How Many Calories ... in Pad Thai?

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Jan 23rd 2008 6:00AM

When I went on a three-month trek around Thailand a few years ago, I assumed I would lose weight effortlessly because I wouldn't be filling up on my regular diet of carbs and convenience food. I'm not alone -- when it comes to food, we tend to assume that Asian cuisine is healthier than North American fare. After all, while our food tends to be high in fat, refined carbs and sugar and other processed ingredients, Asian food tends to be low in fat and high in veggies.

But how accurate are our assumptions about Asian cuisine? I'll tell you one thing -- I didn't lose weight on a diet of green curry with rice, pad thai and tom kha gai soup. In fact, I gained a couple. So I wonder ...

The answer? A surprising 940 calories and 34 g of fat in a full order of the noodle dish, which is typically served with veggies, egg, tofu and peanuts. Oh. my. goodness. That's a heck of a lot of calories. If it's any consolation, most people don't eat a full serving -- I know that I usually leave half or a quarter of my portion behind.

If you're going for Thai food any time soon, I would recommend trying a curry with a side of rice instead -- they have fewer calories, less carbs, more veggies and the spiciness of the dish helps control your appetite.

The Do's and Don'ts of eating at a restaurant(click thumbnails to view gallery)

DON'T Ruin a healthy meal by having fries on the side

DON'T Order a fruity, sugar-laden drink. They're laced with unnecessary calories

Source

Comments (30)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Vishaal 1-23-2008 @ 11:46AM

Holy COW! I eat this sometimes and I eat the WHOLE dish WITH white rice on the side....oh dear. Time to change THAT. Thanks for posting!

gerry harvey 1-24-2008 @ 9:10AM

who cares , just enjoy yourself..

TheHerdsman 1-27-2008 @ 3:23PM

Don't be fooled about scarfing down a gaeng keow wan (green curry) instead, the coconut cream in there has way more fat & calories than the pad thai. You can't work on calories alone! Thai cooking is still WAY more healthy than typical meals around here. A fresh variety of vegetables, good ration of meat to veggies, patience and care in preparing them ~ all go a long way to promoting your overall health. Besides, eating should be healthy and enjoyable ... don't ditch the Pad Thai, ditch gluttony ~ SHARE that plate of noodles with your fellow diners. that's "Thai style". And who eats a bowl of rice to accompany rice noodles? stop the madness. The key is "enjoy ALL things ~ in moderation!"

alta cornforth 1-24-2008 @ 9:10AM

I don't understand what you mean by a "live link". I want to be able to post my comments?

ecp3886 1-24-2008 @ 10:07AM

My comment: Women are always worrying about how they look. I say go hog wild. ENjoy life. You get fat you get fat. Who you trying to impress. If a woman is looking for a man. I can understand the calorie counting. If your genetic makeup is a fat person, like your mother. You haven't a chance. LIve for yourself and eat.

JB 1-24-2008 @ 12:35PM

You must be young and immortal.

Diabetes, Hypertension, Cholesterol, Arthritis, Apnea, etc. are coming sure as sunrise if you don't wise up.

You do have a chance! I've lost 70 lbs in the last year and a half, have completely beaten diabetes (no meds for three months now), blood pressure way down, sleep apnea machine gone and cholesterol dead normal. I didn't do it to look good, or to impress anybody, or to find a mate: I did it to keep from dying!

Ditch this cynical nonsense. The "jolly fat person" act is bullshit. Food is just food, it's wrong to make it entertainment. Gluttony is not "living for yourself," it's suicide.

Kat Nelson 1-25-2008 @ 12:01PM

It isn't only about appearance, it is about grave health risk factors. The fatter you are the sooner you die. Diabetes, heart disease, respiratory failure, kidney disease, liver dysfunction and disease, and the list goes on and on. If you don't care what you look like and want to insult everyones' eyes and be a fat freak, then nothing will change your mind until you get a diagnosis from your physician who says diet or die. It is that simple. Dr. K.N.

crabbymcslacker 1-24-2008 @ 9:58AM

Oh noooo! (I love pad thai). Thanks for the info... I guess!

