Is Thai food generally healthier than Chinese food?

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lisaidem
lisaidem Posts: 194 Member
in Food and Nutrition
It could be wishful thinking, since I have been on a Thai kick lately, but it seems like Thai is healthier than Chinese. Of course you can get fried spring rolls on both menus, I just mean in general it seems lighter. Am I delusional?

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  • JDNOX
    JDNOX Posts: 619
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    Not sure but i know i like it a lot more so i am going to say yes to make myself feel better.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    It could be wishful thinking, since I have been on a Thai kick lately, but it seems like Thai is healthier than Chinese. Of course you can get fried spring rolls on both menus, I just mean in general it seems lighter. Am I delusional?

    No not really. It still depends on what you order and a LOT on who makes it - some places use a lot more oil than others
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    i love thai. if you ever come to brooklyn, there is this place called joya... omg, the best.

    but no, if its take out or at a resturant, its probably not any better then chinese.
  • pritichandran
    pritichandran Posts: 23 Member
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    I would agree with you that Thai food is healthier than Chinese. You just have to be careful as to what you order and try to stay away from coconut milk based curries or fried foods. Also because of the fish sauce used the sodium content could be high. However at least it doesn't have the corn starch or sweet and sour dishes like Chinese cooking. My favorite is the basil garlic stir fry anything. Much yummier flavors in Thai food with sweet, spicy, etc.
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
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    You could put a bunch of general stuff in your diary and look close at the nutrition breakdown that way. Then decide. Most likely it will depend on what food, not what nationality it is. Of course you can always try making it yourself. If it's all pre-prepped you can get a lot done quick. I had stir fry a few times this weekend from homemade. It was really good, really low cal, really filling.
  • NiciS72
    NiciS72 Posts: 1,043 Member
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    I guess it depends on what you like. I've found a few Pad Thai meals at the grocery store that aren't too bad. I hate Chinese, so have never looked at the premade stuff at the store. If I were you I'd check the things you like at the store and make your decision there.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
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    I have no idea but typical asian cuisines uses a lot of oil & sodium on their foods. I know it because I'm here in Asia & I eat asian foods most of the time. Agree with Tameko2, it depends on the type of food you order.
  • Lauren_Whitney
    Lauren_Whitney Posts: 26 Member
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    I think that they are about equal in calories, but Chinese food uses more oil and probably has more sodium. Thai food will get you with coconut milk and peanut sauces. Anything with noodles is going to be high cal obviously. When I get Thai, I get Tom Yum soup to start and then usually a green curry even though it is made with coconut milk, but I take it easy with the rice. You could always get a stir fry with no rice or noodles, it wouldn't necessarily be low-cal but it wouldn't be the worst thing you could eat.
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
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    Doubtful, but you can make healthier choices when eating Thai!

    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/10-ways-eat-healthily-thai-restaurant
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/ethnic-eating-out-tips
    http://healthnews.ediets.com/diet-weight-loss/restaurant-dining-guide-healthy-thai-food-choices.html

    General jist: Avoid Coconut milk dishes (coconut milk is loaded with saturated fat), peanut dishes, fried dishes. Happy eating! :)
  • lisaidem
    lisaidem Posts: 194 Member
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    Thanks guys for bursting my bubble! I'm kidding, ignorance is not bliss. But I really love that coconut/sweetgrass/chicken soup. Soo good!
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
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    Thanks guys for bursting my bubble! I'm kidding, ignorance is not bliss. But I really love that coconut/sweetgrass/chicken soup. Soo good!

    Everything in moderation! :D
  • trail_turtle
    trail_turtle Posts: 42 Member
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    Forget the fried spring rolls. Once you've had Thai fresh spring rolls, you'll never go back (at least I haven't) !
  • DKLinDeutschland
    DKLinDeutschland Posts: 40
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    I love Thai food too... I've started making the curries at home and I think they are just as good, but you can use the low fat coconut milk and control the sodium and oil. We still get Thai take out though from time to time, it won't kill you in moderation.

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