{"id":727,"date":"2022-08-28T02:43:51","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T02:43:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/revitalizemetabolichealth.com\/?p=727"},"modified":"2022-08-28T17:29:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T17:29:00","slug":"guide-to-eating-clean-when-eating-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/revitalizemetabolichealth.com\/guide-to-eating-clean-when-eating-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Eating Clean when Eating Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guide to eating clean when eating out<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Eating out can be a challenge when you\u2019re trying to eat healthy and avoid ultra-processed foods<\/a>.\u00a0 While I certainly enjoy dining at restaurants and especially supporting my local favorites, I am also very conscious of the quality of food available and select restaurants accordingly.\u00a0 By understanding some basic principles of the food service industry, you too can ensure that you are able to find quality prepared food without sabotaging your efforts to improve your health.<\/p>\n

The Joy of Eating Out<\/h3>\n

As the consumer, you are\"\" seeking an enjoyable dining experience whereby you do not have to do the work of food prep, cooking, serving, or clean-up.\u00a0 You want to be able to order quality food that is reasonably healthy and contributes to your overall enjoyment of the dining experience.\u00a0 Also, dining out allows you to explore foods that you might otherwise not be exposed to, whether due to unique cooking techniques, flavors, or ingredients that are not in your armamentarium.<\/p>\n

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The Restaurant Business<\/h3>\n

The restaurant \"restaurantdoes all that behind-the-scenes work to provide a dining experience that appeals to their customer base.\u00a0 As a business, they are also under pressure to minimize their operating costs, which is often done by seeking cheap ingredients.\u00a0 One expects that an upscale restaurant uses higher-quality ingredients compared to a fast-food<\/a> restaurant, but that\u2019s not always the case.\u00a0 You, the consumer, must always be vigilant about selecting food items (and restaurants) that are not riddled with harmful substances.<\/p>\n

Similar to the processed food industry, restaurants are under the same pressure to provide appealing foods in a cost-effective manner, ultimately to generate favorable reviews and returning customers.\u00a0 Unfortunately, these market pressures often lead to the use of cheap, low-quality ingredients without regard to their health implications.<\/p>\n

Engineering Food that is Appealing and Profitable<\/h3>\n

As sophisticated as we might think our palates are, human brains are wired to appreciate a mix of simple ingredients: sugar, carbs, salt, and fat.\u00a0 Just as ultra-processed foods are engineered<\/a> with these ingredients to find a \u201cbliss point\u201d, restaurants employ the same tools in food preparation to appeal to the consumer.<\/p>\n

Restaurants change their methods over time.\u00a0 McDonald\u2019s used to cook their fries in beef tallow (a good fat for frying).\u00a0 In 1990, they changed to vegetable oil which resulted in an inferior product.\u00a0 The cooking icon, Julia Child, expressed her dissatisfaction with this \u201cerroneous\u201d move.<\/p>\n