Thai restaurants are a newer addition to the American restaurant scene, but Thai food has quickly caught on leading to a proliferation of restaurants. The majority of Thai restaurants are in larger cities. They cling to our two coasts. Most Thai restaurants are independently owned or the restauranteur may have a few locations in a similar geographic area. 

At this point there are no Thai chain restaurants. A few Chinese-oriented chains have noticed the mass appeal of Thai flavors and added some popular Thai dishes to their menus. Thai foods and flavors are integrated into other types of menus. You’ll find Thai ingredients on pizza and Pad Thai, the favorite noodles dish, on American type restaurants. 

Thai cuisine is often compared with Chinese, but the similarities don’t go much beyond the preparation method of stir-frying, the central role of rice and noodles, and a cadre of similar vegetables. As for end results, Thai food differs substantially due to the use of many different herbs and spices. In fact, taste wise, Thai food more closely resembles Indian fare with its use of aromatic flavors and spices—coriander, cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon, to name a few. 

Though Thai cooking is generally light and healthy, fat does creep in from various sources, though not nearly as much as in Chinese food. Most appetizers are deep fried and many entrees are stir-fried. If you frequent a particular Thai restaurant, ask what oil they use and make sure they say no to animal based fats (lard) in favor of vegetable oils. 

Another source of fat is coconut milk, which is used in Thai cuisine to create dishes with curry sauces. Coconut milk, similar to coconut oil, contains saturated fat, as well as a hefty dose of calories. One quarter cup of coconut milk—the amount you might have in a Thai curry dish that you split in half—contains 110 calories, most of which are from saturated fat. To limit this unhealthy ingredient, limit the amount of dishes with coconut milk, such as curry entrees and soups that are not crystal clear.

The sodium content of Thai food also can run high. The spicing and flavoring is not as dependent on soy sauces as in Chinese cuisine. However, it is not uncommon to see soy sauce and/or salt added to main dishes, soups, rice (other than steamed), and noodle dishes. Some of the sauces, such as yellow bean paste, shrimp paste, and fish sauce also add sodium.

These are a few healthier dishes you'll find on most Thai restaurants menus: 

Appetizers: Basil rolls or Thai rolls (not fried), Satay (go light on peanut sauce, request lower fat tamarind sauce), Steamed mussels.

Soups: Tom Yum Goong, Talay Thong, Crystal Noodle (broth-based soups)

Salads: Green Papaya salad, Thai Beef salad, Bean Thread Noodle salad, Yum Yai salad.

Entrees: Dishes with lots of vegetables combined with lean protein foods - chicken, shrimp, scallops, and tofu (not fried) - Order prepared with basal, chili, or ginger dishes.

Rice/Noodles: Steamed white rice, Pad Thai or Vegetarian Pad Thai (eat sparingly).

To learn more about eating healthfully at Thai restaurants get a copy of my book: Eat Out, Eat Well – The Guide to Eating Healthy in Any Restaurant . Consider downloading the free companion app Eat Out Well – Restaurant Nutrition Finder to your mobile device.

Today there are more Japanese restaurants in America than ever before, particularly sushi-focused types. That’s great news because with less navigating than in most restaurants you can enjoy a healthy Japanese restaurant meal. 

You’ll find Japanese restaurants from metropolitan areas to our suburbs and from airports to food courts. Generally speaking, they’re one or maybe two of-a-kind restaurants. A few Japanese restaurant chains exist, but they’re mainly Japanese steak houses. 

The menus in traditional Japanese restaurants typically serve Japanese favorites, from tempura, sukiyaki and teriyaki along with the less well known dishes agemono, yosenabe and donburi.. These restaurants may also boast a busy sushi bar that keeps multiple sushi chefs’ hands busy rolling up both familiar and exotic rolls. However, with the popularity of sushi, that’s all some Japanese restaurants serve. 

Another category of Japanese restaurants popular with younger diners (kids) and therefore families are the Japanese steak houses. These restaurants spotlight their aerobic chefs who turn meal preparation into a tableside acrobatic performance and as a side dish turn out tempting chicken, shrimp, or beef teriyaki complimented with rice and vegetables. 

Japanese cuisine accents carbohydrate in rice, noodles and vegetables and minimizes fats by using food preparation methods that require little or no oil or fat, such as steaming, braising, or simply serving it raw. Another big plus is the relatively small portions.

The sodium count of Japanese meals can be quite high due to the soy-based items. Marinades and sauces, whether for teriyaki, sukiyaki, or shabu-shabu, are a combination of some or all of the following: shoyu, dashi, mirin, sugar, sake, and a bit of kombu. 

These are a few healthier dishes you'll find on most Japanese restaurants menus: 

Appetizers: All types of sushi and sashimi (avoid ones with deep-fried items or cream cheese)-California roll, cucumber roll, eel and cucumber roll, futomaki, yellowtail, salmon, shrimp, Shumai - steamed dumplings, edamame, Yudofu - steamed tofu, Ohitashi - spinach boiled with sauce.

Soups: suimono, miso, su-udon, yaki-udon.

Entrees: Teriyaki, Sukiyaki, Nabemono, Yosenabe, Shabu-shabu, Donburi.

To learn more about eating healthfully at Japanese restaurants get a copy of my book: Eat Out, Eat Well – The Guide to Eating Healthy in Any Restaurant. Consider downloading the free companion app Eat Out Well – Restaurant Nutrition Finder to your mobile device.

Today there’s a wide range of Mexican restaurants in the US. There are several large Mexican fast food chains and a growing number of fast-casual chains serving Mexican food. Then there’s several table service chains serving Mexican food. Last but not least in larger cities you can find upscale restaurants serving Mexican cuisine. 

