all foods can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy lifestyle. This is a beginner’s guide on how to eat healthy while dining out, and of course it doesn’t include every menu option, but it is intended to help you make informed nutritional choices.
First stop, Italy!
The key point to remember with Italian food is portion control, choose tomato-based sauces, and avoid cheese. Always eat a salad before your meal to get your veggies in and curb your hunger a bit to keep you from diving headfirst into a plate of spaghetti. Research studies have shown that you eat 10% less of your main dish when you eat a salad before your meal.
green light foods
– Farfalle, pasta with bowtie
– Tomato-based dishes
– Bean soup
– Minestrone soup
– Marsala and piccata dishes
– Beef, chicken, steak or grilled eggplant
– Ask that your dish be prepared in broth or wine instead of oil
– Brick on pizza
– Vegetable Antipasto
– Italian ice
yellow light foods
– Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti Carbonara
– Lasagna
– Veal Parmigianino
– Italian sausages
– Breeches
-cannoli
– Bread and Oil
Second stop, China!
Chinese food conjures up images of calorie-smothered sauce bombs fried over noodles, but Chinese food can actually be a healthy option. Focus more on vegetable dishes and less on protein like beef, chicken, fish, or shellfish, which often come breaded, fried, and doused in sugary sauce. Less meat will equal less fat and calories. Also, remember that you can get your entree however you like, so don’t be afraid to ask for light sauce or no sauce, and have your main course steamed and not fried.
green light foods
– Steamed white or brown rice
– Wonton or sweet and sour soup
– Main courses loaded with vegetables
– Grilled seafood
– Steamed dumplings
yellow light foods
– Chinese ribs
– Chicken fingers
– Fried rice
-Lo Mein
-Duck
– Meatballs
– Fried beef, pork, squid
Third Stop, Mexico City!
Mexican food can be robust with flavor and full of fresh ingredients, but it’s also often loaded with fat. Watch out for the endless bowl of fries, butter-filled refried beans (how do you think they get so creamy?), fried and processed tortillas, and cheese-soaked dishes. Always try to look for lean meats, fresh vegetables and avoid cheese.
green light foods
– Guacamole (small portions)
– dip
– Bean soup/Gazpacho
– Salad
– Corn tortillas
– Roasted/sautéed/grilled vegetables
– Roasted/Sautéed/Grilled meats and seafood
– lean meat
yellow light foods
– Refried beans
– Fried foods
– Dishes focused on rice
– Fatty meats
– Sour cream
-Daisies
Fourth stop, India!
Indian cuisine is famous for its vegetarian and vegan options, making it one of the easiest cuisines to find healthy options. However, curries can be loaded with fat, so ask to substitute coconut or condensed milk for the yogurt.
green light foods
– Lentil soup
– Raw Vegetable Salads
– Tandoori style (lean options made in a clay oven)
– Chutney, Raita spices
– Roasted/sautéed meats
– Roast
yellow light foods
– Samosas (fried)
-Pappadum (fried)
– Pakoras (fried)
– Cream sauce dishes
Fifth stop, America!
Home Sweet Home! We definitely have a lot of restaurant options in America. American cuisines range from fast food, steakhouses, and family-style restaurants that are plentiful in portions and in calories.
green light foods
– Soup based on broth with vegetables
– Fresh salad
– Shrimp peel and eat
– Blackened Chicken Sandwich
– Vegetarian hamburger
– Baked potatoes
– Sauteed vegetables
– Skimmed yogurt, sorbet or fruit ice cream
– Grilled, grilled, roasted or steamed meats
– whole grains
– Pretzels without salt
– Thin crust vegetable or lean meat pizza
– Angel cake, sorbet
– 100% juice (portion control), skim milk
– English muffins
yellow light food
– Cream Soups
– Quiche and salad
– Buffalo Chicken Wings
– Fried chicken sandwich
– Chicken Fried Steak
– French fries
– Cream cabbage
– Hot chocolate or ice cream sundae
– Fried/breaded meat
– Chips
– Deep-dish pizza for meat lovers
– Cake, ice cream
– Whole milk
– Smoothies
– Bagels
Bottom Line: Healthy eating can be difficult in our environment. With so much food in such a wide variety available to us, it’s hard to make good choices 100% of the time. However, we make countless food choices every day, so the more informed we are about what we’re putting into our bodies, and make good choices more often than not, the better off and healthier we’ll be in the end. Remember the 80/20 rule. Green light foods should make up 80% of your meals, while yellow light foods should make up 20% of your meals per week.