You’d better watch out!

By Smriti Daniel

Eating out, it seems, has never offered more comfort, ease, and variety. As the urban sprawl widens to encompass more and more people, lifestyles have changed dramatically - not only do we exercise less, we have diets that do little to sustain the machine that is our body. Now more than ever, the rewards of eating smart should be obvious, explains Mrs. Sigrid S. De Silva, Consultant Dietician.

Take out is easier only in the short term, she says, adding that "eating take out will finally show up in your biological age." You may only be forty, but your body is going to feel every year of fifty, and will tell you so in dreadful blood reports complete with unhealthily high cholesterol and liver enzymes levels. On the other hand, you have the choice of eating right and finding that the benefits of good health can be felt not only in your later years, but here and now. For every day that you eat right, not only are you less likely to succumb to illness and the debilitating effects of stress, but you'll find your concentration and performance improving in every area of your life.

Aside from the effort involved, eating out can seem like the cheaper option, says Sigrid, but contrast that with the expense of multiple trips to the doctor, tests, hospitalisation and sick leave and you'll see watching your diet ought to be more than a choice - it's a necessity. That having been established, it's also a fact of life that most of us must juggle multiple priorities, and getting enough fibre for the day doesn't always make the list. So if you're going to eat out, what should you watch out for?

Let's start with breakfast. Throw those fat laden pastries and short eats out the window. A simple sandwich works better, says Sigrid, suggesting that you can turn yesterday's leftovers into today's mouth-watering fillings. Use fish from the curry, or vegetables from dinner, she says. Alternately, try kola kanda or boiled green gram spiced with chilli and coconut, or opt for low fat cheese, whole grain bread, tomatoes, cucumber, grated carrot for added fibre; or high fibre cereals. If rice is prepared early in the morning, a rice breakfast is another very healthy alternative.

Pack a little snack. Again, sandwiches are amongst the easiest to make and transport. Depending on your inclinations, you may want to consider a fruit salad for a quick bite. Remember, however, that fruits are high in sugar, so if you are intent on controlling your weight, opt for vegetables instead.

When serving your lunch, keep this simple rule of thumb in mind - the more colourful your plate, the more nutritious your meal. Go heavy on the vegetables and light on the meats. If you have to deal with many business lunches, Sigrid says the buffet might be your best friend. The secret is choice - buffets give you more control, allowing you to select your meal judiciously. Be warned though, that you may be tempted to put away more than you should.

Keeping your portions small and tidy is one of the most effective ways of controlling your diet. If you're in a restaurant, consider asking your waiter to serve you only half your meal, and to pack the other half for you. This way, your portions stay right, and your next meal is also taken care of. Where possible, ask your waiter to serve you any sauces that accompany your meal on the side, so you can decide how much you really want to ladle out. Sauces, like soups, are often incredibly rich, laden with fat and flour, warns Sigrid.

It's also advisable to watch your salt intake. Once again, see if you can ask for a salt free meal, with the choice of adding as much as you need yourself. When considering a menu, it's always a good idea to consider the preparation process. Even an ordinary lunch packet may be loaded with calories and low on nutrition because of improper preparation. The same dish made at home is often significantly lower in calories and higher in nutrition. Mass catering has its own pitfalls, such as the tendency to pre-cook foods, and also to use large quantities of oil in an attempt to speed up preparation time. Oil may also be used in excess in curries, or it may be re-used for frying resulting in high levels of trans fat. In such cases, it makes sense to save on the labour and perhaps pick up your hoppers, strings or bread from the local caterer but bring your own curries from home.

Be a smart cook. If you can prepare large quantities of curries in your free time; you can then put them into boxes in portions of one or two and freeze them, keeping them fresh until you need them. Sigrid also suggests that those living away from home consider asking a colleague to pack an extra lunch box for a monthly fee.

If you have to deal with many business lunches, the buffet might be your best friend

Appearances can be quite deceptive and it always pays to know your food. Processed food is high in the additives that make it both tasty and unhealthy. When eating out, a normal restaurant may be preferable to a fast food chain in terms of the quality of the food you are served. When you look at your meal, if you can clearly identify what went in where, you're ahead of the game, says Sigrid, explaining that when food is heavily processed, it gets much harder to ascertain the quality and even the nature of the original ingredients. If you must eat at a fast food chain, consider ordering a kid's size meal and you may find that you not only get the right portions you also save money.

Choosing the right dishes from within a certain cuisine's selection is also crucial, though it may only be a matter of choosing between the lesser of two evils, says Sigrid. With local cuisine and even dishes from neighbouring India, we might find it easy to spot the fatty stuff. However, when you're eating Chinese for instance, opt for dishes that do not include descriptions like "sweet and sour," "crispy," or "battered”. Also, avoid items which boast large amounts of nuts, such as peanuts and cashews, especially when accompanied by another source of protein like chicken. Instead, opt for a stir-fry or steamed dish, which is lower in fat and usually heavy on veggies. Include chicken, tofu, or seafood as the protein, and where possible ask the chef to go easy on the oil.

When you're eating continental cuisine, beware of stuff that is breaded and fried, smothered in cheese or served with heavy, creamy sauces. Japanese cuisine on the other hand tends to be wonderfully light, and features lots of fresh ingredients, like vegetables and fish, prepared using little or no oil, explains Sigrid. However, here too, dishes like katsus and teriyakis and tempuras are high in fat.

Complement your new and improved diet with plenty of water. The best case scenario is when you can drink over 2 litres of this zero-calorie liquid every day, says Sigrid. With a little care, you'll find that your body rewards you by being energetic, capable and strong, allowing you to really enjoy your life. However, between all the careful diet watching, it pays to indulge the child in you every now and again. Treat yourself to a favourite dessert, or meal, but watch your portions - it's the best way to nip a binging session firmly in the bud. And if you're still feeling guilty, "one can 'erase' a few dietary sins with regular, sensible exercise," says Sigrid.