If you must eat these unhealthy foods, try to order smaller amounts. Think single patties instead of triple patties, or small fries instead of jumbo. You can even order a child-sized hamburger if it's available. Whatever you do, avoid any temptation to "super size" your order. Though taking advantage of this gimmick may feel good in the short run, it has long-term health consequences.

Good alternatives

Fortunately, many fast-food restaurants have started offering ever-growing numbers of healthful items. By choosing food with better nutrient content, you lower the overall content of substances that are harmful in large amounts. In some cases, this may mean switching to a different fast-food restaurant than the one you normally patronize.

For example, order grilled or roasted lean meats instead of high-fat or fried foods. Turkey is leaner than hamburger, and lean roast beef has fewer calories than a breaded-chicken or fried-fish sandwich.

Other good fast-food choices include:

• Salad with fat-free dressing or vinegar and olive oil
• Whole-wheat rolls
• Fruit
• Yogurt
• Whole-wheat tortilla wraps without dressing
• Baked potato