How to choose restaurants and menus when eating out while restricting sugar! Also explains how to eat!
In general, eating out is not suitable for carbohydrate restriction. However, there may be times when you have no choice but to eat out, such as when you “don't have time to cook for yourself” or “have no choice but to go out for work.
This article explains how to choose restaurants, menu choices, and what to eat in order to enjoy eating out safely,
even if you are on a sugar restriction. We also introduce products suitable for sugar restriction that can be purchased at convenience stores for your reference.
What to look for when dining out while restricting carbohydrates
Here are three tips on how to choose a restaurant when dining out while restricting carbohydrates.
Choose a restaurant that offers a well-balanced meal with a variety of items.
When restricting carbohydrates, avoid restaurants that offer a la carte dishes that consist mainly of carbohydrates, such as rice bowls and noodles, and choose restaurants that offer a variety of dishes, such as set restaurants, family restaurants, and izakaya (Japanese style pubs).
Beef bowls and ramen, which are typical a la carte dishes, tend to be high in carbohydrates. On the other hand, a set meal includes a main dish, side dishes, and soup, so there is no excessive bias toward carbohydrates. Family restaurants and izakaya (Japanese style pubs) also offer a wide variety of menu items such as meat and fish dishes, salads, tofu, etc. that can be safely chosen even during sugar restriction. In addition to the main dish, small bowls of food and side dishes can be combined to create a well-balanced meal.
When choosing a restaurant, it is a good idea to check the menu on the website in advance and see if there is a full set menu or side menu in addition to the individual menu items.
Choose a restaurant that offers a low-sugar menu
With the recent increase in health-consciousness, more and more restaurants are offering menus with reduced sugar content.
Examples include pasta with whole wheat noodles, beef bowls with tofu instead of rice, and sushi with half the size rice. These menu items can be very reassuring to those on a sugar restriction.
As more and more restaurants, especially major restaurant chains, are offering low-sugar menus, it is helpful to gather information and make a list in advance when dining out.
Choose a restaurant with a vegetable-based menu.
When you are restricting carbohydrates, you may lack necessary nutrients because you are cutting back on staple foods. Therefore, it is important to choose a menu that offers plenty of vegetables to supplement dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
For example, we recommend eating at restaurants specializing in salads, natural food restaurants, and family restaurants with salad bars.
When eating salads, be careful about the type of dressing you use. Avoid sesame dressing and non-oil dressing, which contain a lot of carbohydrates, and choose French dressing or mayonnaise, which contain relatively little carbohydrates.
Tips for choosing a menu when eating out while restricting carbohydrates
Rice, bread, and noodles should be avoided as much as possible
Staple foods such as rice, bread, and noodles are the most important to keep in mind when restricting carbohydrates. It may be difficult to completely avoid these staple foods when eating out, but the following tips can help reduce sugar intake.
Ask for a smaller portion of rice at set menus, etc., or switch to five-grain rice, etc.
Choose whole-grain or rye bread, which contains more dietary fiber.
Use wakame seaweed or grated radish as toppings for udon instead of tempura.
If it is difficult to eliminate staple foods from the beginning, it is recommended to reduce the amount gradually. Also, having a light snack such as nuts or cheese before eating out can help suppress hunger and prevent overeating of staple foods.
Choose a menu high in protein.
During carbohydrate restriction, instead of reducing carbohydrates, it is important to consume a good amount of protein and dietary fiber, which will be discussed later. A small amount of protein-rich food will help you feel full and prevent overeating. When eating out, actively choose menus with meat, seafood, eggs, and soy products.
Specifically, the following menu items are recommended.
Steak
Shabu-shabu
Sashimi
Omelets
Steamed egg custard
Steak ● Shabu-shabu ● Sashimi ● Omelette ● Steamed egg custard
Edamame, etc.
By consciously choosing a menu rich in protein, you will be able to continue to restrict carbohydrates without difficulty while feeling satisfied.
Choosing a menu high in fiber
When eating out while restricting carbohydrates, it is also important to actively choose high-fiber options. Dietary fiber helps slow the absorption of carbohydrates and suppresses spikes in blood glucose levels. In addition, fiber takes longer to digest, making it easier to feel full, just like protein.
When eating out, choose a menu with ingredients high in dietary fiber, such as vegetables, mushrooms, and seaweed. Specifically, the following menu items are recommended.
Salad
Hot vegetables
Grilled vegetables
Marinated mushrooms
Mushroom ajillo
Miso soup with dried laver, etc.
Note that root vegetables such as burdock, carrots, and sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, but also contain a lot of carbohydrates.
Avoid fried foods and sweet flavored menus.
Pay attention not only to the ingredients, but also to the cooking methods. When eating out while restricting carbohydrates, be especially careful of fried foods and sweet seasoned dishes.
Fried foods have a high sugar content because of the flour and breadcrumbs used in the batter. They also tend to be high in calories because of the absorption of fried oil.
Note that dishes seasoned with sugar, mirin, ketchup, sauces, and other sweetened condiments have even higher sugar content.
Based on the above, avoid the following menu items as much as possible.
Fried chicken
Tempura
Tempura ● French fries
Teriyaki
Sukiyaki
Sukiyaki ● Fried food with sweet and spicy sauce, etc.
If you must eat deep-fried food, you should choose thin batter or limit the amount to a small portion. If possible, when ordering a dish with a strong flavor, it is a good idea to tell the waiter when ordering that you want “less sauce” or “sauce on the side” so that you can adjust the flavor yourself.
Choose alcoholic beverages that are low in carbohydrates.
