Whether you’re too busy to cook or simply planning an at home date-and-a-movie night, odds are that Asian takeout food is one of your go-to options. It’s quick, easy, affordableand craveable — what’s not to love?
The answer: High levels of saturated fat, sugar and sodium which, when consumed regularly, can contribute to life-threatening conditions like stroke, Type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, said Mariela Arias Vallecillo, a registered dietitian at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, in Winston-Salem.
“Because these foods taste so good, it can be hard to stop when we’re full,” she said. “So, we may end up eating more than we intended.”
What Arias Vallecillo does not encourage is completely eliminating favorite foods. Instead, she offers strategies like those below, to helps her patients enjoy dining out — or ordering in — from start to finish.
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Consider the egg roll …
Everyone loves egg rolls and, filled with vegetables and meat, they do offer some nutrients. But they’re also high in sodium and fat.
For example, one national takeout chain’s chicken egg rolls contain about 200 calories apiece — not terrible. However, more than 50% of those calories come from fat. The egg rolls also contain 390 milligrams of sodium, more than 20% of the 2,300 milligrams per day recommended for adults by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Too much sodium can increase your risk for high blood pressure, so I’d recommend avoiding egg rolls if you’re trying to eat a heart-healthy diet,” Arias Vallecillo said. “But if you really love them, you could get an order to share to keep your portion size in check.”
Steamed — not fried — dumplings are a healthier egg roll alternative, especially if they’re filled with vegetables instead of meat. Traditional Vietnamese spring rolls, goi cuon, are wrapped in softened rice paper and also a good lower-calorie, lower-sodium option.
On to the entrées
Traditional Asian food was based mostly on healthy ingredients like vegetables, rice and small portions of meat or seafood. But, when you open the menu at a modern, American Chinese restaurant, you’re sure to find fat-and-sodium-heavy entrées like crab Rangoon, General Tso’s chicken. Sweet-and-sour pork, another favorite, can contain more than 20 teaspoons of sugar per order.
“Treating yourself to a favorite now and then is fine, but if you order takeout frequently, it’s helpful to know about more nutritious options,” Arias Vallecillo said. “Looking for foods that aren’t breaded is a good start. And you can usually find lots of vegetables, like broccoli, carrots and sugar snap peas at Asian takeout restaurants, too.”
Many entrees, Arias Vallecillo cautions, can contain very high amounts of sodium. To reduce sodium intake, she recommends choosing a meal with vegetables and asking for the sauce on the side.
“Additionally, you could request to have your meal prepared without seasonings, such as salt,” she said. “Alternatively, you could order food ‘a la carte,’ including stir-fried or steamed vegetables, a side of steamed white or brown rice, and a lean meat or fish of choice.”
Takeout dishes on the healthier side include:
Moo goo gai pan: stir-fried lean chicken, mushrooms, water chestnuts, broccoli and carrots.
Shrimp with lobster sauce: made with stir-fried shrimp, fermented black bean sauce (traditionally used in preparing lobster) and vegetables.
Beef and broccoli: slices of stir-fried steak and broccoli with savory brown sauce. (Ask for the sauce on the side.)
“If you’re adventurous or prefer a plant-based diet, you could order a tofu dish — or ask the restaurant to use it in place of meat in your entrée,” Arias Vallecillo said. “Tofu is made from soybeans. It’s gluten-free, cholesterol free and is a great way to get lots of protein, polyunsaturated fats and calcium.”
To boost nutrition while limiting fat, sugar and sodium:
Ask for a smaller amount of sauce or order it on the side, so you can control how much you eat.
Use “light” soy sauce, which contains less sodium than the original. But it’s important to still use this in moderation. Light soy sauce contains around 500 mg of sodium per tablespoon versus regular soy sauce’s 850 mg.
Boost vitamins, minerals and fiber by requesting extra vegetables.
Scan the menu for baked, grilled and stir-fried options; avoid deep-fried foods.
Look for the word “loin” — a less fatty cut — when ordering beef and pork.
Replace fried rice with white or brown rice.
“The most important thing is to enjoy your meal and keep an eye on portion sizes. If you feel like you just ate Thanksgiving dinner at the end of the meal, you probably had too much,” she said. “But, if you eat more slowly and mindfully, you’re much less likely to overdo it.”
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