A Guide for Low-Carb Eating in a Chinese Restaurant (2024)

From Szechuan and Hunan's spicy food to Canton's more subtle flavors, Chinese food tends to present somewhat of a challenge for low-carbdiners. Besides the rice and noodles, most dishes have at least some sugar and starch. Although eating a delicious controlled-carb meal in a Chinese restaurant is possible, you'll need to be careful to make low-carb choices.

Planning Ahead for a Low-Carb Chinese Meal

Before heading out to the restaurant, it is essential to make some decisions about how strict you will be regarding carbohydrates. If you are on a moderate-carb plan, you probably don’t need to worry too much about a bit of cornstarch in a dish. On the other hand, if you are in a restrictive diet phase, such as Atkins Induction, you will want to be more attentive in your low-carb eating.

If low-carb eating has become a permanent way of eating for you, occasional, structured, planned deviations will probably be part of your life. You have to decide when those times and places are going to be. Some people make Chinese restaurants such a planned deviation.

If the restaurant has its menu online, browse for choices that will be lower in carbohydrates. You may even want to call the restaurant or message them to see their suggestions for a low-carb meal.

Variations in Chinese Food

Chinese food varies based on the region where a dish originatedand where the restaurant is located. In different parts of the United States, you'll find variations in which dishes Chinese restaurants feature and levels of sweetness and condiments on the table. This makes it hard to find strict rules about menu choices.

Kung Pao Chicken may be relatively low-carb in one placeand loaded with sugar in another. However, some guidelines will help you in making selections. Here are the basics of eating out low-carb in Chinese restaurants.

Low-Carb Chinese Food Choices

From focusing on protein and veggies to making smart choices with sauces and soups, finding lower-carbohydrate Chinese foods is a matter of thinking ahead.

Protein-Based Options

Opting for a meal high in protein, whether from meat products like chicken or pork or plant-based products like tofu, are an excellent way to avoid carbohydrates from dishes focused on rice, for example.

Egg foo yung is a good source of protein and is often made with non-starchy vegetables like cabbage, bean spouts, spring onion, and mushroom. It often comes accompanied by gravy, so skip it if you want to reduce carbohydrates even more.

For a different choice in Asian cuisine, Mongolian barbecue allows you to choose your meats and vegetables and prepare them to order without adding sugar or starch.

Vegetable-Centric Dishes

Many Chinese dishes are centered on a melange of hearty vegetables, which are a good choice when avoiding carbohydrates. Pay attention to what specific vegetables are included. Starchy vegetables like potatoes, green peas, and corn contain more carbohydrates than other veggies. Some studies have linked large consumption of starchy vegetables, particularly white potatoes, to metabolic syndromes like insulin resistance and high blood pressure.

Stir-fried dishes, including vegetable stir-fry, often have only a tiny amount of sugar or starch, perhaps a gram or two of carb per serving. You may ask whether they can leave out the cornstarch if they typically coat meat with it before stir-frying.

Broth-Based Soups

Clear, thin soups, such as egg drop or wonton soup, are better than other appetizers or thick soups. Hot and sour soup has about 10g of carbohydrates per cup (244g). Other broth-based options include fish and tofu soup and Cantonese Ching Po Leung herb pork bone soup.

Low-Carb Sauce Substitutions

Dishes with thin, savory sauces can have fewer carbs and added sugar. Use your eyes and taste buds to determine whether the sauce is sweet or thick. Some choices include black bean sauce, soy sauce, and garlic sauce. Avoid sauces that have added sugar or cornstarch.

Tips for Ordering Low-Carb Chinese Food

Customizing Your Order

Ask if it's possible to have a dish without sugar or starch. Your server may need to consult with the kitchen, but many restaurants will graciously comply with your request. Sometimes, it won't be possible, but they may have a different suggestion.

Another alternative is to ask for the sauce on the side. You'll be able to adjust the amount you want to add for flavor and thus reduce the carbs.

Portion Control and Sharing

A great way to reduce your overall carbohydrate intake is to control the overall amount of food you eat at one time. If you want to eat a smaller portion than what is served, ask for a smaller plate and serve your portion from the larger plate to the smaller plate. You can save the leftovers for another meal.

Another good way to control your portion is to share your order with someone else.

Watch for Hidden Carbs

Keep these sources of added carbohydrates in mind as you order your meal.

Cornstarch

Thick soups and sauces are thickened with cornstarch. One tablespoon of cornstarch has about 7 grams of carbohydrates. There will be about 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a platter of food with a thickened sauce.

Cornstarch is also often used to “velvet” meats before stir-frying. Meats prepared this way don’t necessarily look breaded, as they have a very thin coat of starch. You may want to ask that the meat in your stir-fry be prepared without the cornstarch.

Buffet items are often dishes with sauces thickened with cornstarch, all the better to keep them warm on a steam table. Many others are deep-fried with a coating that has carbs.

Sugar

Some Chinese dishes are quite sweet. If it’s a dish you’ve had before, your taste buds will guide you. If not, ask. Spicy sauces are apt to have sugar in them, so ask about this. Lemon chicken almost always has a lot of sugar.

High-Carb Chinese Foods to Avoid

When you see some items on the menu, you will know they are higher in carbohydrates. But it's often hard to tell by looking at the menu which sauces have sugar, so it's good to know which to avoid either on the dish or as a dipping sauce or condiment.

Bottom Line

Dining out on a low-carb diet presents different challenges with different cuisines. You are more likely to stay within your eating plan if you do your research ahead of time and commit to selecting and requesting lower-carb options. You may find new favorites and not miss the carb-laden ones you used to crave.