Eating out the healthy way: Thai, Greek, Chinese, Mexican and more

Chinese
In China the accent is on rice, noodles, vegetables and small portions. Canadian Chinese meals bring out more of the fat (with the meat and grease) and the salt (with soy sauce). Watch for dishes that are deep-fried, crispy, batter-dipped, breaded or fried.

Starters and accompaniments
• The best: STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES (375 calories, nine grams of fat, one gram of saturated fat, 1,075 milligrams of sodium).
This mix of Chinese and seasonal vegetables provides fibre and other nutrients with limited cholesterol and saturated fat. However, it contains lots of sodium. Another good choice is sweet-and-sour soup.

• The trap/pitfall: HOUSE FRIED RICE (740 calories, 25 grams of fat, five grams of saturated fat, 1,340 milligrams of sodium).
The best way to avoid this specialty of meat, eggs and frying oil is to choose steamed rice, seasoned with a pinch of soy sauce (which has 1,000 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon) instead.

• The worst: EGG ROLLS (for two egg rolls: 380 calories, 22 grams of fat, two grams of saturated fat, 920 milligrams of sodium).
Here, the fried dough wonton wrapper, which envelops the ingredients (minced vegetables, pork and shrimp), absorbs oil. You can always opt for steamed dumplings or limit yourself to one egg roll.

Main dishes
• The best: SZECHUAN SHRIMP (465 calories, nine grams of fat, one gram of saturated fat, 1,230 milligrams of sodium).
Stir-fried shrimp in hot sauce with a good amount of vegetables is low in saturated fat and calories. Other options are Szechuan scallops, Hunan tofu or chicken chow mein.

• The trap/pitfall: ORANGE (CRISPY) BEEF (885 calories, 33 grams of fat, six grams of saturated fat, 1,570 milligrams of sodium).
The beef is coated in flour, then fried in an orange spice sauce, making it crunchy -- and full of fat and sodium. For fewer calories, go for the beef with broccoli.

• The worst: SWEET-AND-SOUR PORK (805 calories, 36 grams of fat, seven grams of saturated fat, 410 milligrams of sodium).
As is generally the case with sweet-and-sour dishes, the meat is generously covered with bread crumbs and oil, the sauce is heavily sweetened, and the vegetables are hard to find. At least the sodium is not excessive.

Japanese
Certain Japanese restaurants only serve sashimi and sushi, while the most traditional also offer tempura, sukiyaki and teriyaki. A shadow on the menu: sauces and marinades rich in sodium and some dishes (such as tempura) that are cooked in lots of oil.

Starters and accompaniments
• The best: VEGETARIAN SUSHI ROLL (for a half roll: 135 calories, one gram of fat, no saturated fat, 830 milligrams of sodium).
Sushi is made with rice and raw fish along with other ingredients such as seafood, eggs and vegetables. It's hard to go wrong if you stay away from choices that include cream cheese or ingredients that are fried. Equally low in calories: clear soups such as miso and suimono. Another good bet is seaweed salad or edamame (boiled or steamed soybeans).

• The trap/pitfall: TEMPURA-UDON SOUP (350 calories, 11 grams of fat, three grams of saturated fat, 850 milligrams of sodium).
This soup is made of noodles with good ingredients (shrimp and vegetables), but they're in a deep-fried tempura batter.

• The worst: FRIED TOFU (AGEDASHI DOFU) (440 calories, 33 grams of fat, four grams of saturated fat, 280 milligrams of sodium).
It's not so much the beautiful cubes of tofu that make this dish guilt-ridden but the batter, the deep-fried garnish and the sauce that envelops them.

Main dishes
• The best: CHICKEN SUKIYAKI (450 calories, eight grams of fat, two grams of saturated fat, 850 milligrams of sodium).
This chicken dish is made with tofu, vegetables and bamboo shoots, and simmered in a sukiyaki sauce. Other good choices: chicken or salmon teriyaki.

• The trap/pitfall: DONBURI (835 calories, 25 grams of fat, eight grams of saturated fat, 1,230 milligrams of sodium).
This specialty consists of eggs, meat, chicken or fish, and vegetables simmered together and served over rice. The problem: it contains whole eggs, and the meat is sometimes breaded and fried. The versions made with grilled meat are preferable.

• The worst: SHRIMP TEMPURA (920 calories, 81 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 228 milligrams of sodium).
Seafood or vegetables, or a combination of the two, are coated with batter, deep-fried and served with a sauce. The result: enough fat for an entire day.

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