The National Restaurant Association's staff nutritionist, Sheila Weiss, R.D., fields your questions on healthy eating in restaurants. E-mail Sheila your question.

Q: Since my husband's heart attack, we need to really watch salt consumption. We manage the fat and cholesterol okay, but salt is another matter. Any suggestions will be welcome.
A: Thank you very much for your question on limiting salt. You are certainly correct that it is important to watch sodium consumption. Some suggestions:

• Reduce the amount of salt that you add to foods. This may be difficult to do at first, since a preference for salty taste is learned and it will take time to unlearn it. One sure way is to taste a food before you add salt to it at the table.
• Instead of adding salt to foods to flavor them, try seasoning with herbs, spices, herbed vinegar, herb rubs and fruit juices.
• Read the Nutrition Facts information on food labels to find the sodium content of packaged food. (Pre-packaged or processed foods such as canned soups or frozen entrees tend to be high in sodium.)
• When dining out, recognize terms that may indicate a high sodium content, such as pickled, smoked, au jus, soy sauce, or in broth.
• Try snacking on raw fruits and vegetables rather than salty snacks like pretzels or potato chips.
• When dining out, ask your server for help. Request that foods be prepared without added salt, or ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side. For low-sodium dressings, try lemon or a splash of vinegar, or use just a light drizzle of dressing.
• When dining out, order broiled or grilled meat—without salted seasonings— rather than entrees cooked in sauces.
• Look for food products described as "unsalted," "no-salt-added," "reduced sodium," "sodium-free," and "low in sodium."

Q: I am a registered dietitian who teaches nutrition to future chefs. I recall a law being passed that established menu labeling requirements when such terms as "heart-healthy" are used in restaurants. Where can I find more information on this law?
A:Restaurants are not required by law to put nutrition labels on their menus. However, if a restaurant makes a claim about a menu item—calling it "low fat" or "healthy," for example—the restaurant is required by 1990's Nutrition Labeling and Education Act to have substantiating evidence (ingredients, nutrition facts, recipes, etc.) available to back up that claim. For more complete information, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has information for restaurants that make health or nutrition claims.

Q: Food products containing allergens can be difficult or impossible to separate and/or control in a foodservice environment, especially if equipment and tools cannot be dedicated. What advice does NRA have for members who wish to inform customers about allergen risks?
A: We agree that food allergies are a very serious matter, and the National Restaurant Association encourages its members to take this issue very seriously. The Association is working very closely with the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), an organization that works with food-allergic consumers and represents their interests.

In an effort to educate and train restaurant-and-foodservice professionals regarding the complexities of food allergies, FAAN and the NRA compiled the Food Allergy Training Program, a two-part set with video (Spanish and English versions) and manual (English only) that offers information for both front- and back-of-the-house staff.

In addition to providing important allergy information, the video offers clear visual scenarios illustrating strategies for handling food-allergic customers from the moment they review the menu, place their order and receive their food. There are several how-to demonstrations in food preparation and service, and a section on what to do in an emergency situation.

The Food Allergy Training Program also includes the following tips for restaurants who have food-allergic customers. For example, restaurant staff are advised to take these precautions:

• Activate your procedure for handling special requests.
• Listen to the diner carefully.
• Notify the manager, chef or another designated staff person about the request.
• Answer questions honestly and accurately.
• If you don't know, say so. Do not guess about ingredients.
• Check ingredients again before serving.
• Use care to avoid cross-contamination of menu items.
• If someone has an allergic reaction, get help (911, ambulance) immediately!

Q: Which meal is most often skipped?
A:The answer is breakfast. According to the NRA's Meal Consumption Behavior 2000 study, more than one-third of individuals studied skipped at least one breakfast per week, while one out of five said they skipped breakfast five or more times per week. Those most likely to skip were males aged 25 to 34, who averaged 2.6 breakfasts skipped per week.


Q: What is the cholesterol content of eggs?
A: According to a recent study by the USDA's Agricultural Research service, the cholesterol content of one large egg is 213 milligrams. A large egg typically contains 70 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein. The egg is a good source of iron, zinc, vitamins A and B-12 and riboflavin.

Source: Food Safety Focus, June 2001, U.S. Department of Agriculture