Nutrition From A Typical Chinese Buffet Meal

An all-you-can eat Chinese buffet is a popular restaurant choice for many people who want a large variety of food for one price. However, the American way of preparing Chinese food is quite different than traditional methods. The result is dishes that are high in fat, calories, salt and sugar. You can choose healthier options.

Sodium

Soy sauce is a staple of Chinese cuisine and is used in many of the dishes found in a traditional Chinese buffet restaurant. Soy sauce is quite high in sodium, which decreases the nutritional value of your meal. MayoClinic.com notes that regularly consuming too much salt can contribute to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and high blood pressure. Opt for entrees not prepared with a sauce and add a splash on your own to greatly reduce the amount of sodium in your meal. Another option is to use low-sodium soy sauce, which has 533 mg of sodium in 1 tbsp., compared to the 902 mg in traditional versions.

Fat

In China, the most popular way to prepare rice, vegetables and meat is by boiling or steaming it. These methods do not require the addition of butter or oil. Many American versions of traditional Chinese dishes, such as orange chicken or General Tsao's Chicken, require deep-frying, which increases the fat content of your meal significantly. Eating deep-fried foods on a regular basis may increase your risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity because of the saturated fat content of many cooking oils. Choose dishes that have been steamed or sauteed to keep your saturated fat intake at the MayoClinic.com-recommended amount of 10 percent or less of your total caloric intake.

Sugar

Traditional versions of Chinese entrees rely on a small amount of sugar to achieve the slightly sweet taste associated with many popular sauces, but American versions add much more sugar than necessary, Dayle Hayes and Rachel Laudan note in their book, "Food and Nutrition." The more unnecessary sugar in a recipe, the more calories you consume without providing any additional vitamins or minerals. Choosing entrees that do not have sauce is one way to reduce your sugar intake, as well as using only a small amount of sauce and putting it the food yourself. A 1-tbsp. serving of sweet and sour sauce contains almost 2 g of sugar, but a low-sugar variety can cut that amount by at least half if the restaurant has it available.

What to Choose

Steamed vegetables are a healthy option at a Chinese buffet because they are usually prepared without oil, which makes them fat free, as well as high in nutrients like fiber and potassium. Any dish that is sauteed rather than fried is also lower in fat and calories. Try beef with broccoli or stir-fried pork. These dishes only use a tiny amount of oil, which makes them healthier than fried choices. Steamed white or brown rice are other options that are lower in fat and calories than fried rice, but also offer nutrients like fiber and iron.