TMI.
Too much information can be frustrating, no matter what the topic.
While calorie counts on menus can help dieters decide between the chicken fried steak and grilled chicken, a lengthy list of nutrition facts can be mind-numbing.
Charts downloaded on smart phones or from restaurant websites reel off everything from cholesterol and fiber to vitamin and mineral content.
What was I having for lunch again?
Can’t someone just highlight which choice is better for me?
Well, that depends.
Are you looking for a burger or pizza?
Are you a diabetic or just dieting to lose five pounds?
Providing choices within categories and putting them into perspective is what Usable Health kiosks aim to do for restaurant diners with an eye on their diet and health.
Say you were at Chick-fil-A and you were watching your sodium intake. Choose the chicken sandwich and the kiosk would reveal you can save 250 milligrams of sodium by swapping the fried chicken sandwich for the chargrilled one.
Right now, Atlanta based Usable Health has interactive kiosks placed in the Midtown location of Atlanta restaurant chain Tin Drum.
“People are loving the experience at Tin Drum, and we’re tracking over 150 individual orders per day,” said Chad Bonner, co-founder of Usable Health.
The health-based menu ordering service developed by Georgia Tech researchers prompts customers to select personal health goals including management of diabetes, blood pressure or weight. Then the kiosk suggests a customized menu.
Bonner predicts this kind of technological support of menu guidance will be more in demand as regulations take effect requiring restaurants, airport food outlets and even vending machines to provide nutrition information.
“We’re really excited about taking this to the next step of personalization, including more detailed health information and food preferences,” Bonner said.
Users can sign up on usablehealth.com to create a profile and be a part of the company's consumer research.
As we wait for more technology to help translate nutrition numbers into healthy menu choices, here are some word clues to help you decode common menu terms and cut calories.
Fat by any other name
Aioli: Mayonnaise with garlic.
Au Gratin: Topped with cheese, butter and breadcrumbs.
Beurre: Butter’s French name.
Bisque: Most often a cream based soup.
Béarnaise: Watch the “-aise,” which indicates egg based mayonnaise.
Crispy: Code word for fried.
Crusted, encrusted: Coated with nuts, breadcrumbs or potato; pan fried until crispy.
Lean lingo
Au jus: Pan juices, often reduced with no fat added.
Braised: Slow cooked to tenderize meats or fish, often little added fat.
Broth: Fragrant water based sauce with infused flavors such as chicken or lemongrass.
Coulis: Often a no-fat-added puree of vegetables or fruit.
Primavera: Italian for “spring”; indicates vegetables are major ingredient.
Provencale: South-of-France style sauce with tomato and other vegetables.
Variable verbs
Grilled: Watch out for butter or oil slathered on during grilling.
Roasted: Watch out for extra fat used in roasting, such as “butter basted.”
Poached: Not always in water, watch out for poached in oil or butter.
Sautéed: Butter or oil are used, but chefs can limit amount if asked.
Steamed: Watch out for butter or oil added after the steaming.
Carolyn O’Neil is a registered dietitian and co-author of “The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!” E-mail her at carolyn@carolynoneil.com.
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