from the "guiltless'', "fit'' and "lite'' menus at restaurants? A new survey says you are, so therefore dieters can eat up.

But the Centre for Science in the Public Interest in Washington DC recommends you pass on the salt, since most lighter menu items contain lots of sodium -- from 670 to 2,870 grams -- sometimes more than for the regular menu item.

Still, said Jayne Hurley, senior nutritionist for CSPI, "These meals are far better than similar items ordered off the regular menu. In general, you get fewer calories, less fat and saturated fat, and more vegetables.'' The centre tested seven restaurant chains and found 13 of 17 items on diet menus were indeed healthier and lighter than regular fare, although some chefs added more fat than the menus advertised. Four items failed the health test because they got more than 30 percent of their calories from fat, the government-recommended minimum.

"We are giving these companies an "A'' for effort, but clearly they need to do a better job of communicating with the thousands of cooks and servers at their restaurant locations throughout the country,'' said Hurley.

The related Mexican restaurants El Torito and Chi-Chi's were both cited for putting too much fat -- 50 percent more than advertised at 18 grams -- in their chicken fajitas lite and chicken chajitas lite. Still, the dish weighed in at 790 calories compared with 1,660 for the regular menu item.

"There are natural variations in the raw materials because our products are prepared by people, not machines,'' said Gayle DeBrosse, vice president of quality assurance for the restaurant chain.

Highlights of the survey of seven restaurant chains by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, ranked by percent of calories from fat: T.G.I. Friday's "Lite'' Pacific Coast tuna, 520 calories, 9 percent from fat.

Denny's "Fit Fare'' grilled breast of chicken, 520 calories, 15 percent from fat.

Chili's "Guiltless'' chicken salad, 310 calories, 18 percent from fat.

Chi-Chi's (El Torito) "Lite Specialities'' chicken chajitas (fajitas) lite, 790 calories, 21 percent from fat. Typical Mexican chicken fajitas, 1,660 calories, 34 percent from fat.

Chili's "Guiltless'' veggie pasta, 630 calories, 22 percent from fat.

T.G.I. Friday's "Lite'' gardenburger, 640 calories, 26 percent from fat.

McDonald's Big Mac with large fries, 980 calories, 46 percent from fat.

Chili's "Guiltless'' fajitas, 960 calories, 28 percent from fat. Typical fajitas, 1,660 calories, 34 percent from fat.

T.G.I. Friday's "Lite'' garden Dagwood sandwich, 510 calories, 29 percent from fat. Typical vegetarian sandwich with cheese, 750 calories, 48 percent from fat.

Olive Garden "Garden Fare'' capellini primavera, 660 calories, 29 percent from fat.

Chi-Chi's (El Torito) "Lite Specialities'' chicken quesadilla, 940 calories, 38 percent from fat. Typical quesadilla, 900 calories, 59 percent from fat.

Denny's "Fit Fare'' California grilled chicken salad, 320 calories, 52 percent from fat.

*** Scientists are trying to decide if it's safe to eat the first artificial fat that could take every bit of artery-clogging oil out of potato chips without hurting the taste.

Olestra is a synthetic chemical made out of sugar and vegetable oil. It looks like regular fat but is undigestible. It passes straight through the body, never getting a chance to clog arteries or fatten hips.

Manufacturer Procter & Gamble Co. says olestra could help Americans dramatically cut their consumption of fat. But critics say olestra is dangerous, that it acts as a laxative and robs the body of nutrients.

Nutrition experts debated last Thursday whether the Food and Drug Administration should let olestra be sold, a decision the agency's top food advisers will formally make today. The FDA will have the final say, expected early next year.

Procter & Gamble hopes to sell olestra as a fat replacer in snack chips.

"We have done the most rigorous study of a food ingredient ever seen by the FDA,'' said researcher director Keith Triebwasser. "Olestra can be safely consumed and it tastes good.'' Olestra's molecules are too large and tightly packed for the body to break down. A typical serving of potato chips has 10 grams of fat and 150 calories.

With olestra you get no fat and 60 calories, Triebwasser said.

But olestra does have drawbacks.