Low-Fat Chinese Food

A survey conducted by the Food Marketing Institute found that 52 percent of Americans consider Chinese food to be healthier than fast food. However, a study last year by the Center for Science in the Public Interest brought this belief into question. The Center's study analyzed the nutritional content of 15 popular dishes from 20 mid-priced Chinese restaurants around the country. Believe it or not, a 2 1/2 cup portion of Kung Pao Chicken contained 38 grams of fat, equivalent to two fast food quarter pounders. Two cups of Orange Crispy Beef was found to have over 800 calories, equal to about two orders of large French fries at a fast food restaurant.

Before you avoid Chinese food altogether, you should know that there are plenty of foods that you can eat while following a low-fat diet. In fact, authentic Chinese food is very low in fat and protein, and high in fiber, which may explain why cholesterol levels of the Chinese population living in China range from 88 to 165 mg/dL, while cholesterol levels of Americans range from 155 to 274 mg/dL. In fact, a study conducted several years ago by Dr. Campbell, who followed the eating habits of 6,500 Chinese people, found that their diet is composed mostly of wheat, millet, corn and rice. Less than 15 percent of their calories come from fat; 7 percent come from protein (11 percent from animal products and 89 percent from plants) and 75 percent from carbohydrate sources. Fiber intake averaged 33 grams/day. Unfortunately, Chinese food prepared in American restaurants contains much more fat, especially dishes that are described as batter dipped, sweet and sour, deep fried, served with nuts, or in a sauce, such as Kung Pao Chicken, fried rice, Chicken Cashew, and fried noodles.

An easy way to choose healthy and low-fat Chinese dishes is to use common sense. Because most sauces are oil-based, they account for much of the fat and calories in many entrees. Lightly stir-fried or steamed vegetables with white rice are your best choices. Steamed shellfish, such as shrimp, lobster, and scallops with mixed vegetables and white rice are also excellent choices due to their low total fat and saturated fat content. Vegetable entrees, such as eggplant, that include tofu (bean curd), are also healthy options. If you enjoy sauce-based dishes, order one steamed vegetable dish and one dish in a white sauce, and lots of steamed rice. By mixing these together in equal proportions, the sauce will go further. Adding steamed rice, which is fat and sodium free, to your entree in equal proportions, will help balance the fat and sodium of the total meal.

If you like the taste of Chinese food, try cooking with some of the ingredients and spices at home or doctoring up your Chinese leftovers by adding more rice and vegetables. Ginger, either fresh or dried, adds wonderful taste and flavor to homemade chicken or vegetable dishes. You can stir-fry either fresh or frozen vegetables at home with much less fat and add diced chicken, shellfish, or lean beef. By adding 1 tbs. of sesame oil and 1 tbs. of soy sauce per 2 cups of vegetables, along with low-sodium chicken broth, you can prepare low-fat, tasty Chinese dishes.

Also experiment with Chinese vegetables such as scallions, water chestnuts, baby corn, bamboo shoots, and black beans, which are all available in larger supermarkets or in Chinatown markets. Serve white or brown rice, a salad with low calorie dressing, and fresh fruit or yogurt for dessert.

from heartinfo.com