Healthy Chinese?

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tammyquinnlmt
tammyquinnlmt Posts: 680 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been searching for a list of healthy chinese buffet or even menu choices, but the list is incredibly small. Its a family favorite, and I would love to make it easy for my family to go. I'm vegetarian (pescetarian actually) so any advice would be helpful. I was amazed to find out that my favorite foods are sometimes over 1000 cals per serving. I knew that Chinese was high in calories..but wow...not that high!

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  • VialOfDreams
    VialOfDreams Posts: 217
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    I make my own Chinese food and cut the calories and sodium down to 1/3 of what you would eat at a Chinese restaurant. :)
  • adriperez
    adriperez Posts: 20
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    I would stay away from any kind of chinese, unless you attempt to make it your self at home using healthier ingredients. Good luck on your jouney.
  • dengarrett
    dengarrett Posts: 367
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    I have steamed chicken and shrimp with veggies with brown sauce. You can do that for less than 400 calories. The garlic sauce is LOADED with calories.
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
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    I've been searching for a list of healthy chinese buffet or even menu choices, but the list is incredibly small. Its a family favorite, and I would love to make it easy for my family to go. I'm vegetarian (pescetarian actually) so any advice would be helpful. I was amazed to find out that my favorite foods are sometimes over 1000 cals per serving. I knew that Chinese was high in calories..but wow...not that high!

    Chinese is one of the worst choices overall. :frown: Tons of breaded things covered in sauces and loaded with sugar and salt. I would only do this as a rare treat, not a common thing. If you want a healthier choice that is close to Chinese try a Mongolian grill You can do a veggie stir fry there that is much better than anything you will find ant a plain Chinese place.
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    I'd pick shrimp fried rice or vegetable fried rice and those yummy Chinese buffet green beans. :) Sometimes Chinese buffets around here have boiled shrimp (on the salad bar on ice) and that is another low calorie option. I'm not really sure on other vegetarian options.... I am not a vegetarian and I know that Moo Goo Gai Pan (which I don't really like) is a low calorie option too... or anything that isn't fried!
  • qtpiesmom
    qtpiesmom Posts: 394 Member
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    If you order it special can cut calories order it without sauce/ sauce on the side. Order the Steamed veggies fill up on those.
    Being that you dont eat meat you can order a veggie hot pot. You could order War Won Ton Soup and dont eat the pork or the insides of the won tons
    Have it once in a while and plan your other foods around having it
  • dengarrett
    dengarrett Posts: 367
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    I'd pick shrimp fried rice or vegetable fried rice and those yummy Chinese buffet green beans. :) Sometimes Chinese buffets around here have boiled shrimp (on the salad bar on ice) and that is another low calorie option. I'm not really sure on other vegetarian options.... I am not a vegetarian and I know that Moo Goo Gai Pan (which I don't really like) is a low calorie option too... or anything that isn't fried!
    Moo Goo Gai Pan is great regarding calories but way bad on sodium. Most all chinese is bad on sodium though.
  • cjbnc
    cjbnc Posts: 32
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    Mongolian grills can work - then you can portion control your protein and go heavy on the low calorie veggies. Just make sure they don't add a lot of oil and stay easy on the noodles and rice. Watch out for sweet sauces (teriyaki, sweet/sour, etc) as well. I make beef/broccoli with 4oz beef and 2 cups broccoli, and a light sauce with low-sodium soy, splash of lemon, garlic and ginger. Yum. Would probably work with tofu or some light fish instead. No rice or 1/2 cup brown rice for an extra 100 cals but some added fiber.

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