How to Get the Carb Count at a Chinese Restaurant

Counting carbohydrates in Chinese takeout is frustrating because the food often contains hidden carbohydrates in sauces and fats that are difficult to detect. Some of the ingredients may be unfamiliar, and many Chinese restaurants are owned and operated locally, meaning their websites don't list nutritional information. Although regional variations exist in China, food preparation in the United States is relatively uniform and can be applied from restaurant to restaurant. A little preparation and practice at home makes the task of counting carbs easier.

Instructions

• 1

  Stick to recognizable foods. If you know how many carbohydrates are in items you typically eat---e.g., chicken broccoli, rice---order dishes with those ingredients.

• 2

  Look for clues in the food titles. Foods listed as sweet and sour or made with duck sauce, plum sauce, lemon or honey will be high in carbohydrates. A full meal of sweet-and-sour pork has 80 to 100 carbohydrates.

• 3

  Remember that cornstarch is added to sauces and soups to make them thicker. Add the 7 grams per tablespoon to your carbohydrate total.

• 4

  Read the item descriptions to see if the meal contains any items not in the title. Common ingredients in Chinese food include red bell pepper, onion, pineapple, peanuts and sesame seeds.

• 5

  Find out how the food is prepared. Fried food will be higher in carbohydrates because the item is often breaded and soaked in oil.

• 6

  Recognize that certain foods are naturally high in carbohydrates, including lo mein and chow mein. Use spaghetti estimates if you don't know the total carbohydrates in lo mein.

• 7

  Ask if the rice is brown or white, since it's often difficult to tell once the rice has been fried. Brown rice is slightly lower in carbohydrates.

• 8

  Keep portion sizes in mind. One cup of broccoli has 6 grams of carbohydrates, but your meal may only have a half-cup. Brown rice has 46 grams per cup, but your meal may contain three cups. Measure all takeout and delivery portions before eating.