'This, Not That' practical for fast-food diners’
BEST CHOICES FOR FAST FOOD

The new book Eat This, Not That! compares popular menu items, such as those below. We've CAPITALIZED the healthier options -- and some of them may surprise you:

The new book, which is based on a popular column in the magazine, is mostly colorful photos of good and not-so-good choices at more than 60 fast-food and chain restaurants, from McDonald's to Applebee's. Under each picture, there's a list of other restaurant dishes to consider or avoid.

Some examples:

•Burger King's Whopper Jr. without mayonnaise and garden salad with fat-free ranch dressing has 365 calories and 12 fat grams, compared with a BK Big Fish Sandwich with tartar sauce and medium fries with 1,000 calories and 52 fat grams.

•A ham, egg and cheese English muffin sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts has 310 calories and 10 fat grams vs. a multigrain bagel with light cream cheese, 500 calories and 15 fat grams.

•Popeye’s' spicy chicken breast, thigh, leg and wing without the skin and breading has 280 calories, 8.5 fat grams vs. a spicy chicken breast with the breading and skin, 360 calories, 22 fat grams.

The book also offers examples of better choices for foods sold in supermarkets, vending machines and ethnic restaurants and compares foods served on holidays from Valentine's Day and Easter with Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Expert opinions

USA TODAY asked two registered dietitians to review Eat This, Not That!

"If you eat at chain fast-food or family restaurants several times a week, then this book might be helpful for figuring out the best choices," said Keith Ayoob, who works with overweight children and their families at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. "There are a lot of nutrition details here, so it's always good to log onto the restaurant websites and check the calories and fat grams to make sure you have the latest facts."

"Keep in mind: Sometimes it's better to eat a smaller portion of something you really love than eat the lowest-calorie item on the menu."

Dawn Jackson Blatner, who works with overweight patients in Chicago and is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association said "this book is a great way to educate people about making healthful decisions at restaurants, the grocery store, vending machines. There are several healthful options for the restaurants. These are realistic changes people can make to save hundreds of calories."