It can be hard to resist the temptation of take-out pizza or greasy stir-fries, but what other healthy, convenient, and delicious take-out options are there?
How often do you order takeout? Is it a weekly ritual? Or is it an occasional treat?
Or are you one of the many Australians who spend a significant portion of their paycheck each week on takeaway food to compensate for the lack of time and ingredients to make healthy, balanced meals? ?
Given the increasing number of dinner options and the ever-expanding range of delivery options and cuisines, the lure of takeout is hard to resist.
But if your goal is to improve your health and manage your weight, is it really possible to take out “healthy” food?
What’s in the takeaway food?
While some dishes may seem healthy at first glance, including brightly colored vegetables, lean meats, salads, and even healthy options, in reality, some of the most popular takeout menus include , generally contain a variety of processed ingredients with about twice the calorie content of a similar meal prepared at home. .
This is mainly due to the high amount of extra fats and sauces that enhance the taste and texture of the meal. Additionally, healthier, leaner proteins are more expensive, so deep-fried options often include larger, higher-fat portions. This means that even if you choose a “healthier” alternative, you will still be consuming much more fat and calories.
Do you mean a balanced diet?
Another fundamental problem with take-out food is that it usually lacks the nutritional balance of a calorie-controlled dinner made at home. This means that carbohydrate-rich foods such as breads, wraps, pizza dough, rice, pasta and noodles tend to be the focus of most takeaway options, followed by fried meats, burger patties, chicken thighs and This means followed by fatty protein sources such as chicken wings. A small amount of salad or vegetables.
As a result, most grab-and-go meals are high in fat, lack the ideal amount of protein, and contain little fiber, making it easy to end up eating more than you should. It happens often.
let’s talk about oil
One of the biggest issues with fast food and when we buy home-prepared foods is the type and amount of oil used during production.
Not only is more oil used to make fried foods such as french fries, salt and pepper calamari, schnitzel, popped chicken, and tempura, but these foods also frequently appear on pub, restaurant, and fast food menus. will appear.
This adds a lot of extra fat to seemingly healthy menu items, and over time, frequent consumption of these foods can shift the overall fat balance in a direction that promotes inflammation. It will be.
This is the Western diet, whose combination of refined vegetable oils, processed carbohydrates, and high sugar intake promotes inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. It has an effect.
Who is the worst culprit?
Fried foods or those that come in meal sets are not good options. That means if you’re concerned about your health, you should avoid most burger joints, pizza chains, and fried chicken.
It is often the complex nature of such diets that is the problem. Burgers are paired with fries, a sweet drink and dessert, while fried chicken is served with chips, potatoes, wings and a soft drink as a “meal deal.” As a result, one lunch or dinner contains more calories than the average person needs in a day.
Katrina Meinink
the best in a bad group
When ordering food to go, some options are nutritionally healthier than others. Here are some “better” options to try from among the mainstream cuisines and categories.
- hamburger: Naked burger, salad, low fat subway
- chicken: grilled chicken strips, salad
- Chinese: Steamed dumplings, steamed vegetables
- Fish and chips: grilled fish, greek salad
- Japanese: Teriyaki chicken, sashimi, miso, edamame
- Mexican: naked burrito bowls, fajitas, and corn
- Pub food: Steak, salmon, grilled chicken breast, vegetables, salad
- Thai: Stir-fried chicken, shrimp, vegetables, Thai beef salad
- Vietnam people: Low Carb Rice Paper Rolls, Vietnamese Salad
Things to consider
When you’re looking for healthier takeout options, the real question you should probably ultimately ask yourself is: Why eat greasy chicken, fish, or stir-fries when you can make tastier, fresher takeout options at home? Is it really worth spending $100 to feed your family? It takes 5-10 minutes and is often a fraction of the cost.
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