Healhty Chinese Food!!

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2

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  • astrylian
    astrylian Posts: 194 Member
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    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
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    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: 106 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I eat the lean cuisine Chinese food. No, it's not like the buffet, but it helps with the craving.
  • emotionalharlequin
    emotionalharlequin Posts: 83
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    Tofu
  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
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    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
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    just too much sodium in most of them...
  • Amcolecchi
    Amcolecchi Posts: 260 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I personally love brothy soups, like their wonton soups, or beef brocolli.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: )

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