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Fast food and takeaways

6/ 2/2007

FAST food can mean high fat, unless you've got the know-how...

Down the Chippy

Tempted to order the large bag of chips? Choose the smallest portion size in the shop or share the bag with someone you love.

If you're eating the chips at home, remove excess grease by blotting them on some absorbent kitchen towel.

Remove the batter from the fish and you're getting rid of the fattiest bit. Better still, order a small fishcake in breadcrumbs instead - it's lower in fat.

If you're looking for a healthier alternative to chips, try a pot of mushy peas or a slice of bread instead. Chips are loaded with calories, fat and salt.

At the Pizza Parlour

Rather than eating a whole pizza, share one with friends and get a huge bowl of salad from the salad bar. If you're at home, make a fresh, green side salad.

Pizza bases are actually very healthy, with lots of carbohydrate energy, and fibre. A deep pan base with a fairly plain topping is quite nutritious.

Cheese - a main ingredient of pizzas - is very high in fat. Don't ask for it as an extra topping, avoid super-cheesy pizzas, and load up with vegetable toppings.

Little extras all add up - garlic bread, extra pepperoni, beer, etc.! Try not to order all the trimmings unless you're absolutely sure you want them.

In the Burger Bar

If you're thirsty, a cup of coffee, a diet soft drink, a carton of milk or some pure fruit juice are much better options than a milkshake, which tend to be made with syrup and whole milk.

You have to eat a lot of shoesting fries to feel full, despite the fact that their thin cut becomes saturated with fat during cooking. If you can give them miss, you'll feel healthier for it.

The smaller and plainer the burger the better; grilled meat patties are better than fried. And don't be fooled that fish burgers are healthier - they're usually deep fried in batter.

Ask them to hold the mayo - it's never low fat. Stick a portion of mustard or ketchup on your burger instead.

Ordering Indian

Bear in mind that plain, boiled rice is a much healthier option than pilau, which is fried in oil. Chapatis or roti bread is likewise a better bread choice, compared to naan (which can be smothered in ghee).

Tikka and tandoori chicken are brilliant choices - but without the massala sauce. Tikka means dry-roasted, while tandoori dishes are marinated in spices and yogurt.

Dishes to avoid are korma and biryani, because they're covered in cream or oil. Meaty curries tend to have a higher fat content on average.

Take advantage of the delicious vegetarian dishes on offer, such as lentil dhal, spicy spinach (saag), and potato and cauliflower curry. And raita (cucumber and yogurt) is the condiment to choose over chutney!

Ordering Chinese

Rice portions are often generous, so share one between lots of people. Again, the plainer the rice, the better. Egg-fried rice is much higher in fat.

Eating with chopsticks will make your meal last longer, as you'll eat smaller mouthfuls, and it'll make you feel like you've eaten more. Try it.

Chinese sauces are fairly low in fat (though high in sodium) - black bean, plum and hoisin are all good, as is soy sauce. Lower fat protein choices like chicken, shrimps or tofu - as long as they're not deep fried - should be top of your list.

Watch out for tasty deep-fried extras like dim sum, prawn crackers, spring rolls, and crispy duck.