Panda Express, a popular fast-food chain offering American Chinese cuisine, is known for its flavorful and convenient meals. If you're a fan of Chinese food, you've likely dined at Panda Express more than once. From Kung Pao Chicken to Honey Walnut Shrimp to Wok-Seared Steak and Shrimp, the menu options are endless. The good news is, you don’t have to cross Panda Express off your list of dining options if you’re dieting. You can order from this popular chain and still stay within your weight-loss restrictions. This article will guide you through making informed choices at Panda Express to align with your weight loss goals.
Is Panda Express a Healthy Choice?
It’s important to keep in mind that fast food is by no means a “healthy” choice to turn to on a regular basis-especially when you’re looking to lose weight. However, with a strategic approach, it can be incorporated into your diet. Many American Chinese meals are well-known for being high in salt, sugar and fat. However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to eat a balanced meal from the drive thru.
Lena Bakovic, MS, RDN, CNSC, a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in gut health, chronic disease, weight management, intuitive eating, oncology, and general health and wellness from Top Nutrition Coaching, explains that “Panda Express can be a convenient option for an on-the-go type of meal.”
Key Strategies for Healthier Choices
Here are some key strategies to keep in mind when ordering at Panda Express:
- Focus on Lower Calories and Sugar, and Higher Protein: If you’re looking to make healthier choices at Panda Express, it’s essential to focus on dishes with lower calories and sugar, and higher protein content.
- Add Veggies: When in doubt, add a variety of vegetables to your meal. Check to see if the entrees contain vegetables.
- Save Calories on Your Beverage: Be mindful of your drink choices.
- Look at the Nutrition Content Before Ordering: Use resources like the Panda Express website or apps like MyFitnessPal to check nutrition information. The MyFitnessPal app allows you to look up menu items from Panda Express and other restaurants so you can easily log your choices and track their nutrition values. This lets you see your calorie counts, macros, and other nutritional information about the food you’ve eaten. When you log what you eat and drink, you unlock nutrition information-think: calories, and grams of sugar and fat.
- Beware of Sauces: We all know that sweet and sour sauce and soy sauce can be a tasty addition to any meal, but they’re all very high in sugar and/or sodium content. “Choose a smaller portion of these sauces or avoid them entirely. The sodium content is especially important to consider for people living with high blood pressure. Check for added sugar. For example, the Panda Express sweet and sour sauce has 20 grams of sugar in a 1.8-ounce serving.
- Watch Portion Sizes: Panda Express offers bowls, plates, and larger entrees.
- Limit Sauces: Sauces can add a lot of hidden calories and sugar.
- Check for added sugar: Many items available at food chains contain high amounts of salt.
Healthier Entree Options
Here's a breakdown of some specific entree options at Panda Express, keeping in mind that "healthy" is subjective and depends on individual dietary needs:
Read also: Panda Express Keto Menu Items
- Mushroom Chicken: The lowest-calorie Panda Express chicken option is the mushroom chicken, with 220 calories and 13 grams of protein. Bakovic explains one of the most nutritious choices at Panda Express is the Mushroom Chicken with Super Greens. This option is chock-full of protein, which research shows keeps you feeling full and satisfied long after you finish your meal. “The ranges for the calories and protein provided are dependent on the meal portion and side green of choice,” explains Bakovic. The mushroom chicken entree at Panda Express is already loaded with zucchini and fiber-rich mushrooms. Adding a side of super greens, which includes baby broccoli, cabbage, and kale, turns this meal into a veggie-happy feast!
- String Bean Chicken Breast: String Bean Chicken Breast is one of the leanest and most balanced options. The Panda Express string bean chicken breast packs 12 grams of protein, plenty of fiber from the brown rice, and is low in fat.
- Broccoli Beef: The Broccoli Beef is a really good choice for someone looking for a low-calorie option. Broccoli Beef is a classic dish that pairs lean beef with nutrient-rich broccoli. Broccoli beef is practically synonymous with Chinese food. It’s a tasty classic that’s also a solid choice for a healthy meal.
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken: Grilled teriyaki chicken is a classic entree that tastes delicious. Grilled chicken is a high-protein meal with low fat content. The 6-ounce portion size is big enough to be satisfying as a lunch or dinner, especially with the rice on the side. The teriyaki chicken at Panda Express gets some of its signature flavor from added sugar. The teriyaki chicken at Panda Express is arguably the most popular main dish they offer, and with 36 grams of protein, it’s easy to see why!
