Healhty Chinese Food!!

HealthEqualsLife
HealthEqualsLife Posts: 11
in Recipes
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!
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Replies

  • crazyellybean
    crazyellybean Posts: 999 Member
    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
    xuashe Posts: 46
    Last time we went out for Chinese I had steamed vegetables with some kind of sesame sauce. Delicious!
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    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
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    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
    MonkRocker Posts: 198
    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
    UsaJewels05 Posts: 229 Member
    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
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
    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
    JessicaJonker Posts: 28
    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
    robin820 Posts: 150 Member
    I make my own chinese at home and use brown rice instead of white. Taste wonderful!
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    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
    mocha106 Posts: 64 Member
    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
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    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
    LadyQueefsalot Posts: 150 Member
    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
    ShelleyGardner Posts: 4
    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
    wtfusernameisnttaken Posts: 192
    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
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
    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
    hopsywopsy Posts: 47
    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
    Kamille2007 Posts: 34
    word
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
    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
    hopsywopsy Posts: 47
    Sorry - I just read your post again. You wanted advice on eating out, not recipes for making your own at home.
  • astrylian
    astrylian Posts: 194 Member
    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
    LAMypie Posts: 127 Member
    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
    ragekage21 Posts: 75 Member
    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
    lydia_the_tattooed_lady Posts: 324 Member
    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 :D
  • MichelleRenee13
    MichelleRenee13 Posts: 363 Member
    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
    jsj024519 Posts: 400 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.
  • jensfitpal2012
    jensfitpal2012 Posts: 145 Member
    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
    coffeemom3boys Posts: 20 Member
    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
    allifantastical Posts: 946 Member
    I eat the lean cuisine Chinese food. No, it's not like the buffet, but it helps with the craving.
  • emotionalharlequin
    emotionalharlequin Posts: 83
    Tofu

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