There will be many opportunities to enjoy alcoholic beverages when dining out. However, some alcoholic beverages, such as beer, sake, wine, and fruit wine, contain a lot of sugar, so you need to be careful while restricting sugar content. When enjoying alcoholic beverages, choose types with low sugar content and keep in mind that they should be consumed in moderation.
Alcoholic beverages to choose while restricting sugar content are mainly spirits. Specifically, the following apply
Shochu
Whiskey
Brandy
Gin
Rum
Rum ● Vodka, etc.
These spirits contain almost no sugar because the sugar is removed during the manufacturing process. However, be aware that many of them have a high alcohol content.
Eating out at restaurants while restricting carbohydrates
While restricting carbohydrates, paying attention not only to the restaurant and menu, but also to how you eat, will help you lose weight and improve your health. Here, we will explain some points on how to eat that you should be aware of when eating out.
Be aware of the order in which you eat
In order to achieve weight-loss and health-enhancing effects through carbohydrate restriction, it is important not only to reduce carbohydrate intake, but also to be conscious of the order in which you eat. Specifically, eat “meat first” or “veggie first,” taking in protein and dietary fiber before carbohydrates. Eating in this order will prevent a rapid rise in blood glucose levels.
Also, as mentioned earlier, taking protein and fiber first will help prevent overeating carbohydrates. When eating out, we tend to eat what we like first or what is offered first, but just by being a little conscious of the order in which we eat, we can reduce the health risks associated with a spike in blood glucose levels. Please try to incorporate this into your diet.
Chew well and eat slowly
Chewing your food well and eating slowly is also an important point when restricting carbohydrates. Instead of finishing your meal in a hurry, try to eat while savoring each bite. Chewing well stimulates the satiety center, making it easier to feel full even with small amounts of food.
However, the satiety center does not begin to function until about 20 minutes after you start eating. Therefore, if you eat too quickly, you may overeat before the satiety center begins to suppress your appetite, which can easily lead to excessive carbohydrate intake.
Especially in restaurants with a high turnover rate, it is easy to be carried away by the atmosphere and eat too quickly. By consciously slowing down and enjoying your meal, you will not only avoid overeating, but also improve the satisfaction of your meal.
Drink plenty of water.
During carbohydrate restriction, the reduction of carbohydrates in the body makes it easier to lose water along with them. Therefore, be sure to drink water more frequently than usual.
Lack of water can slow metabolism and make it difficult to burn fat, as well as cause constipation and dehydration.
When eating out, it is easy to get distracted by the meal and forget to hydrate, but aim to drink at least 2 liters of water or tea per day.
Convenience store products recommended during sugar
In recent years, convenience stores have introduced a number of products that can be eaten safely even while restricting sugar content. Here are five low-sugar products available at convenience stores.
Salad Chicken
Salad chicken is a perfect food for carbohydrate restriction, as it is low in carbohydrates, fats, and protein. It comes in a variety of flavors, including herb, smoked, and tandoori chicken style, in addition to the plain type, so you can continue eating it without getting tired of it. You can also enjoy various arrangements such as salad toppings and sandwich ingredients.
Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are a convenient, low-carbohydrate, high-quality protein food that can be easily consumed. They are also very filling and suitable as a snack when you are hungry. Convenience stores sell individually packaged boiled eggs, making them a convenient addition to meals.
They are also good as a topping for salads and soups, as well as on their own. Like boiled eggs, boiled eggs are high in protein, but they are often seasoned with sugar, so it is best to avoid them.
Oden
Convenience store oden is also a good choice for carbohydrate restriction if you choose the right ingredients.
For example, beef tendon, octopus, and eggs are recommended ingredients that are low in sugar and high in protein. Also, daikon radish, shirataki mushrooms, and konnyaku are low in calories and carbohydrates.
On the other hand, chikuwabu, satsuma-age, and mochi kinchaku are high in sugar and should be avoided.
Vegetables and salads
Cut vegetables and salads from convenience stores are recommended when you want to consume vegetables easily. Due in part to the growing health consciousness, the variety and content of these salads are becoming more and more extensive. In addition to the standard coleslaw salad and tuna salad, there are a variety of products such as choregi salad and pork shabu salad, so you can eat them every day without getting bored.
However, avoid Caesar salad with croutons, macaroni salad, and potato salad because of their high sugar content. Also, be careful with ingredients that contain a lot of sugar, such as squash and corn.
Sugar-free bread
In recent years, convenience stores have introduced an increasing number of “sugar-free” and “locavore” breads. Some of the flours used have been replaced with fiber-rich ingredients such as whole wheat flour and bran, which are also recommended during sugar restriction.
Often sold under the names “low-sugar bread,” “whole-grain bread,” “bran bread,” or “bran bread,” these products differ slightly in flavor and texture from conventional bread, but recently the taste and texture have been improved, and an increasing number of products are tasty.
However, these products are only lower in sugar than conventional bread, and should not be overeaten. Check the nutritional information label, and use them in your diet in moderation.
Summary
This article has provided detailed information on how to choose restaurants and menus and how to eat in order to enjoy eating out even during sugar restriction.
When choosing a restaurant, it is important to avoid one-dish restaurants and to choose a set meal restaurant or family restaurant that offers a well-balanced menu with many items, a low-sugar menu, or a vegetable-centered menu. When choosing a menu, actively select foods that are high in protein and dietary fiber, and avoid fried foods and sweet-tasting dishes as much as possible. When drinking alcohol, spirits with low sugar content such as shochu and whiskey are recommended.
NATUVIEW, a brand specializing in keto foods, offers breads that are low in sugar and also carefully selected for their ingredients and flavors. For example, NATUVIEW's “Keto Bread Spice” has 83% less sugar than conventional products. Although it is flourless, the rich flavor of spices and the texture of nuts can be enjoyed, providing a solid and satisfying experience.