According to a common opinion, fast food chains are known for trans-fats, carcinogens and high-calorie products. But it turned out that the foods in private restaurants, cafeterias and sushi bars may be no better. That is what the results of the research conducted by the scientists from Tufts University in Boston show.
The team of scientists examined the calorie content of restaurant meals. All in all, they tested 157 samples from nine most popular cuisines. It turned out that the most common business lunch often contained about 66% of daily calories. Italian cuisine was recognized as the most high-calorie cuisine, the most low-calorie cuisine was that of Japan.
Susan Roberts, the head of the research group, said that the scientists had been shocked by the fact that even a harmless chicken could be a real “fat bomb”. The calorie content of one dish can reach almost a thousand calories, which is three times more than the allowable 500-600 calories. Huge portions and the desire of each restaurant to be different from others is the basic reason for that. Someone will marinate chicken in olive oil with rosemary, while others will cook it in yogurt. All of this adds extra calories.
Roberts is sure that the chefs are innocent. In the process of cooking, the proportions are often changed, the ingredients vary, and processing of products is simplified. The head of the research group recommended the people, who want to lose weight, to cook by themselves or at least order a salad in a restaurant.
