Healhty Chinese Food!!

2»

Replies

  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
    I had THE BEST experience with Panda Express last week. Got a bowl of fresh vegetables with chicken and MORE veggies on top! it was grrrreat. Watch out for the sauce though.....sweet and sour is the lesser evil of all the options.
  • gracielee1
    gracielee1 Posts: 71 Member
    just too much sodium in most of them...
  • Amcolecchi
    Amcolecchi Posts: 260 Member
    Make your own brown rice at home because Fried and White rice aren't the best and order steamed chicken and broccoli :)
  • EquusEvanescence
    EquusEvanescence Posts: 11
    I get the Ting Tung Shrimp, its in light sauce so I am not over processed with that and its got tons of veggies!! a 1/2 cup of that with 1/2 cup of rice was 300 something calories :)!! I have like 4 days left overs too from the huge portions they give. So no complaining on anything here. But if you want SUPER healthy Chinese food, make your own at home. It will have less sodium and you know whats going in it so you don't have to worry about what your trying to avoid being in it .
  • H0tbanker
    H0tbanker Posts: 1
    If you have a panda express nearby you can actually be pretty healthy. Don't get the rice or chow mein. Ask for the steamed vegatables for your side and get the chicken and string beans or black pepper shrimp and you are looking at 350 calories total for your whole meal- you can even splurge on a fortune cookie for an addtional 45 calories. :) Good luck!
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
    I personally love brothy soups, like their wonton soups, or beef brocolli.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    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.

    ^^^This. Not to mention it's loaded with sodium. Personally, if I'm gonna splurge on Chinese, I'm gonna order a small amount of something I really want (just have to be sure I eat accordingly the rest of the day). I can make steamed veggies and rice at home, and it doesn't really do much to squash my Chinese food craving.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    There is nothing from a typical Chinese restaurant that could even be remotely considered "healthy" unless you asked for steamed broccoli with nothing on the side

    If by "healthy" you mean "lower calorie" then anything steamed is probably your best bet.

    Skip the rice altogether.
  • Peggb
    Peggb Posts: 84 Member
    If you are going out and there is a panda express get the string bean chicken - its only 160 cals per serving and tastes great. My daughter likes their beef and broc which is low as well. I usually don't get the rice or noodle, just the string bean chicken by itself and its delicious, but you can get a "bowl" and have them do the string bean chicken and then ask for 1/2 chow mein&1/2 vegs - that way you double up the vegs
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    There are not very many choices that would be outside my normal calorie range for dinner. But if you eat fewer than 900 or so for dinner, then I suggest order your favorite, then eat half for dinner and save the rest for tomorrow. (I even did that before MFP because I am pretty good at delayed gratification. :wink: )
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    Homemade Chinese food is NOT the same..... :grumble:

    I maybe have Chinese 4 times a year, it's worth it every time!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    There is nothing from a typical Chinese restaurant that could even be remotely considered "healthy" unless you asked for steamed broccoli with nothing on the side

    If by "healthy" you mean "lower calorie" then anything steamed is probably your best bet.

    Skip the rice altogether.

    Hmmm...

    It's interesting that other people's idea of "healthy" is so different than mine. I don't think there are very many choices that are unhealthy, just large portions, which is what makes them high calorie.

    And is rice unhealthy? Weird! :wink:
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member

    Hmmm...

    It's interesting that other people's idea of "healthy" is so different than mine. I don't think there are very many choices that are unhealthy, just large portions, which is what makes them high calorie.

    And is rice unhealthy? Weird! :wink:

    I didn't say rice is unhealthy, but it's unnecessary calories that come with a meal that's usually already high calorie.
  • sh4690
    sh4690 Posts: 169 Member
    Chicken Fried Rice without the peas and a Portion of curry sauce...
    Free prawn crackers! Mwuhahaha!

    Yeah if I want a chinese (which even before the diet it was a very rare occasion) I just have it!
    Had this the other week there and me and my friend just split it between us :)

    So yeah, I'm not too good with the healthy chinese options considering I only stick to a few things.. too scared to broaden my chinese palate!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    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.

    Another hmmm...to me, crab rangoon is one to avoid, based on your own criteria. It's deep fried sweetness. (but I will still eat just one)
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member

    Hmmm...

