Look at what's on the menu. Asian cuisines, just like all other styles of cuisine around the world, have their share of low fat and high fat recipes, low sodium and high-salt dishes and sauces, and dishes that are good for satisfying appetite but low in calories and vice versa. Take for instance, curries: Many traditional curries use coconut milk, which is high in saturated fats, but other alternatives exist. For example Assam (tamarind)-based curries and soups, tom yam dishes prepared without coconut milk, and dhall curries all provide the spicy 'oomph' without the accompanying calories or saturated fat.
Rice, the Asian staple, can also be another calorie pitfall. The usual form served is white rice, which has very much less fibre and vitamins that the brown version served only in specialty restaurants. Also, some rice varieties satisfy appetite for longer than others. However, steamed white rice is generally a better choice than fried rice, briyani and other specialty rice like nasi minyak (oil rice), or rice cooked in butter or ghee. Even chicken rice, a Malaysian and Singaporean favourite, may have hidden calories, for example if the rice is cooked in butter.
Noodles, a breakfast and lunch favourite, usually comes either in soup or "dry" form. The clear, broth-based soups are generally lower in oil and sodium than dry noodles, so if noodles are your favourite, be sure to choose the types with lower oil and sodium some of the time.
However, there are plenty of caterers' cooking methods that meet with nutritionists' approval. A classic meal in Asia, consisting of rice, vegetables and some meat or seafood fits the healthy eating recommendations of complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre, lots of fruits and vegetables, limited saturated fats and protein - if you choose the right cooking style.
When it comes to vegetables, Asians are spoilt for choice in the variety of styles vegetables can be cooked in. Steamed, stir-fried, poached, boiled in soups, cooked in curries - vegetables from Asia are often packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals without sacrificing taste and flavour. Make vegetables the mainstay of your meal out and you will not go wrong.
Baked seafood - fish, shrimp, calamari – are other good options for the Asia region. Marinated in spices and wrapped in banana leaves, baked or grilled seafood is a low-fat but flavourful option to fried or deep-fried versions and also a good source of "good" fats. Other healthy and 'yummy' options are grilled meats, barbecued or steamed fish or chicken and stir-fried beef. Just be careful of the rich sauces that are often served with these meats, as they may be heavy in oil or salt.
Finish up a meal by taking advantage of the huge variety of tropical fruits available. Many fruits in Asia are good sources of vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals and are an enjoyable way to ensure you get your daily 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables. In addition, fruits are a lower calorie alternative to desserts as a sweet end to a meal.
Rice, the Asian staple, can also be another calorie pitfall. The usual form served is white rice, which has very much less fibre and vitamins that the brown version served only in specialty restaurants. Also, some rice varieties satisfy appetite for longer than others. However, steamed white rice is generally a better choice than fried rice, briyani and other specialty rice like nasi minyak (oil rice), or rice cooked in butter or ghee. Even chicken rice, a Malaysian and Singaporean favourite, may have hidden calories, for example if the rice is cooked in butter.
Noodles, a breakfast and lunch favourite, usually comes either in soup or "dry" form. The clear, broth-based soups are generally lower in oil and sodium than dry noodles, so if noodles are your favourite, be sure to choose the types with lower oil and sodium some of the time.
However, there are plenty of caterers' cooking methods that meet with nutritionists' approval. A classic meal in Asia, consisting of rice, vegetables and some meat or seafood fits the healthy eating recommendations of complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre, lots of fruits and vegetables, limited saturated fats and protein - if you choose the right cooking style.
When it comes to vegetables, Asians are spoilt for choice in the variety of styles vegetables can be cooked in. Steamed, stir-fried, poached, boiled in soups, cooked in curries - vegetables from Asia are often packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals without sacrificing taste and flavour. Make vegetables the mainstay of your meal out and you will not go wrong.
Baked seafood - fish, shrimp, calamari – are other good options for the Asia region. Marinated in spices and wrapped in banana leaves, baked or grilled seafood is a low-fat but flavourful option to fried or deep-fried versions and also a good source of "good" fats. Other healthy and 'yummy' options are grilled meats, barbecued or steamed fish or chicken and stir-fried beef. Just be careful of the rich sauces that are often served with these meats, as they may be heavy in oil or salt.
Finish up a meal by taking advantage of the huge variety of tropical fruits available. Many fruits in Asia are good sources of vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals and are an enjoyable way to ensure you get your daily 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables. In addition, fruits are a lower calorie alternative to desserts as a sweet end to a meal.
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