Greek kebabs get the nod for healthy dining

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Trying to choose something healthy to eat at a Greek restaurant? Forget the big Greek salad, moussaka or gyro sandwich and instead order kebabs with rice, a consumer nutrition group said on Monday.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest said its analysis of entrees, sandwiches, side dishes and desserts at nine Greek restaurants throughout the nation showed the fat content was highest in moussaka, a casserole made with fried eggplant, lamb or beef, and a butter-rich sauce.

Not far behind was the gyro, a pita sandwich with meat and sauce. Each contained an average of more than 40 grams of fat, an amount nearly double that found in a McDonald's "Big Mac" hamburger, the group said.

Even a salad wasn't a good option. An entree-sized Greek salad, which features feta cheese and dressing along with the lettuce and tomatoes, contains 30 grams of fat.

"That's the fat equivalent of a McDonald's 'Quarter Pounder with Cheese'," the consumer group said.

"Our advice is skip the gyro and moussaka and head straight for the kebabs," said Jayne Hurley, a senior nutritionist with the center, a nonprofit group that has previously analyzed foods from Chinese, Mexican and Italian restaurants.

U.S. health experts recommend eating no more than 65 grams of fat daily, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Better choices for health-conscious diners at Greek restaurants are kebabs made with chicken, pork or lamb, plus rice, the consumer group said. Those entrees typically contain 14 to 18 grams of fat.

The menu items offered by most Greek restaurants in the United States are not typical of what's on the dinner table in Greece, according to experts.

"Over the centuries, the Greek diet consisted largely of vegetables, grains, fish and olive oil, with small amounts of meat and cheese -- a healthy diet by any standards," said Elaine Gavalas, the author of a Greek cookbook, "Secrets of Fat-Free Greek Cooking."

"What you find in many Greek restaurants in the United States today is a far cry from the traditional rural diet of Greece," Gavalas added.

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