Umm healthy fried rice?

[Miya]

Hi everyone,

For a long time I'm enjoying fried rice (usually with shrimp or vegetables) that I make at home with a little bit of olive oil (or sesame oil) and soy sauce. I'm 5'4" and 114 pounds and I need to lose a little bit. Is there something I can cut back on in these dishes that will still allow me to eat it and help to lose a couple of pounds?

[WildChild]

At that height and weight you are approaching the too thin point. Why not a little more toning workout? Sounds like your diet is fine.

[Little]

What kind of rice do you make it with? I haven't tried making fried rice with whole grain brown rice (genmai,) but it would add more nutrients to the dish (probably wouldn't cut down on calories, but it would be a healthier meal overall.
Other options would be to try to use less soy sauce or oil, but you've probably already stretched the recipe thin if you're posting for more options.
Remember that you can still enjoy your favorite meals (I love fried rice, I make it myself but never very healthy, hehe,) just enjoy them less frequently or in a smaller quantity if you feel they are too full of calories. Your recipe just doesn't sound that unhealthy at all. You should try counting the calories that are actually in it by adding up all the ingredients, then comparing it to meals you do feel are healthy. It may surprise you.

[Miya]

I usually use jasmine rice though I've tried genmai (my mom fixed it all the time when I was little) but for some reason the jasmine tastes better to me (exhaustion maybe).
Up until the time I came to the US I was eating mostly fish and fresh veggies but here it seems like it's harder to find these things (especially near Wash DC where there aren't many farms like in California) so we've been trying to blanche and freeze veggies now so we have them "fresh" in winter. To liven things up a bit I make some shrimp fried rice but I still worry.

Can frying foods actually change the chemistry so you get more fat or bad stuff?

[Little]

No, it can't. You can't "create" calories in a food by adding oil to it ... you're just adding the calories of the oil. Adding together all the calories of the rice, add-ins, and what you cook it in will result in the total calories of the dish.

[Kallygirlie]

if head north east of DC you will find alot more farms. I was born and raise less then 2 yrs from DC and I lived in an apartment that was in the middle of no where. Nothing but corn fields for miles. No i live about 3 yrs away in southern PA and there are farmers markets all over the place. if you come out of the city area you'll start seeing more of the farms

[fit&fab]

Hi everyone,

For a long time I'm enjoying fried rice (usually with shrimp or vegetables) that I make at home with a little bit of olive oil (or sesame oil) and soy sauce. I'm 5'4" and 114 pounds and I need to lose a little bit. Is there something I can cut back on in these dishes that will still allow me to eat it and help to lose a couple of pounds?

I usually have fried rice with left-over grilled meat (chicken or pork) and vegetables (corn, carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.). And with your body size, I am wondering why you still need to lose more weight. You seem to look good already.

[caterpillar79]

Can frying foods actually change the chemistry so you get more fat or bad stuff?

I believe it doesn't. The way it is processed or unhulled may diminish its nutritive content. I would personally use the kind that has more nutrients and fiber, i.e. brown rice or wehani rice. I know it's one of those hard to get items.

I actually fry my rice with very little or no oil, in low heat. By so doing, you are lowering its sugar content. It is healthier. This is also advisable for diabetic people. (Now I am getting hungry, and guess what? I will make my fried rice). MIYA......your fault! lol...

[Miya]

Thanks for the tip Little. Krystal, I'll see where those places are so I'm ready when next season comes around again, thanks.

Fit&fab, thanks..I just have a certain "ideal" weight I want to be...nothing obsessive but I would like it.

Caterpillar...save me some!! I love brown rice and use it quite frequently. I didn't realize I could do it over low heat (for some reason...guess I "like it hot!" haha) so I'll give that a try. We've been eating mostly basmati but have recently switched to Jasmine. For some reason I like it a bit better. Grr..now I'm getting hungry too.. Time to make breakfast.

[broseph]

It you use whole grain brown rice that will be healthier than white rice