    It's interesting that other people's idea of "healthy" is so different than mine. I don't think there are very many choices that are unhealthy, just large portions, which is what makes them high calorie.

    And is rice unhealthy? Weird! :wink:

    I didn't say rice is unhealthy, but it's unnecessary calories that come with a meal that's usually already high calorie.

    Oh, ok. What makes the rest of it unhealthy? The sodium, maybe? I'm just guessing.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I usually order mixed vegetables in white sauce (which is usually just corn starch based) or moo shu vegetables which has a very light sauce (but still high in sodium). I skip the pancakes with the moo shu. My husband and I usually split a dish and there is still enough for my lunch the next day. Portion sizes at most Chinese places are HUGE, so pay attention to that.
  • kellygirl5538
    kellygirl5538 Posts: 597 Member
    I agree with him,
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Oh, ok. What makes the rest of it unhealthy? The sodium, maybe? I'm just guessing.

    Yeah, particularly the sodium, the abundance of fried foods, and MSG

    By the way, who only eats ONE crab rangoon? LOL... A chicken wing from Buffalo Wild Wings has half the calories as that one crab rangoon.
  • sh4690
    sh4690 Posts: 169 Member
    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.

    But... but..... sweet and sour chicken balls with boiled rice!

    Aw I want a Chinese now, but I won't. aha!
  • samlankford
    samlankford Posts: 334
    always get steamed chicken with mixed vegetables, no salt or sauce... even give my dogs the white rice... never have been a white rice fan.. Some places are starting to carry brown rice, you can always ask them when you call...
  • faithchange
    faithchange Posts: 311 Member
    OK. Speaking from experience here. You have to be cautious of their sodium and MSG. I literally gain 3-5 lbs for at least three days following my "healthy" splurge. I'm talking when I eat shrimp cocktail (w/o the sauce)...it has loads of salt. I'm not one for rice much, so I could live w/o it. Just do the Chinese once in a while.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    By the way, who only eats ONE crab rangoon? LOL... A chicken wing from Buffalo Wild Wings has half the calories as that one crab rangoon.

    :laugh: ME! We usually get an order of 6 of them. I eat one, my daughter eats two, and hubby eats the other three! :tongue:

    I like to have one crab rangoon, one egg roll, then half (or nowadays, 1/3) of the main entree, and save the rest of the entree for the next day.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    But... but..... sweet and sour chicken balls with boiled rice!

    Aw I want a Chinese now, but I won't. aha!

    I know! Me too! love, love, love Chinese food!
  • laurainparis
    laurainparis Posts: 64 Member
    Last time I got Chinese I asked for steamed tofu and steamed broccoli with garlic sauce on the side. That's not on the menu, but they made it. :) Then I measured out a 1/2 cup of my kids' vegetable lo mein and added that, which I could "afford" calorie-wise b/c the tofu and broccoli is so low in calories. I measured out 2 tbsp of the garlic sauce and then added a little soy sauce (3 calories per serving) for extra flavor.
    Beware, though, if you've never had steamed tofu you might want to try it first. The texture is not for everyone.
  • marywilsoncline
    marywilsoncline Posts: 301 Member
    Luckily our local China buffet has awesome fresh salmon baked in herbs and lemons so its delicious! I usually have a piece of that with steamed veggies, green beans, raw veggies from their salad bar and lots of fresh fruit for desert. I also will have a piece or two of sushi and a small scoop of their crab meat baked with cheese as a treat. That stuff is too good!:love:
  • tbruegg
    tbruegg Posts: 283 Member
    Ge it to go and make your own brown rice.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Ge it to go and make your own brown rice.

    This is pretty backwards to me
  • Onaughmae
    Onaughmae Posts: 873 Member
    I just skip the rice totally. I sub steamed veggies for it instead. Stick to dishes with lots of veggies and lean chicken or beef, skipped the fried things (sweet and sour, general tso, etc). Egg drop soup is generally low in cals and pretty yummy. I also never add extra soy because the chinese food itself is more than salty enough. Hope that helps and enjoy!
  • HealthEqualsLife
    HealthEqualsLife Posts: 11
    Homemade Chinese food is NOT the same..... :grumble:

    I maybe have Chinese 4 times a year, it's worth it every time!

    youre right its not the same!! thanks for everyones replies! i think im just gonna suck it up and get what i want. ill just have to watch how much of it i eat at one time :)

Categories