- Black Pepper Angus Steak: The black pepper Angus steak is a savory mix of sliced steak and fresh vegetables like red peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli. It delivers a nice pop of spice along with plenty of lean protein.
- Firecracker Shrimp: The Firecracker Shrimp is a limited item, so it may soon be replaced with another shrimp option.
Sides: Smart Choices
Choosing the right sides can significantly impact the overall nutritional value of your meal:
- Super Greens: For a nutritious side, opt for Super Greens, a mix of broccoli, kale, and cabbage. The Super Greens at Panda Express is a medley of fresh broccoli, kale, and cabbage.
- Steamed Rice (White or Brown): Choose Steamed Rice or Super Greens: Opt for steamed white or brown rice instead of fried rice or chow mein to cut down on calories and fat. White rice is a go-to side for Chinese food Panda Express lovers. It’s low in fat and contains protein, which makes a nice addition to your meal. White rice has 87 grams of carbs, though, so consider eating half the rice and saving the rest for another meal. As a bonus, research shows that refrigerating rice converts it to a resistant starch - a prebiotic that can help regulate blood sugar levels. The brown rice adds more protein and important dietary fiber to the meal. If you prefer whole grains, you can also order steamed brown rice depending on your Panda Express location.
Items to Be Mindful Of
Certain items at Panda Express are higher in calories, sugar, and fat, and should be consumed in moderation or avoided when trying to lose weight:
- Orange Chicken: While Orange Chicken is one of Panda Express’s most popular dishes, it’s also one of the unhealthiest.
- Beijing Beef: Beijing Beef is another dish to avoid if you’re looking to eat healthier.
- Fried Rice: Fried Rice is a calorie-dense side dish.
- Chow Mein: With around 500 calories, the Chow Mein may not be the healthiest choice nor the most “macro-friendly,” but it has the most protein! Chow Mein is similar to Fried Rice in terms of calories and protein but slightly higher in sugar.
- Honey Walnut Shrimp: If calories are a concern, be careful choosing anything battered and fried, such as the honey walnut shrimp.
Creating a Balanced Meal
Here are some tips for creating a balanced meal at Panda Express:
- Consider Panda Bowls, A La Carte items or Panda Cub Meals: For a better meal at Panda Express, consider a Panda Bowls, A La Carte items or Panda Cub Meals.
- Order Half Sides: Did you know that you could order half sides at Panda Express?
- High-Protein Option: If you want a super high-protein option at Panda Express without going overboard on calories, pair the Super Greens with 3 orders of a shrimp entree.
- Don't Be Afraid to Customize: You can swap things. you can ask for things to be removed. It really is your food your way…
Fitting Panda Express into Your Calorie Goals
When you are in a calorie deficit or diet phase… nothing is really off-limits. That would be a personal rule if it is. Or maybe that is a dietary need of an intolerance or an allergy. But truly, nothing is off-limits. It wholeheartedly is calories in versus calories out. This truly is it. This is what it takes in order to lose weight. That doesn’t say in it that it has to be from whole foods or it has to be from convenient measures or supplements. So here’s the deal… You can have it but again it needs to fit. We each have our own calorie make up that we need to consume each day to match the expenditure we have. And like the graphic shows above…. if we want to be in a weight loss phase, we have to consume less than we are expending. And that is where this strategy comes in.
Here are some ideas to try out:
Read also: Fasting in Pandas
- Pick three different options from each place. You don’t want to go to a specific place and find out that for some reason you’re one option that works is not currently available and then you are left in a sense of urgency to just choose something else.
- Sometimes… it’s more about how can I change up what I truly want…
- Some of them had some really great tips on how to take certain menu items and make them even leaner. It’s not so much about making them less fat or less carbs…. it’s about making this smaller to allow you more from other things within your day.
- Do not be afraid to think outside of the norm when you are working through having something you want and making it fit into your caloric needs.
The Importance of Tracking
When you log what you eat and drink, you unlock nutrition information-think: calories, and grams of sugar and fat.
Read also: Red Panda Feeding Habits