Eat Healthfully At Thai Restaurants
It seems like every time you turn on the TV you find out about one more food that is off limits to those trying to eat healthfully. Experts always recommend that you eat at home to ensure a healthy diet. But sometimes you just want, or need, to get out of the house and be pampered at a restaurant. Discover the healthy food options at your local Thai restaurant.
Appetizers
Have you tried a papaya salad yet? The fruit is grated so that the salad looks more like a slaw. The pieces are crisp and refreshing, often served in a chili lime dressing. Each chef creates his or her own take on this classic. Some will have peanuts and cashews in it. Others will be served with green beans and shrimp. Papaya salad with cilantro is only for the very adventurous. All of these salads are a great, healthy choice to start your meal with.
If you are not interested in a salad for your appetizer, consider ordering satay. These are simple grilled meat skewers. This is a great appetizer if you are going to order a meatless entrée. The small portions give you the protein your body needs and starts to fill you up in the process.
Main Dish
You will probably find exciting fish dishes at your local Thai restaurant. Poached fish served with lime is wonderful. This cooking method basically steams the fish. This means that it is not cooked with extra oils or fats, nor does it lose nutrients as it is cooking.
Hot and sour soup is one of the most famous Thai dishes. It is packed with nutrients and protein (usually shrimp). It will be flavored with ginger, mushrooms, garlic, lemongrass and chilies. Just make sure that you stay away from any soups with coconut milk in them. The coconut milk is sweet and delicious but full of calories. Some restaurants serve hot and sour soup as an appetizer, but just ask for a larger portion for your entrée.
Desserts
Obviously, eating any dessert is going to add calories without a lot of nutrition. However, everyone needs some dessert sometimes. Simple fruit-based desserts are the best option, such as litchi in syrup. Just try to avoid eating too much syrup and enjoy the natural sweetness of the fruit.
Things to Avoid
As you peruse the menu you will see many items described as being sweetened with coconut milk. Remember to avoid those. You also want to avoid meat dishes that have been fried. Pad Thai and other noodle dishes are classic entrees, but also full of lots of carbohydrates and saturated fats. If you do decide to indulge in them, try to eat only half a serving and save the rest for another meal.