Nutritional Facts about Vegetarian Pad Thai

If there is one dish that represents exotic Thailand the best, it indeed is Pad Thai. Pad Thai is in fact the most loved Thai food outside Southeast Asia. People love its unique flavors. And the best part is – it is a complete meal in itself. Vegetarian Pad Thai is equally delicious and is quite popular amongst those who indulge in chicken or shrimps.

‘Pad’ word in Thai is used for stir fried and this one is prepared using smooth rice noodles which are sautéed with tofu, bean sprouts, chicken, shrimp and plenty of spices. Though, Pad Thai is often considered to originate from Vietnam yet it is the Thai way of preparation that lends Pad Thai an amazing and unforgettable taste. The traditional Thai sweet and sour taste of Pad Thai comes from an exclusive Pad Thai sauce which can also be prepared at home using fish sauce, tamarind paste and soya sauce. Vegetarian Pad Thai substitutes chicken with Tofu and other exotic vegetables.

Now all this must be sounding so delicious; a health-conscious eater would find his mind wandering into the nutritional territories. The food connoisseurs are questioning the excess calorie intake that happens when you gorge on Vegetarian Pad Thai. How true is that?

Here is what the expert Chef team of Thai Square Restaurant has to say on the nutritional aspect of Pad Thai

•  Owing to liberal use of chicken and rice noodles in Pad Thai, the dish is not at all a low-cal dish. But then, the calorie count depends on how it is being cooked. When Pad Thai is cooked in traditional Thai style, it turns out to be nutritious and moderate calorie dish. But if the Chef isn’t quality conscious, you might end up consuming a full day’s calories through this one dish alone.

•  The nutritional value of Chicken Pad Thai with cashews is much higher. That’s why at Thai Square Restaurant, we make Pad Thai using ground roasted peanuts, scallions, and bean sprouts. In that case, the calorie intake does not exceed 500 calories and it has 10 grams of fat and 15 grams of protein for 15 ounce serving.

•  But Vegetarian Pad Thai scores high for health-conscious people as it has only 300-350 calories, 10 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein.

(Also Read: Making of Perfect Pad Thai)

Pad Thai lovers can control their calorie count by ordering some healthy soup first or steamed Dimsums to begin with. They can later share their Pad Thai serving with their partner and control their calorie intake. This is the best way to indulge in gluttony without guilt!