You already know to avoid the word "fried" on the menu if you're looking for a light meal — and for that matter, to forgo anything labeled "diet" or "low cal" if you're in the mood for a treat. But menu language has lots of other nuances that can clue you in to the nutritional profile of the food. Here are 10 terms that help indicate whether a menu item is an everyday choice or more of a special-occasion indulgence.

By Christy Harrison, M.P.H., R.D.

The process of curing involves covering foods in salt, brine, or cure mixtures including sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite. Thus, cured products tend to be very high in sodium. The same is often true of smoked meats and fish, which may be cured before smoking. Many higher-end restaurants cure and smoke their own products from scratch, but the sodium is still in there — so it's a good idea to limit intake of cured products if you’re watching your blood pressure.

This term usually means lots of butter is involved — the steam released from butter as it heats up is what gives baked goods the many layers that create flakiness. (The exception to this rule is certain types of fish, which are sometimes described as flaky because their flesh naturally breaks into discrete "flakes" when cooked, no butter necessary, although it may be used in cooking the fish too.)

This word usually indicates that a food is battered/breaded and deep-fried. "Crisp," however, is a different story (see next slide).