All foods may blend into a healthful diet that focuses on physical activity, moderation, and variety. Sensible consumers can find Chinese food a great option when it comes to healthy eating. When dining at a Chinese restaurant, follow these few helpful guidelines: minimize the intake sodium, fat, and sugar, and eat lots of lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.
Sodium
The sauces used to enhance the taste of Chinese food are often saturated in sodium, and eating too much of it can lead to high blood pressure in some people. Sauces that are high in sodium include duck sauce, hoisin, sweet and sour sauce, plum sauce, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Curb the amount of sodium in Chinese food by refraining from spooning extra sauces over rice and entrees, ordering soy sauce with low sodium, and requesting that foods be served with just half the sauce.
Fat
According to the FDA, eating too much fat, especially saturated fat, increases your chance of developing heart disease. Fat is always high in calories while lean proteins such as seafood, fish, chicken breast, and beef tofu, have less fat than lamb, pork, and beef. Lower-fat appetizers include hot sour soup and egg drop soup while spareribs, fried dumplings, and fried egg rolls have high saturated fat content. Instead of oil-cooked fried rice, order steamed rice with your meals and refrain from crisp salad toppings that have been deep fried like shrimp chips, crispy noodles, and wonton chips. Before eating, take out the skin or any visible fat off poultry and meat as these are high in cholesterol and saturated fat.
Fiber and Vegetables
Chinese restaurants often have menus that contain lots of vegetables. Vegetables are good sources of fiber and nutrients, free of fat, and naturally low in calories. High-fiber diets have been known to reduce the chance of heart disease. Before ordering meat dishes, it’s a good idea to order lots of veggie Chinese dishes first. Many Chinese restaurants offer brown rice which is also rich in fiber.
MSG
The Food and Drug Administration considers monosodium glutamate or MSG, for short, a safe ingredient although some researchers have labeled it a neurotoxin and addictive. Chinese restaurants tend to use a lot of MSG to make their foods a lot tastier. MSG has been found to cause a wide variety of symptoms such as weakness, nausea, chest pain, heart palpitations, burning, tingling, numbness, sweating, flushing, and headache. People who are sensitive to the negative effects of MSG should request that dishes be prepared without this ingredient.
Calories
We all need calories that provide the energy to fuel our bodies. But, the United States Department of Agriculture has warned us that consuming excessive amounts of calories will lead to chronic illnesses, obesity, and weight gain. Refrain from eating too much by balancing lower-calorie dishes with high-calorie counterparts, eating lots of natural low-calorie foods like fresh vegetables and fruits, applying portion control, and sharing entrees. Order foods that have been baked, grilled, boiled, or steamed, since they contain lesser calories than foods that have been sautéed, fried, or deep fried. Eating slowly is also advised since, according to the American Dietetic Association, the brain receives satiety cues from the stomach at least 20 minutes after you eat, and fast eaters tend to overeat.
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10875 Grandview St #2200
Overland Park, KS 66210
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http://www.overlandparkacupuncturist.com