Applebee’s Gluten Free Foods

Applebee’s not only offers tasty nutritious meals, it also takes into consideration the special needs of different people.  For instance, lots of people have certain medical conditions because of which their doctors ask them to keep gluten out of their diet.  All Applebee’s restaurants may not have a Gluten Free Menu, but they have provided information about Gluten free food items in Applebee’s Menu and other food allergens on their website.

Gluten is a grain protein found in many food items including baked breads and a variety of desserts.  Today, gluten intolerance is on the rise.  Since those who have such a problem have to be careful of what they eat while at home or dining out, many restaurants are making gluten free products available.  Accordingly, Applebee’s too decided to include gluten-free dishes in their menu.

Many restaurants and food companies are reluctant to declare any of their products as being completely gluten-free because of concerns of cross-contamination.  So also, while Applebees does not commit to any of their dishes being 100% gluten free, it does not imply that you can’t have gluten free food at any Applebee’s restaurant.  While placing your order, you just have to inform your server about having to avoid gluten so he can take the required measures to avert gluten contamination.

Having said that, if you have had a gluten-free meal at Applebee’s before, we would love to know what your experience (whether positive or negative) was, through your comments.

Now let us check the gluten-free options in Applebees Menu.

Gluen-free Protein Dishes

High protein seafood and chicken dishes at Applebee’s such as Garlic Herb Salmon, Fiesta Lime Chicken, Cajun Lime Tilapia, and Grilled Dijon Chicken & Portobello are free of gluten for they don’t include accompanying sides.  Gluten can be avoided by not opting for gluten containing items like rice or flat bread as sides for these dishes.  However, remember, potential cross contamination makes it impossible to guarantee that the food will be totally gluten free. Continue Reading »
Applebee’s Gluten Free Menu

Technorati Tags: Applebees, Applebees Menu

Applebee’s Low Calorie and Low Cholesterol Menu

One of the most effective ways of maintaining the right levels of blood cholesterol and keeping your heart healthy is following the right diet.  It is often difficult to do this if you eat at fast food outlets.  But, unlike such places that offer mostly processed, unhealthy foods, at Applebee’s it is not difficult to choose healthy meals.

If you glance through the menu at an Applebee’s restaurant, you’ll see the nutrition information listed for each item in terms of calories, sodium content and fat content, but not the cholesterol content.  While this is true, experts tell us that cholesterol in food is not as damaging as the bad fats, that is, saturated and trans fats.

The Harvard School of Public Health says controlling such fat content in our diet is more effective in maintaining desirable cholesterol levels in the body than controlling the levels of actual cholesterol present in our food.  So while ordering food at Applebee’s, to maintain your cholesterol levels, just look for menu items that have low saturated fat content and skip those containing trans fat altogether.

At Applebee’s they do have a lot of high calorie, high fat dishes, but they also offer a wide selection of items that are good for your heart.  So order the right foods and there’ll be no need to worry about harming your cholesterol levels.

Healthy Options at Applebee’s

For heart-healthy options just go straight to the “Under 550 calories Menu”.  The items marked with the Weight Watchers sign in this menu are even better.  Of all the listed items in the menu, the Asian crunch salad, and the grilled shrimp and island rice are the healthiest, containing just 1g saturated fat.  The next best is the Spicy Shrimp Diavolo with 3.5g saturated fat, whereas the Grilled Dijon Chicken and Portobellos, and the Asiago Peppercorn Steak both have 6g saturated fat.  Those who are not calorie conscious can pick some other dishes on the menu that have lower quantities of saturated fat, such as a grilled chicken Caesar salad but without any dressing, or the veggie burger.

Items to Avoid

If you have to careful about your cholesterol levels watch out for those items on the Applebee’s menu that contain trans fats and have massive amounts of saturated fat.  Most of these are easily identifiable, such as cheese fries.  The healthiest options at Applebees would be the quesadilla burger containing an atrocious 43g saturated fat, the spinach artichoke dip containing about 30g saturated fat and the chicken fajita roll-up that has 29g saturated fat.  Then, all the pasta dishes, except the Spicy Shrimp Diavolo, contain a minimum of 2g trans fat, and over 40g saturated fat.  The chocolate chip cookie sundae in the dessert menu, containing 51g saturated fat, is the item most laden with saturated fat in the entire menu.

Smart Substitutions at Applebee’s

If you feel your favorite Applebee’s item contains more fat than you would prefer, just make some smart substitution requests.  For instance, you could request reduced-fat dressing or ask for all sauces and dressing to be served on the side.  On request, Applebee’s also substitutes steamed vegetables or salads in place of fattier sides like french fries or mashed potatoes. You could also request grilled meats instead of fried meats for certain items.