Depending on where you are dining, the complimentary tap water may be laced with small amounts of contaminants. The health risks involved can range from lead poisoning (as in Flint, Michigan, for example) to a gastrointestinal infection. Sometimes the tap water just tastes bad, whether or not it is otherwise contaminated.
Tenacity Brewing, a local Flint establishment, made certain to announce to their patrons that the water they use in brewing is filtered and tested to be lead-free. Most restaurants do not make such claims. So, go ahead and take a chance on tap water. Or, instead, opt for a bottle of a bubbly variety or try a nice bottle of mineral water.
Chicken Nuggets Are a No-No
At fast-food restaurants, it is best to steer clear of chicken nuggets. In a 2013 study published in the American Journal of Medicine, researchers found more parts than actual chicken. For instance, one sample contained half muscle tissues, and the rest contained blood vessels, fat, and nerves.
According to one researcher, “What has happened is that some companies have chosen to use an artificial mixture of chicken parts.” Adding, “It is really a chicken by-product high in calories, salt, sugar and fat that is a very unhealthy choice.” Worse than that, ex-fast food employees reveal nuggets are left sitting out under heat lamps well beyond health agency recommendations.
Chicken Parmesan Is Always Overcooked
Ask any chef and they will advise you to steer away from ordering the chicken parm. Chef Phil Pretty is known for saying that he would never order the dish. It’s always frozen before cooked and tastes like a gross version of chicken nuggets.
Here’s the problem: the dish is breaded and cooked and then cooked again when it is baked. Given the fact that chicken is not conducive to overcooking, you’re going to end up with a rubbery lump that challenges your cutlery skills.
The Soup Special Is Yesterday's Special
A bowl of soup on a chilly day might seem like a light meal that will really hit the spot. However, a sandwich or a salad might be more nutritious. A creamy bisque, chowder, or cream of broccoli contains more calories and fat than daily recommended and the chicken noodle serves up more sodium than you need in a week.
If that’s not discouraging enough, you should know that the soup specials are usually a concoction of the previous day’s meals left as scraps. Don’t order soup late in the day. That means it has been sitting in the pot all afternoon.
Sprouting Bacteria
Even though sprouts seem like one of the healthiest crunchies to add to a salad, here are a few things you might want to know. Since 1996, sprouts caused at least 30 outbreaks of food poisoning which resulted in new regulation protocols for bean sprouts. These new recommendations were instated in 1999.
Sprouts are cultivated in a warm, damp environment which is an ideal condition for harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella to propagate. Listeria is also a concern. Ordering cooked sprouts is one way to avoid the pathogens found on raw sprouts.