Among the most talked-about diets of the 1990s and 2000s, the Atkins plan can produce dramatic and immediate weight loss. One of the chief complaints of people who use the Atkins diet is how strictly it limits your eating options. However, by understanding how the diet works, you can find appropriate choices at your favorite restaurants, even Chinese food.
Atkins Diet Basics
The Atkins diet produces its rapid results by pushing your body into a physiological state called "ketosis." When in ketosis, your body shifts from primarily burning carbohydrates to get its energy to primarily burning fats -- including the fat in your body. There are numerous health concerns also associated with ketosis, which is why health resources including MayoClinic.com advise caution when taking on the Atkins plan and similar diets.
Atkins Stages
The Atkins diet is organized into four separate stages, beginning with a "kick start" phase and progressing to a lifetime maintenance phase once you've reached your goal weight. Food options progressively expand from stage to stage, meaning that early stage Atkins will allow fewer Chinese food options than later stage Atkins guidelines.
Atkins-Forbidden Chinese Foods
The problem with most Chinese foods, from an Atkins perspective, is not the core ingredients but the sauces and breadings. A lump of pork is prime Atkins food, but becomes something else when coated in batter, deep fried, and covered with a starchy and sugary sweet and sour sauce. In many cases, the key to enjoying a Chinese dinner with friends while on Atkins is to order a dish without the traditional extras. Of course, this largely misses the point of going out for Chinese.
Atkins-Friendly Chinese Foods
A few traditional Chinese dishes are actually perfect for people on an Atkins diet, even in the early stages. Unsweetened Chinese tea is a beverages on the Atkins-approved list. These include foods without sauces, made from no-carb ingredients. Some good examples include steamed dishes without sauce, mu shu without wrappers, walnut chicken and egg foo yung. Mongolian barbeque, though not technically Chinese, is still commonly on Chinese menus and a good Atkins choice.
Atkins-Congruent Chinese Foods
Some other Chinese food options have few enough carbs that you can use them during later Atkins stages, so long as you remember to count them toward your daily net carb limit. Chinese barbecue dishes are mostly meat, with a coating of sweet sauce. Most stir-fries with savory, not sweet, sauces will also work in reasonable doses. Egg drop and hot and sour soup are sometimes Atkins-friendly, but may be thickened with starch. Because of the popularity of the Atkins and other low-carb diets, it's often worth asking your waiter for suggestions.
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