Why Restaurants Should Show Calories on Their Menus

Full script

Read the whole talk.

All slides in one place. Read it through once, then practice slide by slide.

1. 01Why Restaurants Should Show Calories

   Good afternoon. I'm a family doctor in Toronto. When we buy food at a supermarket, the package tells us what's inside. But in many restaurants, we have no idea. Today, I'll argue that restaurants should show calories on their menus.

   下午好。我是多伦多的一名家庭医生。我们在超市买食品时，包装上会告诉我们里面有什么。但在很多餐厅，我们完全不知道。今天，我要论证的是：餐厅应该在菜单上标注卡路里。

2. 02Some Countries Already Do This

   This isn't a new idea. In the United States, chain restaurants with twenty or more locations have had to show calories on menus since May 2018. In England, large food businesses with two hundred and fifty or more employees have had to do the same since April 2022.

   这并不是一个新想法。在美国，拥有二十家或以上门店的连锁餐厅，从2018年5月起就必须在菜单上标注卡路里。在英格兰，拥有二百五十名或以上员工的大型餐饮企业，从2022年4月起也必须这样做。

   Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "Menu Labeling Requirements" (compliance date: May 7, 2018); The Calorie Labelling (Out of Home Sector) (England) Regulations 2021, in force April 6, 2022

3. 03Reason 1: The Right to Know

   My first reason is simple: people have a right to know what they're eating. We already accept labels on packaged food. Why should a sandwich in a café be different from a sandwich in a shop?

   我的第一个理由很简单：人们有权知道自己吃的是什么。我们已经接受了包装食品上的标签。为什么咖啡馆里的三明治就应该和商店里卖的三明治不一样呢？

4. 04Reason 2: Surprising Numbers

   Second, the numbers can surprise us. A salad covered in creamy dressing may not be as light as it looks. Without labels, even careful eaters can guess wrong.

   第二，数字可能会让我们大吃一惊。一份淋满奶油酱汁的沙拉，可能并不像看起来那么清淡。没有标注，即使是很注意饮食的人也可能判断错误。

5. 05Reason 3: Better Choices From Restaurants

   Third, labels don't only change customers. They can push restaurants, too. When a number is printed on the menu, a company may decide to offer smaller portions or lighter options.

   第三，标注改变的不只是顾客，它也能推动餐厅改变。当一个数字印在菜单上时，公司可能会决定推出份量更小或更清淡的选择。

6. 06"Calories Aren't Everything"

   Critics say calories aren't everything, and they're right. Nutrition is more than one number. But a simple number is better than no information at all, and customers can still ignore it if they want.

   批评者说，卡路里并不代表一切，他们说得没错。营养不是一个数字就能概括的。但一个简单的数字总比完全没有信息要好，而且顾客如果不想看，仍然可以忽略它。

7. 07Small Restaurants

   What about small family restaurants? I agree we shouldn't push costs onto them. That's why both the US and England started with large businesses. Small places can join later, with support.

   那么小型的家庭餐馆呢？我同意我们不应该把成本强加给他们。正因如此，美国和英格兰都是从大企业开始的。小店可以以后在获得支持的情况下再加入。

   Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "Menu Labeling Requirements"; The Calorie Labelling (Out of Home Sector) (England) Regulations 2021

8. 08Conclusion

   In conclusion, calorie labels don't tell anyone what to eat. They simply give people information to make their own choices. That's why I support them. Thank you.

   总之，卡路里标注并不是告诉任何人该吃什么。它只是给人们提供信息，让他们自己做选择。这就是我支持它的原因。谢谢大家。