Wok cooking can be healthy, but that doesn't mean it always is. There are ways to turn a healthy wok-cooked meal into a high-calorie, gut-busting experience. But don't loosen that belt notch just yet -- you also have ways to ensure your wok-cooked food stays as healthy and low-calorie as possible without compromising taste.
Wok It Is
Wok cooking consists of cooking small pieces of food in a wok or non-stick frying pan by quickly stirring them as they heat up. Also called stir-frying, wok cooking can be healthy if you pick healthy, lean meats, tofu and vegetables and use only a small amount of oil or cooking spray. Because all food pieces are cooking at the same rate, it works best if the food pieces are all about the same size. The low amount of oil keeps wok cooking healthy, as does the array of vegetables that come packed in many stir-fries.
Spoilers
You can spoil the healthy benefits of a wok-cooked meal by saturating your dish in heavy oil or opting for a fatty meat; with fatty meats, the fat melts and coats the rest of your food. Sauces, especially those that are high in calories and fat, such as creamy curries and peanut sauces, can also reduce the healthiness of wok cooking. Adding nuts, such as almonds, cashews and peanuts, to the stir-fry can boost the protein content, but it, too, can send the calorie count skyrocketing.
Ideas
Keep your wok meal healthy by removing the fat and gristle off meats before cooking and opting for natural flavorings. Skip the heavy, syrupy sauces packed with sugar and oil. Instead opt for fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, lime and lemon juice, a dash of low-sodium soy sauce or an array of spices that includes dried chilies, coriander, cumin and fennel seeds. Reduce calories and increase the healthiness of your wok food even further by replacing the bed of white rice that accompanies your meal with whole-grain brown rice, or skipping the rice altogether and opting for a bed of fresh, shredded cabbage.
Considerations
Huge portions are a caveat with wok cooking, especially if you enjoy Chinese take-out or dining at restaurants. When your stir-fry entrée comes piled on a platter with a giant spoon and a small portion plate, chances are you're not supposed to eat the entire platter of food. Portion sizes in restaurants can be huge, and eating the entire portion, rather than stopping when you're actually full, is a surefire way to pile up on unwanted and unneeded calories. Eating only 75 percent of what's on your plate can help, as can splitting your entrée into two smaller lunches, rather than one giant dinner.
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