Healthier Version of Your Favorite Takeout Foods
Burrito vs. burger? This nutritionist's advice will help you make better choices—plus show you how to order healthier.
By Corrie Pikul
Original Content | February 07, 2012 
Photo: Thinkstock
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Jibrin says all the ingredients in pad thai are swimming in oil, which brings calories in the typical takeout box up to 1,140 and saturated fat to 7 grams. You're better off with a similar-size order of chicken teriyaki, which has 30 percent fewer calories than pad thai and about the same amount of protein. Healthier Teriyaki: Jibrin recommends no more than a cup of rice (about the size of two fists) and another cup of chicken with teriyaki sauce. Order an all-vegetable side, and again, substitute brown rice for white. Inquire about low-sodium teriyaki sauce. (Like all takeout, both these dishes are loaded with sodium: 2,700 to 5,200 milligrams. The recommended amount is only 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams per day.) Healthier Pad Thai: Request double the vegetables (usually bean sprouts, onions and scallions). The rice noodles are a waste of calories, and there are a lot of them, so aim to eat only about the size of three fists' worth of this dish. |
