Eating a healthy diet that is low in fat and simple sugars is not easy. If you prepare your food at home you have control over what you are getting, but if you eat out frequently you cannot be sure about what you are eating. Do you ever wonder why food always tastes better in a restaurant? It is usually because the flavour is enhanced by the addition of fats, sugar or sodium.

Many restaurants are offering grilled products as an alternative to fried products in an effort to reduce the fat content. In some cases this may be effective, however, often the meat is grilled in a pan with butter or oil, which adds fat. To avoid this, ask your server how the products are prepared – grilling over an open fire or barbequing has the least fat. Also remember that some words indicate high-fat preparation methods. For example, “basted” means brushed with melted fat, “braised” means browned in fat, and “au gratin” means topped with bread crumbs, butter and cheese.

Also be careful when eating bread and butter before your meal. Calories from refined white bread can easily add up and be stored as fat. Not to mention that a mere one-tablespoon of butter has 11 grams of fat and 100 calories.

There is also hidden fat in many appetizers, including salads! The lettuce and vegetable ingredients usually contain no fat, but you have to look out for the salad dressing and the garnishes. One to two tablespoons of oil & vinegar dressing can add up to as much as 15 grams of fat. Also beware of garnishes on salads such as nuts and cheese. Even a small ¼ cup of peanuts or almonds has approximately 20 grams of fat and a slim 1oz of cheese has approximately 8 grams of fat. A low-fat alternative would be to request vinaigrette dressing (without the oil) with some lemon wedges or you can request the dressing on the side so you are able to limit the quantity.

If you are at a sports event and you decide to have sunflower seeds for a low-fat snack think again. One cup of sunflower seeds has approximately 68 grams of fat. To avoid this or other hi fat foods bring a few pieces of fruit for a convenient and nutritious snack. Fresh fruits are good sources of vitamins and minerals and are excellent substitutes for candy, cookies and cakes, which contain few nutrients.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.