If you are like a lot of people, you enjoy Chinese food every now and then. However, you might be worried about how to stick to your diet when ordering Chinese takeout. Use the following tips to be confident that you are adhering to your healthy eating habits while enjoying the foods you love.

Order Vegetables

Vegetables are always a solid choice when eating Chinese food. Even if your veggies are in a sauce, they are likely to be less calorie-filled than any of the meat choices available. When you place your order, be sure to ask which dishes come with the most vegetables. You might even ask that there be no sauce with your order, or ask that the sauce is put into a separate container. That way, you can still enjoy the Chinese tastes you love in smaller doses.

Pick the Steamed Option

Whenever possible, choose a steamed dish instead of something that has been pan-fried. Pan frying typically requires oils and some type of coating, and that can derail your attempts to be healthy when you eat. Instead, look for steamed items on the menu that you can eat without having to worry about extra fat. If you can't find anything appropriate on the menu, ask.

Stick with White Sticky Rice

While you might usually get chicken or pork fried rice as part of a combination platter, it is a good idea to order white rice if you want to eat a healthy meal. Pork fried rice usually has bits of meat and vegetables in it, giving it more salt and calories than you'd have if you only have a bowl of white rice. 

When you do order white rice, be careful of any toppings you put on top of it. You may be tempted by the soy sauce provided by the restaurant, but that may be too high in salt for you. Instead, you might consider picking up a low-sodium version of the sauce at the grocery store so you have some on hand.

Drink a Lot of Water

Drinking water when you eat is a good idea for any meal when you are trying to eat in a healthy manner, and it is smart to do when eating Chinese food as well. Water can help flush the additional salt out of your system and stop you from overeating.

Stick with the tips in this article and you can feel better about ordering Chinese food when you want to eat a healthy diet. For more helpful information, ask the Chinese restaurant whether they have specific nutritional information for the dishes on their menu. To learn more, speak with a business like Hung Fatt Chinese Takeout.