Vietnamese & Thai
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Healthy Choices

  Thai:

  • Fresh spring rolls with shrimp of tofu
  • Steamed Jasmine rice
  • Yam Po Taek (seafood salad)
  • Yum (grilled meat with onions, spices and lemon grass over lettuce)
  • Tofu salad
  • Gaeng Liang (veggie and shrimp soup)
  • Tofu Ka Pow (stir fried with chiles, basil, garlic and veggies)
  • Phat Pak Ped (tofu stir-fried with veggies, garlic, black bean paste and ginger)
  • Gai Ob Surat (Thai baked chicken)
  • Kung Op Woon Sen (steamed prawns with veggies and noodles)
  • Gai Yang (barbeque chicken)
  • Poi Sian (noodles with chicken, pork or tofu- ask for light oil)
  • Lower-fat cue words: sauces with chiles, ginger, basil or lime juice
  • High-fat cue words: Nam Prik (peanut sauce), Sao Nam (coconut milk)

  Vietnamese:

  • Fresh spring rolls
  • Pho (noodle soups)
  • Bun (grilled meat, chicken or seafood)
  • Look for charbroiled dishes with veggies
  • Grilled lemongrass chicken
  • Beef fondue (cooked with broth instead of oil)

Tips

  • Choose dishes that are based on staples of Thai & Vietnamese cultures such as steamed rice, noodles, veggies, seafood and lean meat.
  • Take advantage of unique veggie and fruit dishes such as bamboo shoots, straw mushrooms, green mangoes and pomelos.
  • Ask that stir-fry dishes are prepared using very little oil.
  • Ask for less or avoid no nam bla, a high sodium fish sauce added to dishes.
  • Avoid curry dishes, they are made with coconut milk which is high in calories and saturated fat.  Make your own at home using light coconut milk!
  • It is important to read the descriptions following menu items and look for cue words since a lot of words may not be familiar and vary from restaurant to restaurant.
  • Condiments are an important part of Vietnamese cuisine.  Take advantage of sweet and sour sauces and hot chiles to flavor lower-fat dishes.