9 Restaurant Lies To Watch Out For

Eating healthy doesn’t mean always staying at home and nibbling on rabbit food. Luckily, more and more restaurants are offering "healthier" alternatives, so eating out comes with less guilt. However, you still need to be watchful for fancy menu language that may be more marketing than nutrition.

Use Healthline’s guide to help decipher menu jargon so you can keep your eating habits healthy.

Sneakily Unhealthy Salads

Salads may sound like a healthier alternative, but that’s not always the case. Fat, calories, and sodium sneak into your greens via dressings, croutons, and the fixings. A salad with bacon in it loses its healthfulness pretty quickly. In many restaurants, they add salt while mixing the greens with the dressing.

To avoid the unwanted extras, ask for the dressing on the side. Better yet, ask for a side of olive oil. It too contains fat, but it’s the kind rich in omega-3 fatty acids, the kind that help your body. 

What is Aioli, Anyway?

Many restaurants are using the term aioli to add a bit of flair to their menu. But don’t be fooled by the fancy wording—“aioli” is typically nothing more than an emulsion of eggs, oil, and a kick of garlic. It’s the same thing as mayonnaise, which you already know packs wallop of fat for a dipping sauce. If you’re watching your weight, watch out for aioli.

Not-So Fresh Fish

“Fresh” is yet another popular buzzword on menus. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has warned people about eating fish on Mondays—most fresh fish markets are closed on Sundays, meaning that by Monday, the fish may be a few days old by the time it gets to your plate. While this might be a bit of foodie snobbery than anything else, beware of “fresh” on a menu, as it might be a relative term. Don't be afraid to ask the waiter about when and where the fish was purchased.

Cooked Veggies

Eating veggies is good. But too much heat and water during cooking can suck the vitamins and nutrients out of vegetables, especially vitamin C (due to oxidation). Steamed (rather than boiled, grilled, or roasted) is a better alternative if you don’t want to eat your veggies in their raw state. The stir-fry—also popular at restaurants—can be a good choice, but watch out for too much oil. Ask your server how much is used, and request less if it’s too much. 

Serving Size vs. Portion Size

Getting a plate the size of a watermelon doesn’t mean you have to eat everything that’s on it. Serving sizes in restaurants have ballooned to convince diners that bigger is better. You may feel you’re getting more bang for your buck, but what about your waistline? To clear the confusion: portion size equals the amount served (in a restaurant or in packaged foods). Serving size is the recommended measurement of how much you should actually eat. So, you may get a heaping “portion” of salad, but the “serving” may only be half of what’s on your plate.

The Iced Tea Misconception

This may be one of the first beverages your server mentions. It sounds healthier than soda, and tea is good for you, after all, so why not? Here’s why not: unless the tea is unsweetened, you may as well have ordered a soda. Sweetened iced teas are often loaded with sugar and caffeine. Plus, iced tea can be made on the cheap at restaurants. As you keep sipping to quench your thirst, you only get thirstier and are more likely to order another round. Best bet: go for the water. 

Fat-Free/Sugar-Free

“Free” isn’t necessarily free. What certain foods may lack in fat, they make up for in sugar, flavor additives, and carbohydrates. (And vice-versa.) Instead of offering vitamins and minerals, these versions sneak in unhealthy calories in the form of refined carbs and sugars that your body converts to triglycerides—a type of fat that can lead to heart disease. Not to mention the rollercoaster ride your body will take from all that excess sugar. Your body likes fats, it really does. Just be sure you’re giving it the right kind: from avocadoes, almonds, fatty fish, and olive oil. And watch out for things like super-sugary fat-free frozen yogurt.

Understand the Meaning of "Reduced Fat"

Low-fat items don’t necessarily mean low-calorie. One question to ask as you peruse the menu is, “How ‘reduced’ is it?” Similar to fat-free claims, reduced fat foods make up for the decrease in fat by accommodating with extra sugar or carbohydrates to keep the flavor. Choose leafy greens and raw vegetables; steer clear of creamy sauces, skip the mayo, opt for hard rolls not brushed with butter. Making smart choices—and being aware of snazzy buzzwords—will help you eat healthy when eating out. 

Beware of Buzzwords

For starters, you’ll have a side salad with the “fat-free,” “house-made” dressing, and the “gluten-free,” "artisan" pizza with "farm-fresh" topping (see the chickens to the left) for an entrée. All these buzzwords catch your eye. But beware of what lurks behind the hype. “Gluten-free,” for example, growing in popularity with the celeb set, was originally designed for sufferers of celiac disease, to ease the gut by eliminating foods that contain wheat, rye, and barley. While gluten-free may be higher in price, it can also be higher in fat. Don’t be fooled by the “free” part: no gluten means no wheat. But manufacturers often replace wheat with fat substitutes. 

More Healthy Eating Information

You don’t want to blow your diet just for a night out, but some diets allow for a bit more flexibility than others. See our 23 Diet Plans Reviewed: Do They Work? slideshow to see which diet is the right fit for you.

If you’re looking to add a little healthy touch to your life, you might want to start with our Healthy Summer Cocktails recipes for your next get-together.