Healhty Chinese Food!!

HealthEqualsLife

hi! i am seriously having a craving for some Chinese takeout! i know its not the best, so does anyone have any suggestions on what a more healthy menu option would be? or what you usually get? and does anyone know if they will generally substitute brown rice for white rice? any suggestions are welcome!! thanks a bunch!

crazyellybean

Chinese food is generally considered healthy because it's made fresh and handmade (not processed). If your going with Chinese the best thing to do is stay away from Fried foods or Creamy Foods.

However, I got General Tso's Chicken last week and half the plate plus half the rice was under 500 calories!

xuashe

Last time we went out for Chinese I had steamed vegetables with some kind of sesame sauce. Delicious!

drmerc

I've never seen a chinese resturant that had brown rice

But if you want to eat healthy I'd just avoid it entirely
OR you could decide one meal won't kill you and enjoy your chinese food (this is what I'd do)

fbmandy55

Besides the sodium intake, I find a lot of entrees aren't too bad. Especially if it's just meat and veggies.

Chow Mein or Lo Mein will kill your calories.

MonkRocker

Steamed vegetables. That's about it.

Chinese food is always gonna kill you with the sauce as far as calories and/or sugar and such goes. Anything beyond steamed veggies and plain rice is gonna be calorie rich.

UsaJewels05

Chicken and Brocoli is not to bad. Stay away from any of the Fried meat! ASk them how they prepare it. Also if you can get vegetables instead of rice it is not to bad, but if you really want rice stick to steamed or brown, not fried rice.

Every Chinese place is different so don't be afraid to ask questions about how they prepare things.

funkyspunky872

I usually get steamed chicken and vegetables with brown rice and add some soy sauce for that chinese flavor. :P Or I hit up Panda Express where I get some steamed rice, steamed veggies, and 1/2 cup of broccoli beef.

There's also lean cuisine chicken potstickers which I'm absolutely addicted to.

JessicaJonker

I always get white rice with chicken and broccoli, and generally about 1 cup of chicken and broccoli plus one cup of rice is about 600-700 cals. The rice is what gets you, so the less rice, the better. Enjoy! Chinese is so YUM.

robin820

I make my own chinese at home and use brown rice instead of white. Taste wonderful!

tmauck4472

They have seafood options which is always low, but watch the creamy ones. Eat the rice doesn't mean you have to have it piled a mile high. Stay away from the fried foods which should go without having to say it. The meats on a stick are always a good choice.

mocha106

Order an entree that comes with vegetables. Ask for sauce on the side. Some Chinese restaurants do have brown rice, ask to find out. Pay attention to the serving size.

You can easily satisfy your craving without killing your calories for the day.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

I do garlic chicken or chicken with broccoli -- I get streamed white rice, (I don't like brown for Chinese - but it's better than fried rice or lo mein), and some kind of steamed veggie. I also get one veggie egg roll.

LadyQueefsalot

If you're willing to go out on a limb, you can save calories ordering a tofu dish! I'm by no means vegetarian, but sometimes spicy basil tofu with steamed white rice is enough to kill the craving. the tofu is stir fried, but if you want deep-fried, sesame tofu is still less damaging than sesame chicken and really good! wonton or egg drop soup is a decent choice, and beef broccoli isn't bad if you're watching carbs.

ShelleyGardner

Most of the Chinese foods are drowning in sauces- this is the bad for you part. If you must eat out, ask if the chef can make you a selection NAKED with the sauce served on the side, so that you can control how much of it will go on the food.

Solution- learn to make your own! A healthy selection of vegetables, stir fried, and lean meat, also stir-fried, with dry seasonings sprinkled on will control the calories. You can make your own sauce and then use sparingly drizzled over the top. Make your own brown rice to go with it, or another healthy grains (coucous, barley, quinoa, etc.) I've found making your own Chinese stir fry is a fast meal, unless you are doing something like General Tzo's Chicken.

wtfusernameisnttaken

When I'm in the mood for Chinese food, I typically will order Thai instead. It kills that craving and most Thai food is made fresh with healthy stuff like coconut oils/milk etc... I especially LOVE Red Curry ... I make it at home most often.

RobinvdM

It isn't the calories that kill you, its the enormous amount of sodium in each portion.

Im with the other guy, either avoid it or accept that having it won't kill you and enjoy yourself

I am a fan of enjoying food I want, just not overdoing it

ETA: You can always make your own brown rice, and get take away with no rice and sub your own in

hopsywopsy

I had this low-calorie version of sweet and sour chicken tonight:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sweet_and_sour_chicken_52908

Kamille2007

word

AsellusReborn

Chicken and broccolli is pretty good, low cal but all chinese is high sodium. My chinese place doesn't do brown rice but couldn't hurt to ask. Mongolian chicken isn't terrible either.

hopsywopsy

Sorry - I just read your post again. You wanted advice on eating out, not recipes for making your own at home.

astrylian

Are you craving a particular flavor? For example, I really enjoy sweet and sour/General Tso/Sesame dishes, so a good option for me is to make my own steamed vegetables with a lean cut of protein, and have a little side of sweet and sour.

LAMypie

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chinese-take-out-lemon-chicken-107254.aspx

Make your own. Only 400 calories for a serving of this lemon chicken, which includes the rice, which you can substitute brown rice or even quinoa. We're having it tonight, so I can't tell you how good it is. I plan on adding chopped broccoli to up the fiber and vitamin quota out.

ragekage21

I've gotten myself off of fried rice and other heavy Chinese food by getting hooked on the following steamed broccoli with a side of garlic sauce. Pretty much every place has it, and it's not so bad! Just go easy on the sauce Some places have brown rice now as an alternative, but even white rice is better than fried. Just make sure to measure!

Also, a lot of places are offering tofu now, which is much better for you than some of the meats they have.

lydia_the_tattooed_lady

I just make my own at home---cheaper, healthier, and you can choose your own mix-ins My favorite is SeaPoint farms organic stir-fry mix with Edamame (frozen) with brown rice, stir fry sauce, and Gardein beef-less tips (I'm vegetarian). I make enough for 2 people, 346 calories each

MichelleRenee13

Ask for the food to be steamed and use broth and no msg. The chinese restaurant I order from knows my order by heart and are happy to accomodate.

jsj024519

My parent's own Chinese restaurants and I would recommend: chicken with vegetables in a white sauce. Ask for your chicken to be white chicken meat and boiled (not deep fried). Also ask that they use light salt.

Avoid egg rolls, breaded chicken and anything sweet. Crab rangoons are good. They are 120-150 cals per piece and avoid Sweet and Sour sauce.

jensfitpal2012

I skip the rice,get the sauce on the side,so I can just add a little to my food and not take in too many calories,or sodium. I like Moo Goo GAi Pan,healthy unfried chicken w/lots of fresh vegetables.Enjoy:)

coffeemom3boys

I recently ordered steamed chicken and broccoli with brown sauce on the side. I just dipped each piece as I ate and only used a 1/4 cup of sauce. I skipped the rice all together. I loved it!

allifantastical

I eat the lean cuisine Chinese food. No, it's not like the buffet, but it helps with the craving.

emotionalharlequin

Tofu