Apple Magazine - Fall 2011

Q: Fast food is often my only on-the-go option. How can I make healthier choices at fast food places?

A: Sometimes it’s inevitable: hunger strikes and leads you straight to the drive-through. Fortunately, “nutritious fast food” isn’t necessarily an oxymoron, as most fast food outlets offer healthier options. The key, says Kelly Berg, a registered dietitian with Alberta Health Services in Edmonton, is to know what to order (hint: think grilled and green) and what to avoid.

The following tips will help you navigate any fast food menu. She adds these are just a few examples from a few food outlets and that the nutritional content of food varies widely from outlet to outlet. Berg also recommends limiting eating out.

When in doubt about the nutritional content of an outlet’s offerings, Berg advises going online: most restaurants’ websites list their menus’ nutritional information.

Kelly Berg is a registered dietitian with Alberta Health Services

Mcdonald’s, Wendy’s & Kentucky Fried chicken The holy trinity of fast food, the trio’s menus aren’t altogether virtuous. Be sure to choose single patty burgers and avoid bacon, cheese and anything “crispy,” “breaded” or “fried.” Swap creamy dressings for vinaigrettes and swap the large serving for the small serving whenever possible.

Better bets include McDonald’s One Chicken Fajita and Wendy’s Junior hamburger (no mayo). As for KFC? Take a pass.

Starbucks, Tim Hortons

Coffee drinks can have as many calories and as much fat as fried chicken.

Skip flavoured syrups and whipped cream; try unsweetened iced tea or a skim-milk latte. And be wary of “low-fat” labels: Tim hortons’ low-fat double berry muffin has 30 grams of sugar—twice that of a glazed cinnamon roll!

healthier selections include oatmeal (opt for plain or berry varieties) and low-fat yogurt with berries.

Jugo Juice

Smoothies may seem diet-friendly, but many juice blends overflow with calories and sugar. Jugo Juice’s 24-ounce Banana Buzz smoothie has 510 calories (a Big Mac has 540) and 82 grams of sugar (over 20 teaspoons!).

Choose a small smoothie made with only fruit and low-fat milk or yogurt, such as Jugo Juice’s Snackin’ Smoothie (about 150 calories).

Edo Japan

Watch the sodium in Japanese restaurants—a bowl of edo Japan’s udon soup packs 3,000 milligrams! (The recommended daily limit for adults is 2,300 mg.) Ask for low-sodium soy sauce (use sparingly) and go easy on the teriyaki sauce, which is laden with sodium and sugar. Bypass tempura- and mayo-based rolls (e.g., Dynamite, California).