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...Ahem! Chinese takeaway healthiest option?

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  • 03-09-2008 3:50pm
    #1
    eviltimeban
    Registered Users Posts: 5,087 ✭✭✭


    You sometimes you just really want to get a takeaway? Well, its raining, I've no food in the house, and tonight I think I just really want one. Haven't had one in over 2 months. But if I was to go for it, what would one recommend as the healthiest, lowest calorie option? Because we've all heard that Chinese takeaways have like 1,000,000 calories or whatever in them!


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    #2
    newmum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭newmum


    Weight Watchers say that Chow Mein is the healthiest!!! Its kind of dry but really tasty!!! Hope that helps!! ENJOY


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    #3
    Mr Magnolia
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,429 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr Magnolia


    Steamed sole with ginger & scallions.


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    #4
    neuro-praxis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭neuro-praxis


    Go for the fish or vegetarian options, and go for light or fruity sauces rather than curry sauces. Also, a half portion of rice really is plenty - or try noodles instead.

    Alternatively have whatever the hell you like as a treat is good for the soul from time to time!


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    #5
    eviltimeban
    Registered Users Posts: 5,087 ✭✭✭eviltimeban


    neuro-praxis wrote: »
    Alternatively have whatever the hell you like as a treat is good for the soul from time to time!

    You're dead right. I might just do that. Yes, I read that chow mein is pretty good. Also an unusual tip: order chicken balls and peel off the batter. The chicken will have essentially been steamed in the batter and protected by it in the cooking process. Also I read order curry sauce as a little goes a long way. With steamed rice. Mightn't be bad?


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    #6
    Kenny_D
    Registered Users Posts: 3,204 ✭✭✭Kenny_D


    eviltimeban wrote: »
    Also an unusual tip: order chicken balls and peel off the batter. The chicken will have essentially been steamed in the batter and protected by it in the cooking process.

    Or buy a breast of chicken and boil it and save yourself money. I cant believe someone would actually order chicken balls to remove the batter and just eat the chicken :p

    Singapore Rice Noodles are one of the lower fat options that taste great. A lot better for you than the chow mein noodles ;)


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    #7
    brettmirl
    Registered Users Posts: 2,429 ✭✭✭brettmirl


    Singapore noodles - yum.

    Very tasty.

    I wonder why more chinese's don't offer wholegrain rice. I've noticed a few offering egg white fried rice lately.

    Splashing out on a chinese every now and then is so worth it. I have a particular weakness for Satay!


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    #8
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,329 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    I find the best option is to order whatever and split it in half - eat one half today and the other for dinner the next. They really do give too big a portion.


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    #9
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,373 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    newmum wrote: »
    Weight Watchers say that Chow Mein is the healthiest!!! Its kind of dry but really tasty!!! Hope that helps!! ENJOY
    How much do they estimate them as? Irish Chinese takeaways give massive portions. I used to get them from my 3 local ones. I would say on average they would be 45points, possibly 50.

    My old chicken balls curry sauce and chips would probably be 60points.


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    #10
    ibarelycare
    Registered Users Posts: 58,456 ✭✭✭✭ibarelycare


    rubadub wrote: »
    How much do they estimate them as? Irish Chinese takeaways give massive portions. I used to get them from my 3 local ones. I would say on average they would be 45points, possibly 50.


    For one chow mein??!! Not at all! I have an old WW calculator that has a lot of takeaway foods on it and I think chicken chow mein is listed at about 10 points. Although portion sizes are key so I wouldn't be too sure about this but definitely no more than 15 I'd say. Singapore noodles are the better ones to try and they're dry too which means no fattening sauces.

    Obviously steamed fish and boiled rice are the best options to go for in a Chinese but I just couldn't be ar*ed!! If I'm going to eat that healthily I'll just cook. If I go for a Chinese I wanna allow myself to be a BIT of a pig :o


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    #11
    eviltimeban
    Registered Users Posts: 5,087 ✭✭✭eviltimeban


    What I ended up doing was a combination of a lot of the advice above. I got a meat and veg dish with a light sauce (not sweet n sour or black bean), with boiled rice. Served up half the rice, and spooned out the meat and veg leaving the sauce behind (having normally just dumped the lot over the rice). It was great. I wasn't even sorry.


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    #12
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,373 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    ibarelycare wrote: »
    For one chow mein??!!
    Yes, the last one I got weighed over 900g, now some WW frozen meals weight 250g, so almost 4 times that. The main problem is I very much doubt your WW estimates would consider 900g a portion.

    I would estimate around 250kcal per 100g, so 2250kcal. (a 65g packet of instant noodles in my press has 440kcal and 9g fat).

    I would estimate most chow meins in takeaways I get are 10-15% fat, so say 110g fat. So using this calculator http://points.ogo.ms/ I get 45.5points

    I cook a lot myself and can see it swimming in it, and know a lad who worked in a chinese & indian who was shocked with all the oil they use. The stuff is not as watered down as ready meals (WW are highly watered down), so if you want an estimate you should find the most calorie dense version of the food in a supermarket and then increase the calories per 100g again. Maybe your takeaway does drier ones with small portions. I just would not like to see people oblivious and fooling themselves into thinking these ridiculous sized portions are normal.

    I now avoid chow mein since they are so high in carbs, the problem with WW is they demonize fat, so if people are counting points they might choose low-fat high-carb options, since they can get far more calories/food per point.

    e.g. In theory I could have 2 items both 500kcal but one could be 21 points and the other would be 7 points. So if somebody was only interested in counting points they would probably go for 3 times the 7 pointer, and hence unknowingly be eating 3 times the calories.

    This is exagerrating the point, but you can see how people would be veering away from fat towards carbs, which can be a very poor choice is fat loss is your real aim. My diet is quite high in fat so I imagine my "point" intake is very high, but my calorie intake is not a lot, and I am at a stable normal weight.

    My other dish I used to get in the chinese I calculated as 60points http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055209321


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