Dina 1-24-2008 @ 10:07AM

I always share pad thai when I order it. Its definately not a dish you want to eat by yourself. Also, you can enjoy all asian food, you just have to be wise with choices. Order sauces on the side with dishes such as chicken w/ broccoli, have brown rice instead of white, and steamed dumplings instead of fried. When I was in college I ate chinese food every weekend and still lost weight because I went with steamed instead of fried!

Injun Mike 1-24-2008 @ 12:35PM

I was in Thailand a few years ago, and was surprised at the amount of stray animals that are consumed.....at one restaurant I had a choice of chicken, beef, cat, rat, lizard, and bat.....I asked where they got them, and this one little guy laughed and said, "You stupid American....can you speak Thai?"....when I said, "What?", he laughed louder and said, "Your butt looks like a sack of doorknobs"...when I saw all the other little homosexual waiters tittering and covering their mouths, I said, "Hey!....you're saying something mean aren't you?"...at this they all fell down laughing, and the old lady who ran the place ran over and started hitting them on the back of the head with a slipper, screaming, "GET TO WORK YOU RITTER SHIT HEADS!"....I wound up going to McDonald's, where they insult you in English....

DW 1-24-2008 @ 12:36PM

Ha Ha funny
Best to have Thai green curry dish or better still a Thai red curry with veggies mmmm.

Lisa 1-24-2008 @ 6:55PM

Oh, fergoodnesssake! A sandwich combo (at least one of the premium ones) at most fast food joints is just as full of fat and calories. I try to minimize the damage of high-fat, high-calorie meals by eating them before I'm going to be doing something extremely physically demanding, like shoveling snow for an hour (or cross-country skiing or hiking in the cold at high altitude). Indulging that way allows me to burn most of it off, and I tend to need some extra fuel to keep me going through that kind of activity. Maybe I'm just lucky, but my calorie burning rate skyrockets if I'm outside in the cold and even moderately active.

angie 1-24-2008 @ 6:57PM

Number 6 said it best I will not even try to make a better comment :) Good job number 6 and way to go with the weight loss. I weigh 179 would love to lost 50-60 myself.

CB 1-24-2008 @ 1:32PM

What does #9 post have to do with f*ing ANYTHING?

crys 1-24-2008 @ 6:57PM

I think if somebody ate something like that everyday or even once a week, it would be problematic. I don't see a problem with allowing yourself a splurge every so often. It's important to enjoy life still, even while losing weight.

Hunter 1-24-2008 @ 6:55PM

Thai food is usually eaten "family style" meaning everybody shares. Hence, a little bit of Pad Thai, some curry, some vegetables, some rice...and you wind up with a more balanced meal with fewer calories. I knew Pad Thai was no diet meal the first time I cooked it and found the recipe called for it to be fried in lots of oil! (why do you think it's so popular with Americans???)

Val 1-28-2008 @ 1:30AM

I lost 70 lbs. Had a BMI of 32 (obese) to 22 (normal). No change in high cholesterol, normal blood pressure, etc., however the mobility, being able to get on the floor and up again, roll over in bed, relief of back, knee and foot pain was enormous. It's all about smaller portions when you enjoy that Pad Thai! I eat anything I want but just enough to stop real hunger, not to fill up on taste.

Yenny 1-24-2008 @ 6:58PM

I'm asian myself, Vietnamese in fact, and I know how rich food over there tends to be. I think it's so many calories because people there tend to work a lott, so they burn so many calories during the day that the food they eat doesn't really matter so much about the fat content.

muffinrod 1-24-2008 @ 6:57PM

To ecp3886- My mother was never under 250 lbs. I weigh 105 and watch what I eat to keep it that way. Being over weight can be passed down, I have 36 sisters that fit that bill, but it can be changed by excercise and eatting heathy.So don't think because your mother was over weight that you don't have a choice to not be over weight yourself.Its a life style choice.