Calories On Menus: Harmful or Helpful?

The Legislation: Calories On Menus

Restaurants, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 staff are now permitted to display calories on menus, websites, and delivery platforms. This new legislation is part of government plans to encourage people to make ‘healthier’ choices.

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Harmful Effects Of Calories On Menus

This week we discussed the new initiative of adding calories on menus with our recovery group, who shared their first-hand experiences. Below are some of the negative effects of calorie counting and adding calories to menus.

1. Takes the joy out of eating 

Number one is that it takes the joy out of eating. When asked why do you eat out or order a takeaway? answers tend to revolve around joy, connection, delicious food, happiness and fun. Most of us would prefer to make these moments about enjoying the experience and ordering what we truly feel like, rather than focusing on how many calories are consumed.

2. Encourages diet talk

By nature, placing calories on menus provides a talking point and encourages diet talk and weight comments. Diet talk and weight comments can be incredibly triggering for those who are struggling with their relationship with food and body image, or for those with a history of eating disorders.

3. Oversimplifies nutrition

Nutrition is a complex web including food, behaviours, emotions, associations, feelings, health, lifestyle and more. Nutrition cannot be simplified down to a simple equation. Calories are just one small part of the puzzle, and the truth is that most people have no idea how many calories their body actually needs.

It poses the question– what are you really looking at when you see calories on a menu? Is the menu option more than your current energy requirements, less than your energy needs, or just right?

The truth is our caloric needs vary on a daily (and even hourly) basis. Instead of being helpful, adding calories to menus creates a society that sees healthy eating as ‘eating as little as possible’, which is far from healthy.

4. Fats become the enemy

We are all starting to understand the need for fats in the diet, in particular, essential fats from foods such as oily fish, nuts and seeds.

When looking at options on menus that include fats, these meals may seem high in calories. Fats naturally contain higher calories than the other macronutrients, but this doesn’t make them unhealthy. In fact, dietary fats keep us feeling fuller for longer, support many important functions in the body and are essential for health.

5. Encourages disordered eating

As calorie counting tends to support the idea that ‘less is better’, this new legislation will likely encourage disordered eating and eating disorders. In fact, many link the onset of their eating disorder back to a time of calorie counting or using a calorie tracker.

6. Contributes to binge eating

One of the key underlying reasons for binge eating is restrictive eating.

Many people find that after some time of tracking and limiting calories, they begin to feel ‘out of control’ with food. This is often the start of the restrict-binge cycle.

7. Disregards mental health

The number one shift that those who are struggling with their weight need to make is with their relationship with food. By adding calories on menus, we are cultivating a society that takes a black and white approach to nutrition.

As a person heals their relationship with food, we know that they are much more able to reach their healthy weight and find joy and balance with eating.

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Did You Know We Don’t Count Calories At Natural Food Therapy?

Yes, that’s right! We work with people who have all types of food issues. This includes people in all sized bodies, yet none of our recovery warriors count calories.

We believe that finding your healthy weight is an after-effect. Something that happens naturally and should never be the main focus.

If we instead focus on creating a healthy relationship with food and body image, working through the problematic food patterns, associations and past traumas. We can make a healthy and lasting connection with food; that is all about balance.

We know from experience that calorie counting does not work long-term and perpetuates disordered eating and unhealthy food patterns.

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So How Can We Protect Ourselves From This New Legislation: Adding Calories On Menus?

In our recovery group, we came up with some super helpful ways to protect yourself from this new legislation. We hope you find them useful!

1. Ask for a menu without calories

The more of us that get in the habit of asking for a menu without calories, the more restaurant providers will ensure they are available. We recommend calling ahead when possible.

2. Set a time limit on the time spent looking at the menu

If you have a menu with calories included or if you’re ordering online, giving yourself a time limit can be highly beneficial. Rather than allowing an inner battle about what to order to take up your whole experience, you can challenge yourself to limit the time you spend on it.

3. Ask a friend or family member to read the options

Asking a friend or family member to read the menu options to you can be helpful if you think you might be triggered. Remember, you are the master of your recovery, be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to make choices that align with wherever you are on this journey.

4. Be accepting of your thoughts and feelings

This is a big adjustment, and it’s essential to allow yourself to experience any thoughts or feelings that come up. You are allowed to be upset, angry, disappointed, or whatever it is that you are experiencing. Try to be accepting of whatever comes up for you and spend some time journaling or talking it through with somebody.

5. Stay focussed on your recovery goals

Keep your recovery goal for this eating experience in mind. For example, is your goal to enjoy dinner and connect with a friend? If so, try to let every choice you make align with that goal.

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Final Thoughts: Calories On Menus

We hope this helps some of you with this change. Remember that in time you will adjust to the new legislation, and in the meantime, it can help to see this as a challenge– just the same as any other recovery challenge you have encountered.

We’d love to hear from you if you’d like some support with your recovery. Learn more about our private recovery programme here.