What effect does constantly eating out have on your health?

Dear Out to lunch bunch,  

With such a wide range of restaurants and fast-food joints available, grabbing a bite to eat has become more convenient than ever. While this food is often enticing, research shows that it may be associated with adverse health effects. This is often due to large portion sizes, high caloric content, lots of salt, and overall lack of nutritional value. Because dining out with friends is such a fun way to stay connected, cutting back may not sound very appealing. However, there are ways you can still enjoy eating out while getting a balance of the nutrients your body needs. Keep reading to learn more about the health impacts of eating out and ways you can minimize them!  

To begin, it may be beneficial to review some of the reasons dining out may lead to less-than-desirable health outcomes. While restaurant and fast-food dishes are tasty, they often contain more calories than the meals you’d prepare yourself. As a result, one meal may account for a large portion of your recommended daily caloric intake. This is partly due to the portion sizes that restaurants typically prepare. Restaurant and fast-food meals have also been found to contain high levels of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sugar, and sodium. In addition to being high in fat, these meals are associated with being low in fiber and micronutrients, such as vitamin c, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and niacin. So, what does this nutritional breakdown mean for your health? Some research suggests that those who dine out may be more susceptible to weight gain and metabolic syndrome. 

While eating out less may help you reduce your risk of negative health effects, you don’t have to give it up completely! Fortunately, researchers have found that calorie content in restaurants has begun to decrease in recent years. In fact, many places are working to ensure they have items on their menu that have more nutrients and are lower in calories, fat, and salt. That said, some ways you can still enjoy grabbing food with friends and eating in ways that support your body include: 

• Ordering foods that are roasted, baked, grilled, boiled, or steamed 
• Eating your vegetables first so you’re not too full to eat them at the end of the meal 
• Sharing dishes with friends or taking a portion of your meal home 
• Checking out the menu ahead of time to compare options 
• Asking questions if you’re not sure of the ingredients or how the food is made 

List adapted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (MyPlate) 

Whether eating on the run, sitting down in a restaurant, or whipping up a meal at home, consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is key to helping you get all the nutrients your body needs.  

Happy dining!