Eating out the healthy way: Thai, Greek, Chinese, Mexican and more

Thai
Thai cuisine is similar to Chinese cuisine in preparation (usually in a wok) and in ingredients. Unfortunately, with both methods of cooking, frying (especially with hors d'oeuvres and appetizers) is difficult to avoid.

Starters and accompaniments
• The best: TOFU SATAY WITH PEANUT SAUCE (250 calories, 10 grams of fat, four grams of saturated fat, 540 milligrams of sodium).
This dish gives a good dose of nutrition-packed soy and fares reasonably well in the fat and sodium categories, too. The peanut sauce adds a small amount of fat, but it can always be replaced with a curry, chili or basil sauce. Even a simple squeeze of lime or lemon would suffice. Other good choices are chicken or beef satays and seafood kabobs.

• The trap/pitfall: SPICY CHICKEN SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK (435 calories, 41 grams of fat, 27 grams of saturated fat, 790 milligrams of sodium).
Its high caloric and fat content mainly comes from the coconut milk. You would be well advised to opt for a soup with a clear broth (such as tom yum koong or poh taek).

• The worst: SPARERIBS (640 calories, 39 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 720 milligrams of sodium).
Spareribs, served with a sweet and sour sauce, provide 75 per cent of the recommended daily allowance of saturated fat.

Main dishes
• The best: PAD THAI (sautéed noodles with vegetables and tofu) (470 calories, eight grams of fat, two grams of saturated fat, 890 milligrams of sodium).
There is no doubt that this is the most popular and well-known Thai dish. It is a complete meal with little saturated fat. Equally tasty are the scallop and shrimp version.

• The trap/pitfall: BEEF CURRY (625 calories, 49 grams of fat, 33 grams of saturated fat, 144 milligrams of sodium).
Curry dishes contain a coconut milk sauce that increases the fat (especially saturated) and calories.

• The worst: FRIED SQUID (1,040 calories, 70 grams of fat, nine grams of saturated fat, 665 milligrams of sodium).
This meal contains half the calories and more total fat than is recommended for an entire day! This is best saved for special occasions or for when it can be shared with many others.

Greek
For centuries, vegetables, grains, herbs and olives (and their oil) were the fundamentals of Greek cuisine. If feta, fish and ground meat were used at all, it was as seasoning; that is to say, in small quantities. Unfortunately, today most Greek specialties have more “grease” than “Greece.”

Starters and accompaniments
• The best: TZATZIKI WITH PITA (220 calories, five grams of fat, three grams of saturated fat, 430 milligrams of sodium).
Tzatziki, a dip made with yogurt, garlic and mint, is served with pita triangles. Beware of the versions made with sour cream, which can easily double the calories and fat.

• The trap/pitfall: GREEK SALAD (215 calories, 15 grams of fat, four grams of saturated fat, 557 milligrams of sodium).
What a shame to criticize a salad! But this one, with its feta and heavy oil-based dressing, has as much fat as a cheeseburger.

• The worst: DOLMADES (stuffed grape leaves) (540 calories, 32 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 1,470 milligrams of sodium).
The rice and ground beef or lamb stuffing has plenty of saturated fat, and the brine used to preserve the leaves has a high sodium content. For a lower-fat version, opt for the meatless version with rice only.

Main dishes
• The best: CHICKEN SOUVLAKI (260 calories, eight grams of fat, two grams of saturated fat, 370 milligrams of sodium).
Pieces of chicken are marinated and usually served with grilled vegetables and rice. Other good variations to try are pork, beef and lamb.

• The trap/pitfall: SPANAKOPITA (410 calories, 24 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 730 milligrams of sodium).
Sheets of phyllo dough are slathered with butter and filled with a mixture of spinach, feta, oil and eggs. A good rule to follow is that if the pastry is light and flaky, chances are it's fattening.

• The worst: GYRO (760 calories, 44 grams of fat, 20 grams of saturated fat, 2,390 milligrams of sodium).
This pita filled with a mixture of minced meat (seasoned and roasted beef and lamb), bread crumbs, tzatziki, lettuce, tomatoes, onion and occasionally a bit of feta contains enough saturated fat and sodium for an entire day, mainly due to the generous amount of meat.

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