Is Chow Mein Fattening? The Truth Revealed

Chow mein is a food I really enjoy. So, is chow mein fattening? Let's take a look together!

Is Chow Mein Fattening?

Eating chow mein doesn't necessarily lead to weight gain. The key lies in the ingredient combination, cooking method, portion size, and frequency of consumption.

Ingredient Combination

The calories in chow mein mainly come from three parts:

Noodles: The noodles in chow mein are mainly made from wheat flour, which have a relatively high calorie content. To reduce calories, you can choose egg noodles, which contain about 130 - 150 calories per 100g. You can also choose whole wheat noodles or konjac noodles, which have even lower calorie counts.

Oil: Oil is used when making chow mein. Regular cooking oil has a high calorie content. The more oil used, the higher the calorie content of the chow mein.

Ingredients: If you add a large amount of fatty meat, bacon, fried chicken pieces, or rich sauces, the calories of the chow mein will skyrocket.

Cooking Method

Traditional Chow Mein: Traditional chow mein uses a relatively large amount of oil. To reduce calorie intake, you can use less oil.

Dry Stir-Fry vs Wet Stir-Fry: "Dry stir-fry" uses more oil to lock in moisture, resulting in a higher calorie content. "Wet stir-fry" or stir-frying with a little clear broth uses less oil and has a lower calorie content!

Light Stir-Fry vs Heavy Sauce: Using seasonings such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, sweet bean sauce, and sesame paste will increase the calorie content. Chow mein with light seasonings has a relatively lower calorie content!

Portion Size

Eating chow mein occasionally won't cause weight gain. But if you consume it in large quantities over a long period, the body won't be able to digest it in time, and the excess will be converted into fat and stored in the body, leading to weight gain.

It is recommended that people in the weight loss period control the portion size each time, and pair it with protein and vegetables for a healthier diet!

Is Chow Mein Healthy for Weight Loss?

Chow mein is not helpful for weight loss.

Chow mein is made from noodles, cooked with cooking oil and paired with vegetables and meat. It belongs to high-carbohydrate foods. Although eating an appropriate amount won't have an impact on weight loss, it doesn't contribute to weight loss either.

On the contrary, if you eat a large amount of chow mein over a long period, it may even cause obesity. This is because a lot of cooking oil and seasonings are added during the making of chow mein, and sometimes meat is also added, which increases the calorie and fat content of chow mein. Excessive calories consumed by the body will be converted into fat.

Is Chow Mein Healthy or Unhealthy?

Whether chow mein is healthy or not can't be generalized. It needs to be analyzed based on specific situations.

Firstly, chow mein is made from noodles. Noodles belong to carbohydrates and can provide energy for the human body. If you choose noodles such as whole wheat noodles, buckwheat noodles, or konjac noodles, they can add dietary fiber to the human body and are relatively healthy.

Secondly, the combination of ingredients in chow mein is also important. If you choose ingredients such as chicken breast, lean beef, shrimp, eggs, tofu, and seafood, they have a low calorie content and can provide high-quality protein for the human body. Paired with some vegetables such as spinach, carrots, and mushrooms, the nutrition will be more balanced.

In terms of seasoning selection, use less salt, less soy sauce, less sugar, avoid monosodium glutamate, and use natural seasonings such as lemon juice, herbs, garlic, and ginger to enhance the flavor. The chow mein made in this way is relatively healthy.

Unhealthy chow mein usually has the following characteristics:

Excessive Oil: Using a large amount of cooking oil for stir-frying, increasing the calorie and fat content.

High-Calorie Seasonings: Adding oyster sauce, sweet bean sauce, sesame paste, sugar, etc., making chow mein unhealthy.

Processed Meats: Using high-fat processed meats such as sausages, bacon, and ham, adding unnecessary saturated fat.

Lack of Vegetables: Consisting only of noodles and meat without vegetables, leading to an unbalanced nutritional structure.

Is Chow Mein Healthier Than Pasta?

Traditional chow mein mainly uses wheat noodles, which have a high carbohydrate content and relatively single nutritional components. Italian pasta is mainly made from durum wheat, with a higher protein content and rich in dietary fiber. The digestion and absorption speed is a bit slower than that of ordinary chow mein noodles, which can make blood sugar rise more steadily. In terms of noodle selection, Italian pasta has an advantage.

Secondly, in terms of cooking methods, chow mein uses a relatively large amount of oil during stir-frying, which increases the calorie content. If more sauces and meats are added during stir-frying, the calorie content will increase further.

For spaghetti Bolognese among Italian pasta, oil is also used during production, but it is mainly olive oil. Relatively speaking, the oil content is not as high as that of chow mein. At the same time, the sauce of Italian pasta is mostly made from fresh tomatoes, vegetables, etc., which are rich in vitamins and antioxidants and is relatively healthy. 

However, if it is creamy pasta, because a large amount of high-fat ingredients such as cream are added, the calorie content will be very high, and it is not that healthy at this time.

In addition, in terms of ingredients, chow mein can be paired with vegetables and meat according to personal preference to ensure a balanced nutrition. Italian pasta can also be paired with a variety of ingredients such as seafood and vegetables to make the nutrition more comprehensive. But chow mein also adds more seasonings to enhance the taste, which increases the salt and calorie content of chow mein.

Therefore, in terms of nutritional components and health effects, Italian pasta has an advantage in controlling blood sugar and increasing satiety. However, chow mein can also be made healthy by adjusting the ingredients and cooking methods, such as using less oil and salt and adding more vegetables.

Is Chow Mein Healthy for Diabetics?

It is not recommended for diabetics to eat chow mein.

For diabetics, diet should pay attention to controlling blood sugar, and the food should be low in oil and salt. Chow mein is made from noodles, which belong to high-carbohydrate foods and contain a large amount of starch. After being digested by the gastrointestinal tract, starch will turn into sugar. At the same time, a large amount of oil and seasonings such as light soy sauce and soy sauce are added during the making of chow mein. It belongs to high-fat and high-oil foods. If diabetics eat too much, it may cause blood sugar to rise, so it is not recommended.

For diabetics, it is usually recommended to reduce the intake of refined grains such as rice, steamed buns, and noodles, and choose whole grains such as millet, corn, buckwheat, or rice mixed with millet. At the same time, pay attention to proper exercise, which is conducive to blood sugar control.

Which Chinese Noodle Is Healthiest?

Whole Wheat Noodles: Made from whole wheat flour, wheat bran, or other coarse grain flours, they are rich in dietary fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar and promote digestion. They are suitable for people who want to control their weight and blood sugar, and are more filling than ordinary white noodles.

Egg Noodles: Made from eggs, they are rich in protein, vitamin B, iron, etc., and have a chewy texture.

Buckwheat Noodles: Made from buckwheat, they belong to whole grains, contain a large amount of dietary fiber, and have a relatively low GI value. They are suitable for diabetics and people on a low-carbohydrate diet.