Eating in Chinese restaurants may have become synonymous to eating huge quantities of food rich in cholesterol and carbohydrates. However, there are still some things you can do to ensure that you still eat within the limits of what's healthy, and still get to enjoy the sumptuous Chinese delicacies.
1. Find a great restaurant this can be done by asking the people you know; first hand experiences are often without bias, so you know what to expect even before you get to the restaurant. You can also browse the internet or local newspapers to get an idea of what places look interesting and are worth trying.
2. Choose the right dishes. Most likely, you will be sharing the dishes you ordered with some of your close friends or family members. Start with a soup, and stay away from dishes that are too fatty.
3. Choose what flavour of tea you want to have. Keep in mind that this will also be shared by the people you are having the meal with, so take into consideration their preferences as well.
4. Avoid consuming too much rice. Aside from being loaded with carbohydrates, it will also fill you up faster you might not be able to enjoy the other Chinese dishes set in front of you.
5. Be aware of food allergies- both yours and for any member of your group. When you get to the restaurant, talk to the staff and ask them if any of the ingredients you are allergic to can be eliminated from the dishes.
6. Avoid dishes that have a high sugar or starch content, which will lead to a high carbohydrate intake.
7. Avoid eating too much dessert items, as these tend to be high in sugar and fat.