Restaurant labels help diners make informed choices

When mandatory food product Nutrition Fact labels first appeared, two-thirds of those surveyed said that they read those labels. Those results led me to believe that many folks, just like me, want to eat healthier and, therefore, need to know about the calories, fat, carbohydrates and protein in the foods they purchase and consume.

New York City officials believe in a healthier population so much that earlier this year the city required specified food service establishments - essentially, restaurants including pushcarts - to post calorie information on menus, menu boards and item tags. Those not complying can be fined $200 to $2,000.

Legal wrangling (many restaurants balked) delayed enforcing the law until mid July. MSNBC reported some interesting things once calorie information finally appeared in menus and on food items. They told of a woman grabbing her regular morning coffee at Dunkin' Donuts who reached for her favorite chocolate chip muffin, until she saw it contained 630 calories. She was "flabbergasted," the Web site said.

This scenario, likely played out thousands of times that day in New York, highlights a major contributor to what has made Americans fatter than ever: restaurants' ever-increasing serving sizes.

Consider this: a standard-sized, homemade blueberry muffin might have 260 calories. But, those eye-catching jumbo muffins you spy in a restaurant pastry case, even one made with the same ingredients, can easily deliver 660 calories.

I call this phenomenon "calorie creep." As serving sizes increase so does the calorie content. Even though you may be having a cup of black coffee and a muffin in the morning, just as did 20 years ago, you're now taking in more than twice as many calories. And those calories add up; especially if activity levels remain unchanged.

Heftier burgers, larger french fry orders and quart-sized soft drinks have become the rule, instead of the exception.

Over the past few years, studies have shown that folks tend to eat all or almost all of the food that's on their plate, whether at home or in a restaurant. Our bodies can't tell that they've hit some natural calorie limit and signal us to stop eating. Our best signal to stop eating is a sense of being "full."

In a somewhat bizarre twist many New Yorkers would rather not know the calorie counts of their favorite meals. Wouldn't you everyone would want to know at least the calorie content of the foods they are considering ordering in a restaurant? Some in the Big Apple are even upset about confronting the calories they're about to consume.

New York officials want to change the way people eat - for the better. They figure that they can reduce the number of obese inhabitants by 150,000 in five years and prevent 30,000 diabetes cases. If those changes play out, don't be surprised if laws like New York's appear around here.

In my mind, being aware of the calories in food choices helps everyone make informed decisions. What's your take in the subject? Drop me an e-mail and let me know where you stand.

Try this recipe: If you like broccoli and the zing of mustard you're gonna love this summertime salad. It's big on flavor, low in calories and fat (even with cheese) and high in fiber. Give it a try.

• Don Mauer welcomes questions, shared recipes and makeover requests for your favorite dishes. Address them to Don Mauer, Daily Herald Food section, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or don@theleanwizard.com.