Do you love to eat Chinese food? Most of us do, but don’t be fooled into thinking anything on the Chinese food menu is good for you. In fact, most people see Chinese cuisine as a healthy alternative to fast food, but the truth is that there are plenty of pitfalls on the menu, including high sodium and fat content in several different foods on the menu. typical Chinese menu…
Rice: Almost everyone loves to have rice as a part of their Chinese menu. The problem is that many people confuse “fried rice” with the much healthier brown rice. “Fried rice” is really white rice that is brown through soy sauce and oil. It is also high in fat and sodium. Stay away from fried rice!
Noodles: Never, never, never a good choice! Did I mention they are not a good option? The amount of oil used to cook these things is almost enough for your next oil change!
Sauces: Regardless of where or what you are eating, you should ALWAYS ask for your sauce on the side. Restaurants almost always serve a lot more than you normally would and ordering on the side allows you to control your portions. These sauces are also often high in fat and sodium. Soy sauce, for example, a staple of Chinese cuisine, has up to FOUR times the daily recommended amount of salt in just ONE tablespoon.
Meat: If you can’t recognize what’s on your plate, it probably means you need to skip it. It is always better to order steamed main dishes. That way you’ll not only be able to recognize what you’re eating, but you’ll skip digesting the meat that’s covered in fat-soaked breading (think General Tso’s chicken!).
Your best bet is really to take advantage of ALL the healthy options and order a bit of everything, focusing mainly on vegetables and steamed dishes. You might still enjoy your Chinese food, but don’t derail all your hard work by making the wrong choices.
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