The hidden calories in eating out

The full extent of the hidden calories we eat in restaurants is revealed today.

Following claims that restaurants are contributing to the problem of obesity, Food and Drink Federation president John Sutherland has called for nutrition information to be included on menus.

Now an Evening Standard investigation has found that while we may painstakingly count the calories when cooking at home, we are unwittingly piling on the pounds every time we eat out - even by ordering the most innocent-sounding starter.

Nutritionist and health writer Amanda Ursell visited the West End to dine at The Ivy, the Fifth Floor at Harvey Nichols, and Ed’s Diner.

Her estimations of the nutritional value of a typical meal in each venue showed there is little calorie difference between a mid-shopping-spree bite at the Fifth Floor and a milkshake, burger and chips at Ed’s in Soho.

While many believe it is the healthier option to order vegetable soup followed by mushroom risotto at the Knightsbridge department store and then guiltlessly splurge on a decadent sticky toffee pudding for dessert, the meal adds up to 1,800 calories and 86 grams of fat.And that is without a single drop of wine.

In Ed’s Diner, a burger with chips and a slice of pecan pie contains 1,926 calories.

Add a chocolate milkshake at 264 calories and, at 2,190 in total, women will have exceeded their recommended daily intake of 1,900 calories in one fell swoop.

Men will be rapidly approaching their advised total of 2,500 calories per day.

The total amount of fat in the diner meal tots up to 99 grams, way over a woman’s daily quota of 70 grams and a man’s at 90 grams.

'A lot of people will be very surprised,' Ms Ursell said. 'People think that
soup and a bread roll is a healthy option but a lot of soups are actually quite
creamy and once you start slapping the butter on the bread, the calories are already totting up.

'Even a veggie option like risotto, which people see as virtuous, contains a
lot of hidden calories and fats.'

There is better news, however, for diners at The Ivy. A seemingly fat-laden meal of the restaurant’s classic steak tartare followed by salmon fishcakes and a baked alaska amounts to 1,171 calories and 52 grams of fat, nearly half of the other two chosen meals.

'Something that looks blatantly bad for you like steak tartare is actually
quite lean and packed with protein,' said Ms Ursell.

Her conclusion is: 'Places like Ed’s Diner or Pizza Express or Burger King, where many of us eat daily, should perhaps include nutritional information.

'But it would be horrifying to go out for a special occasion and be faced with
all these statistics about fat and so on. It would take away from the ambience
and the pleasure of a good meal out.'