The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston Read Free Book Online Page B

Restaurants
     
    Upscale chains offer so much variety that there’s plenty to choose from other than deep-fried appetizers, huge entrée portions, and frozen margaritas. At all chain restaurants, avoid appetizers smothered in cheese and sour cream (such as nachos or potato skins), sandwiches called melts (tuna melt, for instance, which are loaded with cheese and grilled with butter), croissant sandwiches, coleslaw, macaroni and potato salads, and fried tortilla shell or bread “bowls.”
    Try these instead:
    At Boston Market: A quarter of a chicken, white meat, no skin or wing; a chicken, turkey, or ham sandwich without cheese or dressing; any fresh vegetable, such as green beans or broccoli.
    At Chili’s: The Guiltless Grill items, which are usually served with black beans or steamed veggies; shrimp, chicken, or beef fajitas, topped with salsa and minus the flour tortillas and full-fat cheese and sour cream.
    At Ruby Tuesday: The salad bar, which contains all the makings for a healthy salad (greens, chickpeas, fresh vegetables, diced turkey or ham, olive oil and balsamic dressing); a turkey burger without the bun; grilled chicken or grilled-chicken salads without the cheese or deep-fried tortilla bowl.
     
    Chinese Food
     
    To give Americanized Chinese food a South Beach makeover, minimize the huge amounts of saturated fat used to prepare it. Ask that your dish be prepared without MSG, the flavoring agent often used in Chinese cuisine. While it’s made from beets, a healthy vegetable, MSG has a very high glycemic index (GI). Try egg drop soup or any combination of steamed fresh vegetables prepared with small amounts of meat, poultry, or seafood. Stay away from: steamed rice (it has a high GI); the deep-fried, crispy noodles; egg rolls; fried dumplings; spareribs; lo mein; moo goo gai pan; Peking duck; and entrées described on the menu as “crispy” or “sweet and sour.” Also, many sauces may be thickened with cornstarch. Ask the waiter for sauces prepared without added cornstarch.
     
    Indian Food
     
    Indian food is based on good carbs, particularly legumes like chickpeas and lentils, and veggies such as spinach and eggplant. The downside is its abundance of starchy carbs (like potatoes) and bad fats. Many appetizers are deep-fried, and vegetables and meats are typically fried or sautéed in the Indian butter called ghee . Still, most Indian restaurants provide several tasty choices for the South Beach dieter. Try Mulligatawny soup, dals (legume dishes—choose those without cream), chana (chickpea curry), kachumbars (vegetable salads), raitas (salads with a tart yogurt dressing), or dishes described on the menu as masala (a combination of spices with sautéed tomatoes and onions) or tandoori (seasoned meat, poultry, or fish roasted in a clay oven).
    Stay away from Samosas (deep-fried pastry filled with vegetables or meat); puri (a puffy, deep-fried bread); and entrées described as biryani, malai, or korma, which are heavy on the oil and cream.
     
    Italian Food
     
    Not order pasta? At an Italian restaurant? Actually, it’s easier than you think—there are usually several choices right for the South Beach dieter. Try salads dressed with oil and balsamic vinegar; clams steamed in white wine; clear soups; grilled meat, poultry, or fish; scallops sautéed with mushrooms and marsala wine sauce; or escarole or broccoli rabe (two types of greens) sautéed in garlic and olive oil.
    If you order pizza, request a thin-crust pie rather than Sicilian or deep-dish, and pile it with veggies rather than sausage or pepperoni. If you must have pasta, ask for whole wheat pasta and order a side serving sautéed in olive oil and garlic or topped with plain tomato sauce and good proteins (clams or shrimp) or vegetables. Stay away from bread or garlic bread; antipastos with cheeses and salami, which are high in saturated fat; and anything described on the menu as “carbonara” (prepared with full-fat cream and cheese) or