November 2009

Its those dreaded words everyone trying to lose weight fears, “Let’s go for Chinese.”

But dread not.  While Chinese fare is known for being deep fried, smothered in fatty, sugary and salty sauces, with loads of white rice- there are actually many dishes, or substitutions you can make, that are healthy for you.

Think of the most infamous healthy meal- chicken, veggies and brown rice. These are the components of most Chinese meals- except smothered, covered, and fried.  If you remove those additions, however, you can certainly mix and match to make a great meal, and leave room for a few fortune cookies.

Here’s how to decode and health-up your Chinese take out.

Crispy, sweet and salty are your enemy- they equal tons of calories and fat.  Stay away from anything fried, which includes spring rolls, egg rolls, breaded meats, dumplings, crispy noodles and fried rice (oh dear, the fried rice.)

Stir fried sounds like a good option, but in a restaurant this equals tons of oil.  Ask for steamed, or if they can use light oil when making your dish.

Some dishes that sound like they are just veggies and meat or tofu, can show up to the table drenched in sauce.  Ask for your dishes dry, or with no sauce, to avoid surprises.

Look for dishes that are braised, roasted, simmered or steamed.

White rice and pasta is like glue to your arteries.  Ask if you they have a brown rice or whole wheat option, and if not, just skip it- its filler anyway, so use veggies instead.

Portions are infamous for being big at Chinese restaurants, so dine family style and take home tons of left overs.

Some Safe Bets Straight off the Menu:

• Soups- egg drop and wonton are low in calories (about 100 and 200, respectively) and can fill you up
• Steamed veggies- always a good idea to add bulk, and important nutrients for very few calories.
• Moo Goo Gai Pan
• Steamed Veggie Dumplings are about 115 calories- frying them adds up to 100 calories
• Steamed Tofu and Veggies are about 290 calories
• Steamed Veggies and Chicken is about 490 calories
• Chicken Chop Suey is 600 calories

You can even get dessert! Fortune cookies are about 20 calories each.

I gave you The Eating Out Survival Guide back in August, which gives general tips for eating out while trying to lose weight.  Sometimes some restaurants can be more confusing than others- especially when you aren’t as familiar with the cuisine, and what goes into it.

Today we tackle Mexican Restaurants: everyone loves them, but rarely does anyone know exactly what goes into the dishes- except for thousands of calories.

The biggest concerns with Mexican cuisine is the huge portions, the over load of fatty, calorie dense cheese, and the preparation of most of the food: ie. frying.

Some other insider tips- the beans are almost always made with lard, weighing in at about 640 calories per cup (which is about 2 of those little free dishes you get with your chips), taco salads often contain more than 1,000 calories, especially if you eat the shell, and the extra condiments are usually where the trouble lies: beans, cheese, sour cream and guacamole can all add up to hundreds and hundreds of extra calories.

When going to a Mexican restaurant, beware of these menu words:
* Rellenos (stuffed, usually with cheese)
* Chorizo (Mexican sausage, very fatty)
* Con Queso (with cheese, lots of it)
* Combination (usually a very large portion of many different things)
* Crispy (fried, especially shells and wraps)

and pass on these dishes:
* Cheese Quesadilla: around 900 calories
* Refried Beans (Frijoles): around 640 calories per cup
* Nachos: around 800 calories and as much as 65g fat
*Cheese Enchiladas: around 980 calories
*Chicken Tostada: around 935 calories

There are a few safe choices, however. Mexican food is a great way to get your veggies and leans proteins.

Try ordering:

Chicken fajitas- ask for no butter (that’s what makes ‘em sizzle) and corn tortillas with contain less fat than flour. Skip the guac and sour cream, and load them up with salsa.

Gazpacho- The cold tomato soup has green peppers and cucumber. It’s fat-free, full of vitamin C and beta carotene, and only has 60 calories.

Ceviche (fish or shrimp cocktail marinated in citrus, sometimes with tomato and avocado) is delicious, fresh and low in calories.

Shrimp tacos and fish tacos- as long as they aren’t deep fried! Ask for no breading.

Taco salads- skip the shell, and make sure there are no beans. A fresh bed of lettuce, fresh tomatoes and a little cheese over shredded chicken can be delicious and low in calories if you skip the extra stuff.

You can still eat at your favorite restaurants- just educated on those tricky extras that add thousands of calories to your meals.