Most of us cook at least one Asian-style meal, like a stir-fry, each week. Dietitian Vanessa Furlong provides a guide to choosing the healthiest options in the Asian food aisle.
A glance down the Asian food aisle leaves little doubt that Asian cuisine is a major player in our food culture. But not all Asian food is healthy, so knowing what to look for will go a long way towards creating delicious, healthy meals.
It’s helpful to break down the Asian food aisle into three main categories: meal bases, such as ready-made sauces and curry pastes; carbohydrate sides; and sauces/condiments. Many Asian meals rely heavily on meat and rice or noodles, so be sure to add lots of vegies in order to meet the recommended five serves a day.
Asian meal bases
There are a number of products you can use as the foundation of an Asian meal, such as curry paste and reduced-fat coconut milk (or coconut-flavoured evaporated milk), ready-made sauces and meal kits. The energy content of meal bases is generally low, but you will be adding other ingredients (like meat, vegies and rice or noodles) which boosts the kilojoule and fat content, so be mindful of portion sizes.
While it is important to watch your total energy intake, the biggest pitfall of Asian-style dishes is sodium. Meal bases can contain a significant amount of sodium and Asian sauces in particular tend to be very high. When comparing products for sodium content, keep in mind that a concentrated base, such as curry paste, will appear to contain much more sodium per serve than a ready-made sauce. However, they have similar amounts once prepared.
Adding condiments to your meal may contribute extra sodium. Therefore, try to keep the sodium levels of the meal base between 500–600mg per serve (which represents about 20–25% of your RDI).
Most of the sauces and pastes mentioned here contain a lot of sodium, so use them sparingly.
Mirin is a type of rice wine used in Japanese cuisine to add a light, sweet flavour. It’s most commonly mixed with sushi rice, but is also added to fish and meat dishes. Although it is considered a rice wine, it has a higher sugar content and lower alcohol content than traditional rice wine (sake).
Shrimp paste is made from fermented ground shrimp and is used in a number of Asian dishes, including curries, stir-fries and soups. It has a strong, salty, fishy flavour and smell, but takes on a milder flavour when cooked with other ingredients.
Fish sauce is a salty liquid made from anchovies, salt and sugar. It is widely used in Thai cooking and, like shrimp paste, has a pungent smell and flavour.
Oyster sauce is a thick, dark brown sauce made from oysters, sugar, salt, water and cornstarch. It is often used when preparing stir-fries, and as a condiment.
Soy sauce is a dark brown, salty liquid made from fermented soybeans, wheat and salt. It is widely used in cooking and as a condiment. Unlike many of the sauces used in Asian cooking, soy sauce is available in reduced-sodium and gluten-free versions.
Sweet chilli sauce is a thick, sweet sauce used in a number of dishes. It has a mildly spicy flavour and usually has flecks of chilli dispersed throughout the sauce.
Tamari is a type of soy sauce made from the liquid that drains off miso as it ages. Since it’s made entirely from soybeans, tamari is a gluten-free product. It’s also available in low-salt versions.
Noodles and rice
Noodles and rice are the primary carbohydrate components of Asian-style dishes. Both are high in carbohydrate, offer a small amount of protein and are low in sodium and fat, unless the noodles have been fried. When it comes to serving size, remember carbohydrates should fill only 1/4 of your plate (stick to a maximum of 1 cup rice or noodles).
There are numerous types of noodles available, from thick Japanese udon noodle to very fine rice vermicelli noodle. Despite differences in texture and appearance, most noodles are made from rice flour, wheat flour or a combination of the two. Most variants can be purchased uncooked, and some are available in ‘shelf-fresh’ packaging, whereby the noodles have been pre-cooked and only need re-heating.
Udon noodles are a plump Japanese-style noodle made from bleached wheat flour. They are most commonly served in soups and have little or no flavour.
Soba (buckwheat) noodles are Japanese noodles made exclusively from buckwheat (making them a good gluten-free option) or a combination of buckwheat and wheat flours, and have a pleasant, earthy flavour. Because they are a wholegrain noodle, they are a source of fibre. Soba can be served either hot or cold (such as in salads).
Rice noodles, available in very fine vermicelli strands and thicker noodles, are commonly used in Vietnamese and Thai dishes. Because these noodles are wheat-free, they are suitable for those following a gluten-free diet (provided gluten-containing ingredients have not been added during manufacturing – check the packaging). Vermicelli noodles are commonly used as a filler in Vietnamese rice paper rolls, which are often gluten-free.
Hokkein noodles are thicker-style noodles made from wheat flour and used as a base in Southeast Asian fried noodle dishes.
Egg noodles are made using both wheat and eggs. They are commonly used as a base for stir-fries, but can also be fried to make crispy noodles to sprinkle over salads for texture.
The nutritional profile of different types of white rice is similar. Brown rice is richer in nutrients, because it’s a wholegrain.
Jasmine, basmati, doongara and medium-grain white rice all have a light, fluffy texture when cooked. Jasmine and basmati are more fragrant than plain rice. Basmati and doongara have a lower GI than other white rices, so they’re digested more slowly.
Sushi rice has a stickier texture than plain white rice, making it ideal for sushi rolls. Mirin is also added to the cooked rice, which gives it a slightly sweet taste.
Asian condiments are typically low in energy and fat, but some contain significant amounts of sodium, so use them discerningly.
Wasabi, also known as Japanese horseradish due to its spicy flavour, is made from the ground root of the wasabi plant. It’s light green in colour and served as a paste to accompany sushi.
Pickled ginger is prepared by soaking fresh ginger in vinegar and sugar. The pickling process gives the ginger its characteristic pale pink colour, although some brands add extra colouring.
No matter what style dish you prepare, don’t forget the hallmark of Asian cuisine: Asian greens, such as bok choy, pak choy and gai lan (Chinese broccoli). You can also add other vegies, like baby corn, bamboo shoots, snow peas, bean sprouts and shiitake mushrooms.
What is MSG?
MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a flavour enhancer commonly used in Asian food, where it lends a unique savoury taste called ‘umami’. FSANZ states that MSG is safe for use in Australian food, but a small percentage of the population may be sensitive to it in large quantities.
If a product claims ‘no added MSG’ it means that there may be some naturally-occurring MSG, but no additional MSG. When MSG is added, it must be listed in the ingredients either by name or by stating ‘flavour enhancer’ followed by the food additive code number (621).