Health.com recently published an article titled "America's Healthiest Restaurants: Our List of the Best Casual Dining Spots," and boy, did it get some people talking. And it's no surprise -- some of the restaurants on the list have also been on recent "Least Healthy" lists. So what gives?

The article makes it clear that each of these restaurants offers healthy options -- you can go to Bob Evans and order grilled chicken tenders for your kids, or hit Uno Chicago Grill and chow down on antibiotic-free chicken and brown rice. However, if you decide to go with one of the less healthy options, you've pretty much blown your calorie allotment for that day and the next.

I think the moral of the story is that, if you make the effort, you can find a healthy choice at just about any restaurant. Looking for some tips and tricks for going out to eat without bailing on your diet? We've got you covered!

Source

When you think about the herb, thyme, what comes to mind? Probably rich, French country dishes, with so many calories and so much fat that it makes your hips bigger just thinking about it!

If you avoid cooking with this fragrant herb, though, you are missing out on thyme's amazing health benefits, like antioxidant power and antibacterial properties. Thyme is such a flavorful herb -- wouldn't it be nice to enjoy it in some healthy dishes?

Remember, you can substitute fresh thyme for dried in almost any recipe (just use a little less) to get more of the beneficial oils in the herb.

Watch out if you ever order the Boston Market Creamed Spinach side dish. It comes packed with 280 calories, 23 g of fat, and 580 mg of sodium. It may taste great but bad things do come in this small package. Same goes for McDonald's Cinnamon Melts, featuring 460 calories, 19 g of fat, and 370 mg of sodium.

Ah, Wendy's large fries. Gotta love 'em. Gotta avoid 'em too, unless you like a quick dose of 550 calories, 26 g of fat, and 480 mg of sodium. Steer clear of Chipotle Chips & Guacamole too. Calories: 710. Fat: 37 g. Sodium: 740 mg. Need I say more?

AOL Health has more to say on this topic -- the experts there uncover 14 other fattening fast food side dishes. Check out just how disastrous they can be to your diet, right here.

Source

We all know that home-cooked meals are generally healthier than restaurant ones. But have you ever stopped to wonder why? It's all down to the money -- flavour sells better than bland so restaurants will do whatever they can to make your dish taste good. Here are some examples from a chef:

• Even the veggies have fat. Steamed and grilled veggies at restaurants are often cooked with butter or another fat to make them more flavourful.
  
• Egg-White Omelets are no better. They too are cooked in copious amounts of fat, often 2 tablespoons or more.
  
• Grilled and toasted sandwiches might have butter on the outside and the inside. It's adds flavour and helps keep it together too.
  
• The salad is mostly fat and cheese. Guess what? Veggies aren't healthy if they're drenched in unhealthy stuff.
  
• Grilled meat isn't necessarily lean. Meats, no matter the cut or cooking method, are typically brushed with oil before being cooked. It helps keep it from sticking to the pan or grill. Then more butter is often added after cooking for flavour.
  
• Sushi isn't always the lean choice. Pay attention to the mayonnaise, cream cheese and deep-fried tempura in the rolls.
  

Source

Eating out can be a dangerous proposition for those trying to maintain healthy eating habits. It's just so hard to tell how restaurant chefs prepare their menu items. Ordering a piece of fish may seem like a safe choice but what if it's been doused in butter, cooked in oil, and sprinkled with salt? Not so healthy anymore, right? Right.

Before heading out for your next out-to-eat experience, find out just what's in store by giving this tool at try. I just gave it whirl by typing in my city, state, and zip code and a desired price range. Up popped three dining locations with links to nutritional information for various dishes. Not everything I found met my healthy criteria, but that's the point -- to determine what's good and what's not so good for us.

This online option -- healthydiningfinder.com -- does operate according to some nutritional criteria. Everything you find when you visit must fit these guidelines:

Source

Here's a diet tip from Prevention Magazine. Don't do your dishes -- at least not right away. Let your dirty dishes pile up on the counter next to the sink. Why engage in such sloppy, uncouth behaviour, you ask? Well, it can help you moniter how much you're eating, and it can discourage you from dirtying yet another dish.

Ok, so this strategy might sound a bit bogus, but consider this -- researchers at Cornell University have confirmed that this works. They studied people at a chicken-wing buffet, and results showed that those who's plates were left to pile up next to them ate 28% less than those who had their empty plates removed.

So as long as you're not leaving them long enough to become a moldy health hazard, feel free to put off doing the dishes for a while!

Source