Easy On The Takeout
Chinese takeout can absolutely hit the spot, especially when you’re hungry, busy, and craving something savory, but that's why it's also dangerous. Most of the popular dishes you know and love are loaded with sodium, sugar, and deep-fried ingredients that turn one bite into a calorie-heavy disaster. Here are just 20 of the unhealthiest Chinese takeout orders you need to stop ordering.
1. General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso’s chicken is one of the most famous Chinese takeout dishes, but unfortunately, it’s also one of the heaviest. The chicken is usually battered, deep-fried, and coated in a fattening sauce that’s high in sugar and sodium. It tastes good, but your body won't be thanking you.
Rick Audet from Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA on Wikimedia
2. Orange Chicken
Orange chicken sounds like it might be on the healthier side, but in reality, its bright and refreshing name is masked by its candy-sweet sauce. It doesn't help that the chicken is also typically fried, which just adds to its sugar, salt, and oil count.
3. Sweet and Sour Pork
This beloved Chinese takeout dish definitely satisfies on the flavor front, but all of that comes with a heavy price. After all, deep-fried meat combined with a sugar-heavy sauce isn't exactly the best for your body. That bright red sauce should immediately be raising just as bright of red flags in your head.
4. Sesame Chicken
Just because sesame seeds might be healthy doesn't mean topping it on fried chicken makes the whole dish better. Unfortunately, this tasty Chinese dish is still among some of the unhealthiest options. The thick sauce is sweet and salty, and that alone should have you worried about the sodium and sugar involved.
5. Beef Lo Mein
Beef lo mein delivers comfort in noodle form, but it can quickly become a high-calorie, high-sodium meal. The noodles are tossed in tons of oil and sauce, while the beef adds saturated fat depending on the cut used and the method of preparation. Sadly, the vegetables don't counter the amount of unhealthy ingredients used in the dish.
6. Pork Fried Rice
Fried rice seems innocent, especially when many families make it at home, but don't forget that restaurant-made varieties come in massive portions and use much more salt to make it taste good. Since white rice is the base, you’re also getting a lot of refined carbs in each scoop.
7. Crab Rangoon
There's nothing exactly healthy about fried wontons filled with cream cheese and imitation crab. This very westernized Chinese appetizer is already rich and heavy before it's dropped into the fryer. Because they're bite-sized, it's easy to accidentally eat too many as well.
8. Egg Rolls
Just because egg rolls feature cabbage tucked inside doesn't make this any healthier than their deep-fried shells already make them sound. The filling often includes pork or other fatty ingredients, and dipping sauces can add even more sugar and sodium.
9. Kung Pao Chicken
Kung pao chicken might be a slightly better option than some fried dishes, but takeout versions often go heavy on oil, salt, and sauce. At the end of the day, it's still not very healthy! If the portion is large and served over white rice, this dish can become even less balanced.
10. Chow Mein
This noodle dish might seem pretty harmless when you first look at it, but that's because you're not considering the amount of oil and sodium involved. Depending on the restaurant, the noodles may be stir-fried until greasy and mixed with only a modest amount of vegetables. You’ll get plenty of refined carbs, but not always enough protein or fiber to keep the meal balanced of healthy.
11. Lemon Chicken
Just like orange chicken, lemon chicken has a misleading name. This chinese takeout favorite might suggest a bright and healthy option, but the chicken is once again battered and fried, then covered with an incredibly sweet sauce that's far more sugary than it is fresh.
12. Moo Shu Pork
Moo shu pork can vary a lot by restaurant, but it’s often higher in sodium than you might expect. The pork, hoisin sauce, and thin pancakes can turn a vegetable-forward dish into a saltier and heavier meal, ruining the balance. Not to mention, if you use extra sauce, the sugar and sodium climb even higher.
13. Honey Walnut Shrimp
Rich, creamy, and sweet, just one bite of honey walnut shrimp should signal to your brain that the dish isn't very healthy. First off, the shrimp is fried which already ruins its health points, but then it's tossed in a sweet mayonnaise-based sauce and topped with candied walnuts that give you sugar, fat, and calories.
14. Szechuan Beef
Don't be fooled; szechuan beef packs plenty of heat, but beneath that fiery flavor profile is a lot of oil and sodium. Takeout versions often stir-fry the beef with a bold sauce that's packed with salt. Spicy doesn’t automatically mean healthy, especially when the sauce is doing most of the heavy lifting.
15. Fried Wontons
Just because you remove the cream cheese doesn't make this popular appetizer any healthier. Anything fried is bad for your body, and when you top it off with that sweet dipping sauce, the whole thing becomes way more indulgent than it looks.
16. Chicken Lo Mein
Chicken lo mein may seem like a safer pick than beef or pork, but it's still be packed with oil and sodium. More protein doesn't balance out the nutrient deficit overall! Besides, the noodles usually dominate the container, while the vegetables and lean protein play a tiny role.
17. Peking Duck
Peking duck is flavorful, fancy, and festive, but it’s also rich because duck skin is naturally high in fat. The dish is often served with pancakes and sweet sauce, which adds refined carbs and sugar to the meal. It’s wonderful for a special occasion, but it’s not the kind of dish you’d want to make a weekly habit.
18. Spare Ribs
Chinese takeout spare ribs are usually sticky, salty, and sweet, which is exactly why they’re so appealing (and unhealthy). Unfortunately, as addictive as they are, the meat can be fatty, and the glaze often contains a good amount of sugar and sodium.
19. Bourbon Chicken
Bourbon chicken is popular for its sweet, savory sauce, but that sauce is the main nutritional problem. It can contain lots of sugar and sodium, and the chicken may be cooked with extra oil to keep it tender and glossy. Just because it's not deep-fried doesn't save it from making it on this list.
20. Combination Fried Rice
Combination fried rice brings together rice, meat, seafood, egg, oil, and salty seasonings in one very full container. Because it includes several proteins, it can seem like a hearty balanced meal, but the refined rice and sodium-heavy seasoning overshadow any benefits it might bring to the table.
