Chinese food relies heavily on pork, chicken and seafood, all of which can be cooked in either a healthy or unhealthy fashion. The best way to cook most Chinese foods in order to keep the fat and calories low is to bake the dishes instead of frying them. Another problem area can be the rich sauces that accompany many Chinese dishes, which should be used in moderation.
Instructions
1. Choose a baked chicken chow mein, which is only about 350 calories and 6 grams of fat. Get this and other Chinese dishes with steamed rice instead of fried rice to save fat and calories. A cup of steamed rice is about 170 calories and has no fat, while a cup of fried rice is about 363 calories and 14 grams of fat. Order extra steamed rice with Chinese dishes because by eating steamed rice with the meal, you will be filled up faster and be less prone to eat higher calorie foods.
2. Pick a Cantonese restaurant, or a Cantonese dish, to get a lighter meal that is more likely to be healthy.
3. Look for dishes that are high in vegetables. Many Chinese dishes are made up of vegetables and rice or noodles. Keep the portions of meat small to cut out fat.
4. Appetizers such as small spring rolls make a healthy prelude to the meal. Vegetable or shrimp spring rolls are even lower in fat than the pork rolls. Small shrimp spring rolls have about 65 calories and 6 grams of fat apiece.
5. Stay away from General Tso's Chicken, which is fried and has about 830 calories and 37 grams of fat. A small serving of Kung Pao Chicken is about 475 calories and 22 grams of fat.
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