CHINESE food is one of the most popular cuisines around the world. It’s fast and delicious and offers a good alternative to fast food.

Traditional Chinese food is relatively low in fat, with an emphasis on rice, noodles, and vegetables. However, some Chinese foods can be high in calories and fat if not ordered wisely.

Here are some tips on healthy ordering at Chinese restaurants. Here is the ultimate guide to healthy Chinese food.

For starters, why not try some soup? Most soups on a Chinese menu are very low in fat, a great way to start a meal. A good option is chicken or vegetables with congee, or even a drop of egg.

Chinese food snacks can be high in fat, such as fried wontons and egg rolls. Instead, try the steamed meatballs. Vegetable meatballs are simply delicious. When ordering entrees, look for those that are steamed, braised, roasted, simmered, or sautéed (ask for foods to be fried with little or no oil). Try vegetable-based dishes to further reduce fat and calories. Many Chinese food restaurants now offer traditional steamed dishes, such as chicken and broccoli, with different sauces on the side. Try these dishes with some steamed rice for a healthy meal. You can even go one step in the healthy direction by ordering brown rice.

When ordering noodles and rice, order plain, not fried. Also, keep in mind that meats in sweet and sour dishes are often breaded and fried. Instead, order grilled and roasted meats to cut down on fat and calories.

Most Chinese cuisines are high in sodium, due to the use of MSG and soy sauce. Therefore, you can request that your meals be prepared without MSG or even request low sodium soy sauce. Dishes made with hot mustard, sweet and sour sauce, plum, or duck sauce tend to be low in sodium.

For dessert, go ahead and enjoy that fortune cookie, with a nice cup of bean tea. The fortune cookie has only 15 calories and is a wonderful way to finish a delicious meal.

• Look for dishes that include vegetables instead of meat or noodles.
• Ask for more broccoli, peas, or other vegetables.
• Stay away from fried meat, seafood, or tofu. Ask for it sauteed or stewed.
• Hold the sauce and eat with a fork or chopsticks to leave more sauce.
• Avoid salt, which means staying away from duck sauce, hot mustard, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce.
• Share your food or take half home for later.
• Ask for brown rice instead of white rice.