_Choose Your Takeout Wisely_
(http://diets.aol.com/newsandtrends/takeout)

So what's cooking for dinner? A recent study appearing in Food
Technology
magazine says meals made from scratch account for 32 percent of all
dinners,
which means your stove's probably collecting dust.

Still, as much as home-made, fresh-ingredient, preservative-free chow
is
healthier (assuming you're not making chicken-fried steaks with mash),
eating
takeout doesn't have to shave years off your life expectancy. Just
make the
right choices.

"There's more to eating healthy than just salads," says Dr. Jo (aka,
Joanne
V. Lichten Ph.D.), a registered dietitian and author of the upcoming
book,
'Eat Out & Lose Weight.' "Fast food can fit into any diet."

In that spirit, we found five fairly healthy takeout dishes:

Chinese -- Shrimp With Garlic Sauce: With 25 percent of its calories
coming
from its 27 grams of fat (based on averages from a lab analysis survey
done
in the '90s), this meal scored well with the Center for Science in the
Public
Interest (CSPI). Because of its high cholesterol content, though, you
might
want to pass on the shrimp and go with chicken instead (beef if you've
been
otherwise behaving yourself). As for the rice, always go for brown,
not white
or fried. In fact, always eschew "fried" in favor of steamed.

Mexican -- Chicken or Vegetable Fajitas: Consuming too much fried
dough, sour
cream and cheese can really upset things "south of the border," if
nothing
else. So when going Mexican, stick with this dish, which sports a wrap
that’s
baked, not fried (bonus points for a fiber-packing whole wheat wrap),
and a
stuffing -- lean meat, onions, peppers and a salsa sauce -- that's
heart safe.
Just skip the cheese and be stingy with the guacamole. Avocados may be
a
healthy fat but they're still calorie-heavy.

Pizza -- Vegetarian: We happen to think zucchini, eggplant and wild
mushrooms make a great combo. This way, nutrition-wise, you can have
your pie and eat
it, too. Plus, don't forget you're already getting a nice, healthy
tomato
sauce, packed with antioxidants and cancer-fighters. As for the
cheese, when
possible, ask them to go light (or low-fat) on the mozzarella. Plus, a
whole
wheat crust, when available, gives you fiber. Though, warns Dr. Jo,
"Stick with
a restaurant that makes pizza the 'old-fashioned' way -- in a pizza
oven
rather than on a conveyor belt. The crust will be lower in fat."

The Sandwich -- Subway's Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki: Another treat
championed by CSPI, this selection from Subway's "6 grams of fat or
less" line,
offers lean, teriyaki-glazed chicken strips topped with a fat-free
sweet onion
sauce, plus your choice of veggies and condiments on 6-inch bread
(choose the
wheat, honey oat or Atkins-friendly wrap). Stick to the main
ingredients, and
you'll only rack up 5 grams of fat and 279 calories.

The Greens -- Wendy's Mandarin Chicken Salad: Hey, we never said you
shouldn’
t have some salad. And you'll be happy with this one, made of mixed
greens,
chicken, mandarin orange, sliced almonds and, on the side, Oriental
sesame
dressing and crispy rice noodles -- both of which you should add
sparingly. CSPI
gave thumbs up to this contender, which weighs in at a mere 420
calories.

--Rob Medich
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e-mail:healanthart@yahoo.com

Feeling Healthier Every Day!
http://www.shaklee.net/healanthart

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