"Healthier" Chinese Takeaway options

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Rodderick89
Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

Some friends and I are getting a chinese takeaway for a girls night next week.

Can anyone recommend some 'healthier' or lower calorie/sodium typical options, so I can still enjoy the treat, without blowing my calories for the week? I like most dishes (chicken, beef, pork, etc) and am prefer mild to spicy! I also *love* prawn crackers, but will be trying to avoid those as they are completely empty calories!

Thanks :)
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Replies

  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Low sodium isn't going to happen at a Chinese restaurant considering the sauces they cook with are packed with the stuff.

    But, you can always go for stuff like chicken and broccoli. If you're looking to stay away from the calories, I'd suggest not getting white/fried rice, and just stick with the meat/veggie dishes.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    edited November 2014
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    We frequent a Chinese Restaurant that will leave out MSG in fresh cooked meals upon request. It is a big help. The soup can't be ordered MSG free because it is all made in advance. Call the restaurant in advance and see if you have any "better" options.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
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    Thanks for your replies - I know low sodium is unrealistic, a girl can dream eh!

    The takeaway we use has lovely staff, but I've asked them before what their 'healthy' options were and they weren't very useful.

    I think, as you say, meals that are 'meat and vegetables', and leaving off sauces (e.g. sweet and sour or satay) will be lower calorie options.

    Do either of you order anything specific yourselves?
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    I go to a chain fast food Chinese take out. I looked up the calories and the best low cal options that I liked there were mushroom chicken or kung pao chicken. The veggies are a low cal option, too.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,574 Member
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    If I'm being really careful I'll just order chicken and steamed veggies with rice and throw a little soy sauce on for taste. Boring.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
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    I am thinking as my favourite part is the prawn crackers (strange, I know!) I might just work out general calories before hand, try and 'save' some calories each day before hand so I have some extra ones to splurge a little on the prawn crackers and then have a main chicken/veggie dish with something like soy sauce as arditarose suggests!
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Rodderick89 wrote: »
    Thanks for your replies - I know low sodium is unrealistic, a girl can dream eh!

    The takeaway we use has lovely staff, but I've asked them before what their 'healthy' options were and they weren't very useful.

    I think, as you say, meals that are 'meat and vegetables', and leaving off sauces (e.g. sweet and sour or satay) will be lower calorie options.

    Do either of you order anything specific yourselves?

    You can try Moo Goo Gai Pan. If you're not familiar with the dish, it is basically chicken w/mixed vegetables and garlic sauce. I love it, but some people don't like the texture of the sauce as it is kind of like a super runny gelatin.

    I don't believe it would have a ton of calories.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
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    That sounds yummy, I'll have a look! I just did a quick google search for some generic advice and found an NHS link covering all takeaways: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/men1839/Pages/Dodgytakeaways.aspx

    For chinese it says:

    Try to avoid: sweet and sour battered pork balls with special or egg fried rice, prawn toast, spring rolls.

    Healthier options: crab and corn soup, steamed dumplings, steamed vegetables and plain boiled rice, steamed fish, chicken chop suey, Szechuan prawns.
  • PinkyPan1
    PinkyPan1 Posts: 3,018 Member
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    Check this out. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/the-11-healthiest-options-at-chinese-restaurants.html#b
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Egg drop soup is low in calories. Egg foo yung -- that is what I often order because it is relatively low in carbs and fat.
    Also they usually have something like a steamed chicken and vegetable option.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
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    Thanks all for your input and advice :) I feel more confident now in choosing a 'healthier' option and staying within my net calories for the week. I am still in the very early stages of making this lifestyle change, so don't want to be gaining during my first few weeks. Thanks :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Beef and broccoli is my go to from Americanized chinese takeaway restaurants.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    We just switched to ordering from a different restaurant, and they have a steamed chicken & broccoli dish that comes with the sauce on the side. Makes it really convenient to just pour on what you want and not drown it (and yourself) in the sodium.
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
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    every time I have researched this moo goo gai pan has been one of the lowest calorie options. Though obviously a dish without sauce would be your best bet, or sauce on the side.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I'd be giving up any ideas of going low sodium, but I tend to order Chilli Prawns - just prawns, vegies and a spicy sauce. Tasty and lower calorie. Anything with meat, veg and a sauce is a better choice than deep fried etc (as long as it isn't a creamy sauce - curry sauces tend to be oily too)
  • cblue315
    cblue315 Posts: 3,836 Member
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    I order my vegies steamed and sauce on the side.
    Fresh rolls are a really good option. Lower carb and you can get them with shrimp rolled in.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I love shrimp with lobster sauce, but yeah, got to have some rice with that... A lot of places now just have steamed veggies and plain chicken.

    I never even considered asking for sauce on the side, I always assumed they had big batches of everything together and couldn't do it... I'll definitely ask next time.
  • ahoier
    ahoier Posts: 312 Member
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    Chinese food is my down fall......lol. I always plan chinese take out.....or chinese buffet night as one of my "cheat meals" - it's also one of those nights, I won't eat anything afterwards......and typically follow a 12-16 hour fast. We typically finish up around 4 p.m. (lol go early.....before the dinner price hike lol), and I won't eat my next bite of food until 8 a.m......the next morning. Essentially a 16 hour fast. Look it up ;) It's a form of intermittent fasting.

    Other than that, I stick to the steamed vegetables, salmon, white rice. I always try and "spoon off" as much of the sauce as possible.......to limit the amount of sauce that goes on my plate. I'll lay down a bed of rice first, and put my food ontop the bed of rice.....in effect, it soaks up some of that grease/sauce.....I then pick through and usually eat half of the rice portion....lol. have never been charged for "wasting food" either lol.
  • blucas123
    blucas123 Posts: 14 Member
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    I get broccoli and chicken with the sauce on the side.
  • nuvimi
    nuvimi Posts: 103 Member
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    I second the moo goo gai pan recommendation. It's about the best you can do in a Chinese restaurant if you want something that has sauce on it.

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