Build a
Better Plate: Chinese Food
Source: health.yahoo.com/search/miavita?lb=s&p=id%3A38002
by Hope
Warshaw, M.M.Sc., R.D., C.D.E.
CALORIES
FAT
(in grams)
1 Egg
Roll
115
6
3
Spare Ribs
240
18
1 1/2
cups Vegetable Fried Rice
395
17
1 cup
Sweet and Sour Pork
295
13
1 cup
Eggplant Szechuan Style
150
9
Total
1,195
63
Here are two better plates to build.
Meal
1
CALORIES
FAT
(in grams)
1
bowl (3/4 cup) Wonton Soup
140
5
1 cup
Yu Hsiang Scallops
120
10
1 cup
Hot and Spicy Bean Curd with Chinese Vegetables (remember to
request the bean curd not be fried)
155
18
3
orange wedges
45
0
1
fortune cookie
30
0
Total
645
27
Meal
2
CALORIES
FAT
(in grams)
1
bowl (3/4 cup) Hot and Sour Soup
120
3
3/4
cup steamed white rice
180
0
1 cup
String Beans Szechuan Style
135
10
2 Moo
Shu wrappers with 1/2 cup each
(1 cup total) of Moo Shu Chicken
225
9
6
pineapple chunks
95
0
1
fortune cookie
30
0
Total
785
22
Master the
Lingo
Bean
curd (tofu):
Ground soybeans that have been lightly cooked and left to set into a
semi-solid custard-like state.
Cantonese
cooking: A
lighter style that emphasizes stir-fried dishes and subtle and mild
flavors. Oyster and black-bean sauces are common.
Crackling
rice: The
dried scrapings of rice from the bottom of the pot. These are then
deep-fried for use in soups and dishes. For a "sizzling dish,"
the rice often arrives separate from the meat and vegetables. They are
combined at the table so you hear the sizzle.
Dim
Sum: A
Chinese brunch in which you order a series of appetizer-like finger
foods. (Dim Sum means "heart's delight" in Chinese.) Commonly
served items are steamed or baked pork buns, shrimp dumplings, egg rolls
and Chinese pastries. Dim Sum's health quotient is marginal at best.
Many items are deep-fried, vegetables are scarce and it's easy to end up
eating large portions.
Hoisin
sauce: A
sweet and spicy thick sauce made from soybeans, ground yellow beans,
sugar, garlic, chili and vinegar. Most commonly accompanies Moo Shu
dishes.
Oyster
sauce: A
rich, thick sauce made of oysters, their cooking liquid and soy sauce.
Oyster sauce is common in Cantonese dishes.
Stir-frying:
Stirring and tossing ingredients in very little oil over high heat. The
method evolved to conserve fuel. All the foods are cut into small
pieces, minimizing cooking time. That's why most Chinese dishes are made
to order.
Szechuan
cooking: A
style that emphasizes hot and spicy sauces.
Tiger lily buds: Also called lily buds, golden needles or lotus buds.
Dried, golden-colored buds with a light, flowery flavor. You'll find
them in Moo Shu entrees and Hot and Sour soup.
Wood ears: A fungus that grows on trees and is used in a variety of
soups or dishes.
Hope S. Warsaw, M.M.Sc., R.D., C.D.E., has been a dietician and diabetes
educator for more than 20 years. She is the author of three self-help
books, including the American Diabetes Association's Guide to Healthy
Restaurant Eating.
Bean
curd (tofu):
Ground soybeans that have been lightly cooked and left to set into a
semi-solid custard-like state.
Cantonese
cooking: A
lighter style that emphasizes stir-fried dishes and subtle and mild
flavors. Oyster and black-bean sauces are common.
Dim
Sum: A
Chinese brunch in which you order a series of appetizer-like finger
foods. (Dim Sum means "heart's delight" in Chinese.) Commonly
served items are steamed or baked pork buns, shrimp dumplings, egg rolls
and Chinese pastries. Dim Sum's health quotient is marginal at best.
Many items are deep-fried, vegetables are scarce and it's easy to end up
eating large portions.
Hoisin
sauce: A
sweet and spicy thick sauce made from soybeans, ground yellow beans,
sugar, garlic, chili and vinegar. Most commonly accompanies Moo Shu
dishes.
Oyster
sauce: A
rich, thick sauce made of oysters, their cooking liquid and soy sauce.
Oyster sauce is common in Cantonese dishes.
Stir-frying:
Stirring and tossing ingredients in very little oil over high heat. The
method evolved to conserve fuel. All the foods are cut into small
pieces, minimizing cooking time. That's why most Chinese dishes are made
to order.
Szechuan
cooking: A
style that emphasizes hot and spicy sauces.