For many people, restaurant dining is a daily event.

While people are eating out more than ever before, many are also concerned about health and disease prevention. To appeal to the health conscious, restaurants have begun offering an expanding array of "light" or "low fat" foods.

More and more menus contain special "healthy" sections with names like “Low Carbohydrate,” “Reduced Carbohydrate,” “Carbohydrate Free," "Carb Sense," "Carb Smart," "The Lighter Side," "Heart Smart," and "Guiltless."

Restaurants that make claims, like "light," "low fat," and "heart-healthy," have had to comply with definitions established by the FDA.

On the other hand, the terms "low carb," "carb smart," "net carbs" and the like are currently not regulated by the FDA.

What does this mean to you?

They want you to believe that you are eating something healthy or something that will have weight loss properties when in fact many of the foods touted as being healthy or a good choice for fat loss are some of the most calorie laden monstrosities imaginable.

With all of their "low-carb" appeals the one thing you should remember is that carbohydrate count is not the primary contributor to weight loss or weight gain.

The most important variable for weight loss is calorie intake.

Period.

It does not matter if it is low carb or not.

On the other hand, if you drink 3000 calories of Coca-Cola today [(pure sugar) not recommended] but burn 4000 calories, you will LOSE weight.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not telling you drink COKE.

I'm just saying that you should be mindful of total calorie content more than any other factor if your goal is to LOSE WEIGHT.

So here's what I've found. . .

Restaurant menu claims must meet FDA standards

Restaurants that make health or nutrition claims, like"heart-healthy" or "low fat," must meet FDA standards. For example, if a restaurant claims its mashed potatoes are "low fat," a typical serving of the food must contain no more than 3 grams of fat.Nutrition information must be provided upon request

Nutrition information need not appear on the menu, but must be provided upon request. It may be provided in writing, such as on a flier, brochure, poster, or notebook, or may be provided orally by a statement from a waiter or other employee.

Full nutrition information is not required

Restaurants only need to provide information that pertains to the particular claim. For example, a restaurant that makes a "low sodium" claim must tell consumers who ask that the food contains no more than 140 mg of sodium in a typical serving.However, the restaurant is not required to provide information about calories, fat, or other nutrients.

Laboratory analysis is not required.

Nutrient levels do not need to be determined by laboratory analyses or certified by third parties. Instead, the levels may be calculated from nutrient databases or cookbooks. However, restaurants are required to explain how nutrient levels are determined upon request.

Only menu items for which claims are made are affected

Restaurants are only required to provide nutrition information for foods for which health or nutrition claims are made.

7 Lies

1. "carb smart," "net carbs," "carb free lifestyle," and “minimal impact on blood sugar.”

Remember this. . .

2. "Low fat": Most foods may be described as "low fat" if there are no more than 3 grams of fat in a standard serving. Standard servings have been established by the FDA to reflect the amount of food that is typically consumed. Since restaurants often serve foods much larger than the standard serving, a "low fat" food may actually contain large amounts of fat.

For example, ice cream may be called "low fat" as long as there are no more than 3 grams of fat in a standard half cup serving.

However, restaurants usually offer portions several times larger than the standard serving size. So a 2-cup serving of "low fat" ice cream may contain up to 12 grams of fat!

Also, keep in mind that even a small-sized serving of "low fat" main dishes like hamburgers, pizza, or sandwiches, can have more than 3 grams of fat per serving.

And remember, "low in fat" does not always mean "low in calories."

3. "Light": "Light" is commonly used to mean many different things. It may describe a food's taste, color, or texture, or it may indicate that the food's calorie, fat, or sodium content has been significantly reduced.

Menus must clearly indicate what "light" is intended to convey. If the meaning is not clearly explained, diners should ask for clarification. If "light" is used to indicate a reduction in calories, fat, or sodium, information about those nutrients must be provided upon request.

4. "Cholesterol free": "Cholesterol free" claims are very popular on restaurant menus, but can also be very misleading. Keep in mind that:

"Cholesterol free" does not mean "fat free."

Foods like meat, poultry, and seafood contain cholesterol -- even if they are fried in "cholesterol free" oil.

Also, saturated fat and trans fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood:

"Cholesterol free" foods may contain saturated fat. The FDA only allows foods that are low in saturated fat to be described as "cholesterol free," but watch out -- many restaurants may not comply with this requirement.

The FDA allows foods with significant amounts of trans fats to be called "cholesterol free." To avoid trans fats, limit foods prepared with vegetable shortening or partially hydrogenated oils.

5. "Sugar free": Some foods, especially desserts, may be described as "sugar free." But keep in mind that "sugar free" does not mean "calorie free" or "fat free." If a food described as "sugar free" is not low-calorie or reduced-calorie, the menu must say so.

6. "Healthy": Food described as "healthy" must be low in fat and saturated fat and may not be high in cholesterol or sodium. However, there are no limits on the amount of sugar or calories that a "healthy" food may contain.

7. "Heart" claims: Claims like "heart-healthy," "heart smart," and "heart" symbols imply that a food may be useful in reducing the risk of heart disease. When such claims are made, the food must be low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and must not be high in sodium. But keep in mind that restaurants may not always comply with these restrictions.

5 Truths

1. Ask for nutrition information: When menus make claims like "healthy," "light," or "heart smart," ask for nutrition information. This information must be provided upon request.

However, keep in mind that the law does not require that the food be tested in a laboratory, so the numbers may not be precise.

2. Watch out for large serving sizes: Serving sizes on food labels are required to reflect the amount of food that is normally consumed.

But restaurants are free to determine their own serving sizes. A recent survey found that restaurants often serve from two to three times more than food labels list as a serving.

For example, the official serving size of a tuna salad sandwich is 4 ounces and it contains 340 calories. The typical restaurant serving is 11 ounces and it contains 720 calories.

3. Restaurant foods are probably fattier than you think: The nutrient content of restaurant meals is extremely difficult to assess.

For example, the dietitians estimated, on average, that a tuna fish sandwich provided 374 calories and 18 grams of fat, while the sandwich actually contained about 720 calories and 43 grams of fat!

If well-educated nutrition professionals consistently and substantially underestimated the calorie and fat content of restaurant meals, it's clear that ordinary consumers also have trouble guessing what's in their meals.

4. Request that your food be specially prepared:

Most restaurants want to please their customers and are usually willing to satisfy specific requests.

Order sauces and salad dressings on the side, or ask for low-calorie dressings.

Request salsa, mustard, or flavored vinegars to get fat free flavor.

Request half-portions at a reduced price or take home half the meal in a doggie bag

Ask that foods be prepared with olive or canola oil instead of butter, margarine, or shortening

Request that foods be broiled or grilled instead of fried.

5. Make healthful substitutions

Substitute skim or 1% milk for 2% milk, whole milk, or cream.

Choose baked, broiled, or grilled (not fried) chicken, turkey, or seafood instead of red meat.

If you eat red meat, select leaner cuts, like sirloin steak (instead of most steaks), or pot roast (instead of hamburgers or meat loaf).

Substitute a salad, vegetables, or a baked potato for french fries or a "loaded" baked potato.

Add just a tablespoon of sour cream instead of butter on your baked potato.

Request whole-grain breads and rolls.

Substitute fresh fruit for sugary, high-fat desserts.

Make smart meal choices.

You are in control.

If you want it you can have it - if you do the right things.

Ready to make it Happen Now?