You may think that having dinner at a good restaurant is a better option compared to eating fast food at a drive-through. But you need to know truth related to this. Ruopeng An, a researcher from University of Illinois decided to find out the truth by studying data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from over 18,000 Americans.

As per a paper published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, whenever and wherever people go out to eat, they consume 200 additional calories compared to what they have at home. The situation could be even worse.

Sometimes it seems that eating at restaurant is less healthy than eating fast food. One could be taking in more healthy nutrients, such as potassium vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids that depend on the order, but at the same time one could consume more cholesterol and sodium.

An said that there have been comparisons between food served by full-service restaurants and fast food. According to him, "But, people don't know much about the food provided by full-service restaurants and if it is better or healthier compared to fast food or compared to food prepared and consumed at home".

According to a paper that was published in Public Health Nutrition, there has been more calorie intake at restaurants for those having middle incomes in opposition to high incomes and for black adults as compared to their Hispanic counterparts.

As per a dietician in New York City's Montefiore Medical Center, cooking food at home makes people aware regarding what they are consuming.