Pad thai is an authentic Thai dish served in many restaurants around the world. In Thailand, however, pad Thai is a stir-fry meal composed of flat rice noodles and ingredients part of street food offerings.
Many enjoy eating this dish due to its combination of tasty textures, flavors, and aromas for many. For others, it’s their favorite comfort food.
Let’s dive deep into what Pad Thai Nutrition Facts profile, and the advantages and disadvantages of eating Pad Thai. We’ll also discuss ways to make it healthier for you and other healthy Thai foods.
Also Read: Salsa Nutrition Facts
What is Pad Thai?
Pad thai is old-fashioned street food in Thailand. Its ingredients are unique in flavor as well as textures and aromas.
In general, Pad thai, the most traditional type of dish, is a stir-fry with the following ingredients:
- Flat rice noodles are the most important ingredient in the dish. Rice noodles are gluten-free and made of rice flour and water.
- Chicken: Sliced into smaller pieces, it adds texture and protein to the dish.
- Dry shrimp: These small shrimp are bathed in saltwater before sun-dried. Even though they shrink in size, dried shrimps provide protein and emit the umami smell of seafood and taste.
- Eggs are high in protein, add flavor and generally pair well alongside starchy food items.
- Chives contribute to the flavors of garlic and vegetable and are a nice color addition to the dish.
- Mung bean sprouts add texture and crispness to the dish.
Also Read: Folgers Coffee Nutrition Facts
Pad thai can also be served with a variety of condiments that enhance flavors, colors, scent, and texture, such as:
- Tamarind paste: In contrast to westernized Pad thai, which uses the flavor of ketchup and adds color, the traditional Pad thai is based on tamarind paste. This brownish paste adds distinct sweetness, tanginess, and hue to noodles.
- Soy sauce: The ubiquitous dark-colored condiment commonly utilized in Asian cooking can also provide an umami taste and add color to the dish.
- Fish sauce: It is a condiment commonly utilized in Thai food that enhances the dish’s flavor.
- Peanuts Two or a tablespoon can add a bit of crunch.
Pad Thai Nutrition Facts
The nutrition in Pad thai can differ according to the size of the serving and the ingredients used in the preparation.
Pad thai prepackaged made of the white meat of a chicken (311 grams) offers the following nutrients.
- Calories: 429 calories
- Carbohydrate: 82 grams (29 percent of Daily Value)
- Fiber. 4.04 g
- Sugars: 26 grams
- Protein: 20 g (38% DV)
- The total fat content is 2.46 G (6% of DV)
- Fat saturated: 0.995 g (5% DDV)
- Cholesterol: 40.4 mg (13% of DV)
- Calcium: 71.5 mg (4% DV)
- Iron: 1.21 mg (6% daily value)
- Sodium 659 mg (31 percent of D)
Also Read: Cheese Sticks Nutrition Facts
Calories in pad Thai
The amount of calories you require daily is contingent on variables like your age, gender, and activity level.
In general, the prepackaged Pad thai is low or moderate in calories.
Be aware, however, that Pad thai may vary in terms of calories and nutritional composition based on the method by which it’s prepared, what ingredients are used, and the portion size.
Although keeping an estimate of calories in your mind could support weight control if you want to achieve your weight-loss goals, It’s not required to track calories to maintain a wholesome diet. It’s important to eat an energizing diet full of nutritious foods for your body and mind.
The nutritional benefits of Pad thai
Pad thai is a nutritious dish that offers a wealth of nutrients and health benefits. It comes principally from:
- Flat rice noodles: They’re abundant in carbohydrates that serve as energy sources to power our bodies, and selenium, a vital mineral that aids in the development of the immune system.
- Chicken is a great protein source, crucial to building and repairing muscles. It is also involved in the health of bones and the metabolism of calcium.
- Dried shrimp Shrimp is a great source of protein and is one of the most potent sources of Iodine. Iodine is crucial for thyroid function and supports an overall healthy brain.
- Eggs: They’re considered one of the healthiest foods that provide protein and a high amount of vitamin A and antioxidants such as lutein and Zeaxanthin. Vitamin A and antioxidants could lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Chives: Each tablespoon contains 5percent of your daily dose of vitamin K. Like eggs, chives also have lutein and Zeaxanthin.
- Mung bean sprouts are low in calories and an excellent folate and vitamin C source. The research suggests that mung beans can reduce the chance of developing certain cancers.
There are downsides to eating Pad thai
While Pad thai might provide nutrients and health benefits, There are two things you might want to think about in case you eat this food often.
A high sodium content
Pad thai is a great source of many essential nutrients, but it’s very high sodium. The three most high sodium components in Pad thai include soy sauce, fish sauce, dried shrimp, and fish sauce.
The brine in the fish sauce comes from fermenting and salting fish such as anchovies and krill. In Thai food, the use fish sauce is a staple of everyday life and can be used in place of table salt.
Pad thai is a relatively simple dish containing small quantities of fish sauce. A tablespoon (16 grams) has 1,260 mg of sodium. This is equivalent to 55 percent of the daily amount.
Compared to fish sauce, soy sauce contains less sodium in a tablespoon (16 grams). However, the sodium content is still substantial at 38 percent of the daily value.
Dried shrimp also contains an impressive amount of sodium. Just one 1 ounce (28 grams) of shrimp that has been dried offers 624 mg sodium and contributes approximately 27 percent to your daily requirement. Although sodium is a vital element, eating too much sodium in your daily diet could increase your risk of developing high blood pressure and stomach cancer.
Starch-heavy
Another issue with Pad thai could be its large amount of starch, an important carb — in the flat rice noodles. In this regard, we look up the Glycemic Index to find out how carbs impact our blood sugar.
The Glycemic index measures how fast carb-based foods increase blood sugar levels. It is calculated based on a range of 100 and 100. The higher the index increases, the speed at which it is believed to raise blood sugar levels.
Rice noodles are a good choice, considering that they have a glycemic index of just 61. People with diabetes should be aware of their portion sizes.
How to make Pad Thai more nutritious at home
It’s fine to indulge in Pad thai moderately as part of your daily diet. However, if you love Pad thai frequently, it is possible to adjust your diet. Making your food at home is an ideal way to accomplish this.
To prevent losing its authentic taste, look at reducing the sodium content of your food by using less fish sauce or soy sauce or selecting soy sauce with low sodium. It’s also possible to limit your consumption of dry shrimp.
Because cooking pad thai involves oil, you should consider selecting a cooking oil that has health benefits and can be used for stir-frying, for example, refined avocado oil and refined peanut oil. Canola oil.
Go through Healthline’s cook oils for more details.
If you are making Pad thai, it is possible to add high-quality protein options, for example, white poultry meat or tofu that is firm.
Tofu, particularly, could be an excellent choice. It is a complete source of amino acids and is an outstanding source of manganese and calcium, and a great supply of selenium, phosphorus, and selenium. It is suitable for vegans as well as vegetarians.
Take advantage of Pad Pak (stir-fried vegetables) to get additional fiber, minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Alternating any noodles with a padded pack is an excellent option for diabetes who wish to lower their Glycemic load.
Pad Pak uses a variety of veggies like broccoli, baby bok, choy carrots, mushrooms, and water chestnuts in combination with typical Thai ingredients like garlic galangal, shallots, fresh Thai basil, and chili chips.
Substitutions to a vegetarian pad Thai
It is also possible to make an alternative for vegetarians to pad thai by replacing regular fish sauce with vegetarian “fish sauce” made of kelp and chicken using firm tofu.
