Finding the Balance: Enjoy Dining Out While Staying Healthy

Home cooking is the best way to nourish our bodies because we know exactly what ingredients were used, what works for us, and what weighs us down.

Yet, while I wholeheartedly recommend home cooking, it's crucial to strike a balance and adopt a flexible approach.

Sometimes it's healthier to eat at a restaurant, make the right choices, and enjoy food without guilt. It can be a healing and healthy meal.

An obsession with healthy eating can lead to social isolation. This flexibility might be healthier for us than staying at home, as some people develop an obsession with eating the "right" foods, reaching a condition known as "orthorexia nervosa." This issue can affect other life aspects.

For some, dining out is part of their lifestyle, and it's important to find the right way to enjoy time with friends or family without compromising our health.

Today, there's more awareness and better options than in the past, such as using quality flours, smoothies with fruits and even green leaves, and sugar-free plant-based milk substitutes, as well as quinoa dishes and vegetable salads.

So, how do you eat out while maintaining a healthy diet? Choose wisely.

First, the restaurant itself. Just like checking for kosher status, and as celiac patients check for gluten in dishes—let’s also review what is on the menu. Are there dishes that fit and align with healthy eating principles?

There are options to deconstruct dishes, such as getting a salad with dressings on the side to control the amount or selecting better dressings like lemon and olive oil. You can choose dishes cooked in a clean manner—baked fish, or non-fried meat dishes. You can skip empty carbs and ask for steamed or roasted vegetables. And of course, always add fresh vegetables—a large salad with as many green leaves as possible.

Remember that restaurant owners want us to choose the most profitable dish. So stay alert and know clearly what you're putting into your body, as much as possible. You can step out of your routine occasionally while still maintaining your health, especially your mental health.

Zohara Sharvit is an N.D. naturopath and an iridology diagnostician with many years of experience in treatment, counseling, and conducting workshops. To book a free workshop, call 073-2221290