Calorie count down

YOUR HEALTH:New menus that give the calorie count of dishes can offer surprising reading

WE’VE ALL been there. Faced with the dessert menu and unable to resist something sweet, we opt for the “healthy” option, such as an apple crumble, unaware that its calorie count can far exceed that of the chocolate cake we’re trying to avoid. Or how about a latte or flavoured coffee?

You may be wondering why you are unable to lose weight even though you have cut back on your food consumption significantly, but just a couple of these coffees a day could add up to your daily allowance alone.

If you got your Safefood measuring tape and got a shock when you measured your waist, it may be time to get more informed about your food choices. By making better choices you can easily reduce your daily calorie count and trim your waist – even if you eat out frequently.

In the US, restaurants will have to display all calorie information from next year, and while this is not yet the case in Ireland, there is a growing trend towards giving customers this information.

Last February, for example, coffee chain Insomnia started displaying the calorie content of all its beverages in its stores around the country. It is also trialling showing the fat content on its sandwich range at its outlet on Dublin’s Abbey Street. It has received “very positive” feedback to date for the initiative, according to a spokeswoman for the chain.

In Clontarf, north Dublin, Bay Restaurant gives a full breakdown on its menus, while Starbucks displays the full calorie count of its products on its website and you can also get a nutritional pamphlet in the stores.

But, while there may be a growing number of outlets offering this information, Harriette Lynch, consultant dietitian at Healthpro, which conducts nutritional evaluations for restaurants, adds that some are still nervous about revealing the level of fat in their food, in case it puts customers off.

Nonetheless, you can still learn from these restaurants and apply this knowledge when eating elsewhere.

Take the example of a sandwich. At Bay in Clontarf, Dublin, you can more than halve your calorie count by opting for a vegetable wrap (205 calories) rather than the chicken option (446), while at the Insomnia coffee chain, a salami panini (612 calories) will rack up almost a third of a woman’s daily allowance, or more than a fifth of a man’s. Instead, the more health-conscious choice would be to opt for a tuna salad sandwich (332), or even a hot chicken noodle salad (170).

At Milano’s, you can cut your calorie count by about a third simply by opting for a Leggera pizza, which has a middle filled with salad rather than pizza dough. Each pizza has about 500 calories.

And when it comes to desserts, you don’t have to say no, you just have to save the treats for rare occasions.

But remember, just because something sounds healthy, it doesn’t mean it is. For example at Bay, the strawberry and apple crumble comes in at 809 calories, but the crème brûlée is 370, while the pavlova is just 249. At Insomnia, a blueberry muffin, with added yoghurt, comes in at 620 calories, which is even more than the chocolate option.

Similarly, sometimes a salad can be the least healthy option. According to Lynch, a typical Caesar salad with croutons and dressing could come to about 1,000 calories.

“If you’re eating a salad, you might think you’re doing good, but you would be better off with steak, potatoes and vegetables, which could come in at about 600 calories depending on how they’re cooked,” she says.

When it comes to drinks, the calorie count can really add up, especially if you’re a fan of milky drinks and don’t specify the non-fat option.

If, for example, you are a regular Starbucks’ customer, opting for a medium-sized full-fat latte twice a day, then you may be unaware that you’re drinking almost 500 calories there each day.

Just by opting for the non-fat option, you can cut 180 calories a day, or by going for a cup of freshly brewed black coffee instead, you can almost wipe out your calorie intake. Without milk, a cup has only five calories.

And, if you’re a fan of iced coffee drinks in the summertime, you better do the maths. A double chocolaty chip Frappuccino at Starbucks has a staggering 500 calories, and if you add cream, it goes up to 640 calories. So why not swap it for a simple iced coffee at just five calories?

It’s important not to get too carried away by calorie counts, points out Lynch.

Some food that is high in calories is not high in saturated fats, so it may not be as bad for you as feared.

This is where additional labelling on menus, indicating where food is low in fat or in sugar can be useful.