This week, we launched a report on Indian takeaway food as part of our Takeaway Series. You may have heard/read in the media some of the findings – before you have even started tucking into the main dish, an average portion of plain naan bread and pilau rice contains 1,000 calories :O !!

For most people, it is not new news that takeaway food is not a healthy option, or that it can have high levels of fat or salt. The aim of the Takeaway Series is to inform our choices when eating out or ordering in so that we can make healthier choices the next time we have a takeaway for a treat.

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I am not a nutritionist but I would be fairly informed in this area as part of my job working on the communications team in safefood. Even with that in mind, it is still news to me when these findings come in, just how many calories can be in these foods.

Let’s have a look at some of the calories in different takeaways, mainly the ones that were certainly (new) news when the reports were launched...

Chinese

An average portion of prawn crackers contains 606 calories – that is the same as 3 bags of crisps or two Mars bars…gulp!

Burger

A large Quarter Pounder meal, with all the trimmings (Bacon and cheese topping), chips and soft drink contains approx. 2,000 calories! For women, that is our total intake of food in one day. With a whole heap of salt/saturated fat thrown in for good measure too.

Pizza

An "average" 12 inch size pizza – again, this can be the entire requirement of an adult’s calories, saturated fat and salt for a full day!! Size really does matter here people – especially when it comes to your health.

I’m sure the nutritionists will agree, portion size is absolutely key. So next time you are eating out, ask them to take away the prawn crackers, share the pizza, order a small/medium sized burger meal and you will be saving yourself a bunch of calories and making your heart that bit healthier too without the salt and fats, literally, saturating it!

Or in my case, the next time I'm ordering my favourite which is Indian takeaway food…delicious dal and tasty tikka portions will be shared, one pilau portion will be ordered between two and one nice naan bread between (dare I say) four! With the portions we surveyed - where there were huge variations between sizes, believe me…there will be enough food to go around. At most, you might even save yourself the price of a cinema ticket or two, or at least, the trauma of having to loosen your belt!

For some tips from our nutrition team, have a look at their advice on making healthier choices when eating out.

To read any of the reports from the takeaway series, visit www.safefood.eu.