Being healthy doesn’t mean you have to stop eating out!

It’s a super popular question I get in my practice and I wanted to talk about it publicly now that restaurants are opening back up again. I do a lot of educating on how we should have such high standards in our diet with food quality, but at the same time I recognize the need we have to go out for fun and/or necessity-这是好的。No matter what diet you follow, what I’m sharing applies to you too!Watch the video or get the condensed info below :)

What’s wrong with the food in restaurants?

Eating out is a double-edged sword; it brings people together and can relieve stress when we don’t have time to cook, and it can also provide you with anti-nutrients that, in large doses, can be inflammatory. There are definitely higher quality restaurants than others (like fast food vs. fine dining), but in the end you are likely not going to be eating pasture-raised eggs, grass-fed meat or organic produce. And in their defense, it’s not cost effective and patrons probably wouldn’t appreciate the up-charging for it!

Here’s what I’m concerned about with foods prepared outside the home:

• Added sugars (including high fructose corn syrup): these will be in places you least expect like breads, sauces, seasoning mixes, etc - all of these are in savory dishes so it doesn’t seem like you’re eating something sweet but you are.

• Vegetable oils: examples are canola, margarine, corn, rape seed, sunflower seed, cottonseed, etc. They are affordable compared to higher quality oils but since they are extremely high in omega 6 oils and processed with very harsh chemicals, they are incredibly inflammatory. Learn more about this important topic in Dr. Cate Shanahan’s bookDeep Nutrition. Excellent information!!!

• Preservatives:MSG is just one on the long list of chemicals in processed foods you’ll find when you eat out. Very popular in marinades, salad dressings and seasoning mixes, it’s very damaging to our nervous system. All the other unnatural additives create a burden on your detoxification systems and effect each of us quite differently.

• Food quality:animal products (meat, fish, dairy, eggs) are usually not the highest quality foods that you could purchase and cook with at home. Restaurants purchase affordable items which may include top grade meats and cuts, but are still conventionally raised animals. This means they aren’t fed their proper/authentic diets and their omega 6 content is high and inflammatory. Their fat becomes our fat.

What types of restaurant can I eat and and still be kinda healthy?

Biggest point I want to make here is that no matter where you are, you will always have a choice between something “good” and “bad” and you just need to do the best you can. No guilt. You can sign up to download the handout and receive a thorough list of what I’m talking about with examples of what to order.

Basic food choices that will always be the healthiest are:

• lower carb menu itemslike steak and green beans compared to a pasta dish (no matter how mesmerizing it is!!). If you’re vegetarian, have your carb-protein combo, tofu, seitan, etc. portion be 1/3 of your plate with the rest full of veggies and healthy fats.

• whole food itemslike roasted chicken, sweet potato and side salad compared to fried chicken tenders and onion rings.

• simply prepared foodslike sushi (not the fried types) because you can see the individual ingredients.

If this is all too much and you just want someone to tell you what to do while virtually holding your hand, make an appointment with me and I’ll be that guy for you!Learn more about me hereand see if we’re a fit.

Thanks for reading! See you next time. Lisa. xo