Lo Mein vs Chow Mein Healthier? Find Out Here
Do you like noodles but are wondering which is healthier, lo mein or chow mein ? Let’s take a look!
Lo Mein vs Chow Mein Healthier?
Lo mein is healthier.
Based on my knowledge and experience of lo mein and chow mein, I think lo mein is relatively healthier.
Lo mein is easy to make. You just need to cook the noodles and put them together with the prepared sauce and side dishes. It has lower calories and less nutritional damage. Since it does not need to be fried, the original taste and nutrition of the ingredients can be retained to the greatest extent.
At the same time, the vegetables in the noodles, such as cucumbers, shredded carrots, bean sprouts, etc., can supplement vitamins and dietary fiber for the human body, which are beneficial to human health.
A lot of oil is used in the production process of chow mein. Stir-frying the ingredients in the oil pan will not only absorb more oil and increase the calories; the high-temperature frying process will also cause certain losses to the nutrition of the ingredients, such as causing the loss of vitamin C in vegetables, reducing the edible value of the ingredients.
Therefore, if you pursue health, it is recommended to choose lo mein; if you occasionally pursue deliciousness, then chow mein should not be missed.
Is Chinese Lo Mein Good for Weight Loss?
Whether lo mian helps with weight loss depends mainly on the combination of ingredients.
Lo mein itself is simple to make. After the noodles are cooked, they can be taken out and eaten with the sauce. If the sauce is low in calories, such as mainly vegetables and high protein, then its calories will not be very high, which is beneficial for weight loss.
However, if the noodles are paired with high-calorie sauces, such as fried sauce, sesame paste, etc., or with high-fat meat, the calories of the noodles will increase, which is not conducive to weight loss.
Therefore, if you are in the weight management period, it is recommended to choose light sauces and match them with certain vegetables and high-protein foods to control calories and balance nutrition.
Lo Mein vs Chow Mein Calories
The calorie difference between lo mein and chow mein mainly depends on the cooking method and ingredients. The following is a calorie comparison between lo mein and chow mein with the same ingredients and ingredients:
Basic calories: Every 100 grams of Chinese noodles has about 155 kcal of calories. Based on a 200-gram serving of noodles, the calories are about 310 kcal.
Nutritional composition: Mainly composed of carbohydrates (46%), fats (35%) and proteins (19%).
Chinese chow mein calories
Basic calories: Every 100 grams of Chinese chow mein has about 527 kcal. A serving of about 200 grams of chow mein may have 1054 kcal.
Nutritional composition: The calories of chow mein mainly come from noodles, oil and ingredients. The calories are broken down into: fat accounts for 51%, carbohydrates account for 43%, and protein accounts for 6%.
Is Lo Mein Healthier Than Rice?
I think rice is healthier.
From a nutritional perspective
Protein and vitamins: The protein and B vitamins content of lo mein noodles (taking ordinary noodles as an example) is slightly higher than that of rice. However, when rice is paired with dishes, more nutrients can be taken in, because rice is "versatile" and can be paired with various vegetables and meats, which is more nutritionally balanced.
Dietary fiber: The content of both is not high, but the dietary fiber content of rice is slightly lower.
From a thermal perspective
Basic calories: 100g of Lo Mein (cooked) has about 155 kcal, while 100g of rice (cooked) has about 116 kcal. However, the actual calories also depend on the cooking method and ingredients. If high-calorie sauces are added to Lo Mein, the calories will increase significantly.
Feeling of fullness: Both lo mein and rice are quite filling.
From a health perspective
Difficulty of digestion: Rice is relatively easy to digest and is suitable for people with weak gastrointestinal function.
Chronic disease risk: Studies have found that lo mein made with refined white flour may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes compared to rice.
Allergy risk: Some people are allergic to the gluten in flour, but rice rarely causes allergies.
After comprehensive comparison, I think rice is healthier and more flexible, and can be paired with vegetables and meat according to one's needs.
Are Lo Mein Noodles Healthier Than Pasta?
Both are relatively healthy ingredients and you can choose according to your needs.
First of all, pasta is made from durum wheat, which has higher protein and dietary fiber content, a relatively low GI value (glycemic index), slower digestion, a stronger sense of fullness, and less impact on blood sugar. At the same time, pasta can be cooked in a variety of ways, and when paired with vegetables, lean meat or seafood, it is more nutritionally balanced.
Lo mein is a traditional Chinese noodle dish, mainly made of noodles, with a soft texture and easy to digest, suitable for people with weak gastrointestinal function. After being cooked, it is usually eaten with sauces and vegetables. It is rich in nutrition, but the health level may be affected by different sauces and ingredients.
From a nutrition and health perspective, pasta performs better in controlling blood sugar and increasing satiety, and is suitable for people who want to lose weight or control blood sugar. Lo mein, on the other hand, focuses more on taste and matching, and is suitable for people who pursue traditional flavors and have weak digestive function.
What Are the Healthiest Noodles for Lo Mein?
Hand-rolled noodles
Hand-rolled noodles are handmade, and the thickness and width of the noodles can be adjusted according to personal preference. Using it to make lo mein can fully absorb the flavor of the sauce while maintaining the elasticity and chewiness of the noodles.
Hand-Pulled Noodle
It is very suitable for making ramen noodles. During the production process, the noodles are repeatedly stretched and beaten, making the taste more chewy and elastic. When paired with sauces, it can absorb the sauce well, making every bite full of rich flavor.
Egg noodles
Noodles made with eggs and flour as the main ingredients, due to the addition of eggs, egg noodles have a more delicate taste and a certain elasticity. In lo mein, egg noodles can be combined with various sauces and side dishes to present a rich taste and flavor.
Soba noodles
Buckwheat noodles are a healthy noodle choice, rich in dietary fiber and a variety of trace elements. Buckwheat noodles have a slightly rough texture, which makes them more suitable for pairing with rich sauces. In lo mein, they can fully absorb the flavor of the sauce while maintaining the chewiness and taste of the noodles.
Alkaline noodles
The alkaline noodles are smooth and elastic. They can be well integrated with sauces and side dishes, making every bite full of surprises.