Most fast food and fast casual Mexican restaurants serve what’s called Tex-Mex - an Americanized version of a few items from Mexico’s diverse culinary landscape. Think nachos, tacos, burritos and chimichangas. But over the past decade or so, things have changed. Traditional Mexican herbs and spices are now more readily available in the US and chefs, particularly in upscale restaurants, are increasingly exploring and using these bold flavors. 

While specific dishes may vary, Mexican cuisine typically features five essential ingredients: rice, corn, beans, tomatoes, and a wide array of chilies. These ingredients are, before being prepared, healthy—high in vitamins and minerals and low in fat. Plus, spicy toppings—red or green salsa, pico de gallo, and chilies—up your vegetable count and adds great flavor with next to nil calories. 

There’s minimal focus on animal protein in Mexican food compared to a typical American meal. Compare the small quantity of meat, one to two ounces, in one enchilada to our familiar eight-to ten-ounce steak. This has its roots in the old Mexican practice of making a small amount of meat feed many mouths (a common thread in many ethnic cuisines). Soft tacos filled with beans and vegetables, chicken enchiladas, grilled fajitas, and fresh salads are just a few of the healthier dishes you can choose. 

However, the health attributes of traditional Mexican ingredients can be quickly squashed if foods are fried, refried, or smothered with cheese or sour cream, as they often are in Mexican cuisine. Think of dishes such as loaded nachos, quesdaillas, chimichangas and Mexican salads served in the fried tortilla bowl. 

Fat, like in many restaurant foods, is clearly the villain when you’re trying to eat a healthy Mexican restaurant meal. There are many fried items, and many Mexican recipes traditionally call for the use of lard or animal fat drippings. Both of these items contain cholesterol and saturated fat. Due to pressure to improve the healthiness of their foods, large restaurant chains have switched to using healthier liquid oils. 

Mexican food can also be high in sodium. Salt is used in many recipes and sauces, and a lot of the prep work is done in advance, such as spicing meats to stuff into tacos or burritos. This makes it difficult to request that salt be omitted. However, if you order a dish such as grilled chicken, fish, or beef in an upscale Mexican restaurant, you might be successful with a “hold-the-salt” request because they might cook from scratch. 

Chips, salsa, and large amounts of cheese can also contribute to raising the sodium level. Due to its zesty taste, green or red salsa can be used to add punch to salads or chicken and fish dishes, and salsa is fine to use in small amounts.

One more stumbling block, particularly in sit-down restaurants are the large portions – think combo plates. This can escalate your calorie count. Strategies to use at Mexican restaurants are: watch the portions in your entire meal, say no to high-fat toppings like cheese and sour cream, and avoid anything deep-fried.

These are a few healthier dishes you'll find on most Mexican restaurant menus: 

Appetizers: Tortilla soup, Gazpacho, Black bean soup, Mexican pizza, Chili

Entrees: Soft tacos, Burritos, Enchiladas, Fajitas (usually enough to split), Tostadas, Mexican or taco salad (hold the fried tortilla shell and sour cream)

Sides: Black beans, Mexican rice, Mexican salad (lettuce, tomato, onion), Pico de gallo.

To learn more about eating healthfully at Mexican restaurants get a copy of my book: Eat Out, Eat Well – The Guide to Eating Healthy in Any Restaurant. Consider downloading the free companion app Eat Out Well – Restaurant Nutrition Finder to your mobile device.

Chinese food is in the top three of Americans’ favorite ethnic cuisines. While Chinatowns in major cities are one place to eat Chinese food, today it’s common to see Chinese restaurants in shopping malls and urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods. 

Interestingly, Chinese food wears a halo of health because people think of it as heavy on vegetables and light on fat. This perception may be true when foods are prepared traditionally or in China, but it’s not true of most Chinese foods prepared and eaten in American Chinese restaurants. Meals in Chinese restaurant can quickly become unhealthy and loaded with calories. 

Consider this unhealthy, high fat Chinese meal: start with spare ribs or eggroll, move on to Sweet and Sour pork or Shrimp with Fried Rice and finish off with Fried Bananas. Healthy? Hardly! The Americanized preparations usually means added fat – fried appetizers and battered and fried meats (shrimp, pork) in dishes. But Chinese menu choices don’t have to be unhealthy or high in fat. 

With skills and strategies in hand, it’s possible to eat healthy Chinese restaurant meals. The watchwords are pick and choose your dishes carefully, enjoy a bowl of soup to fill you up (without the crispy noodles), and share dishes with your dining partners to put portion control into action. Plan to bring home leftovers to control portions (this is why microwaves were invented)!

Chinese food can be high in sodium - choose dishes with lighter sauces, request light soy-sauce be use (when food is cooked to order), order brown rice rather than fried rice and control your portions. Less food = less sodium.

These are a few healthier dishes you'll find on most Chinese menus: 

Appetizers: Teriyaki Chicken or Beef, Steamed Peking Dumplings (raviolis), Vegetarian Dumpling (raviolis) or Roast Pork Strips

Soups: Hot and Sour, Wonton, Egg Drop and Chicken and Corn (all Chinese soups are broth based, order a bowl to fill you up especially if others are dining on high fat fried appetizers)

Entrees: Moo Goo Gai Pan, Moo Shi (with vegetables, pork, chicken or shrimp), Shrimp, pork or chicken with Chinese vegetables, Velvet Chicken, Tofu (request that it not be fried) with Chinese vegetables, Szechuan green beans, Lo-Mein (with vegetables, pork, chicken or shrimp), Chow Mein or Chop Suey.

To learn more about eating healthfully at Chinese restaurants get a copy of my book: Eat Out, Eat Well – The Guide to Eating Healthy in Any Restaurant. Consider downloading to your mobile device the companion app Eat Out Well – Restaurant Nutrition Finder.