Pad Thai is a popular Thai noodle dish that has become a takeout favorite around the world. But many people wonder just how healthy this convenient meal really is. Specifically, how many calories are in an order of Pad Thai takeout?
The answer depends on several factors, including the restaurant you order from, the specific ingredients used, and the portion size. In general, a typical order of Pad Thai contains 500-1000 calories. But the calorie count can range from around 300 calories for a small, veggie-heavy portion to over 1500 calories for a large serving packed with extra protein, oil, and sauces.
Below is an overview of how many calories are commonly found in Pad Thai takeout, along with tips for lowering the calorie count of your order.
Calorie Counts in Different Styles of Pad Thai
Pad Thai recipes can vary significantly between restaurants and regions. This leads to a wide calorie range for different versions of the dish.
Traditional Pad Thai is made with rice noodles, eggs, tofu, peanuts, bean sprouts, garlic chives, tamarind, and palm sugar. It also contains some oil and protein from shrimp, chicken, or pork. A serving weighing 10-12 oz contains 500-800 calories.
Americanized Pad Thai often has extra protein, heavier sauces, and a lack of vegetables. An order can easily provide 1000-1200 calories.
Vegetarian Pad Thai uses tofu instead of meat and limits oil. This lighter version has 300-500 calories for a standard serving.
So if counting calories, traditional or vegetarian Pad Thai are your best options. Americanized versions with extra meat and heavy sauces pack the most calories per serving.
Calories Based on Protein Sources
The source of protein makes a significant difference in the calorie content of Pad Thai:
| Protein | Calories (6 oz) |
|---|---|
| Shrimp | 100 |
| Chicken | 140 |
| Pork | 270 |
| Tofu | 150 |
| Eggs | 140 |
As shown, shrimp and tofu provide the lowest amount of calories, while pork packs nearly twice as many calories per serving compared to chicken or shrimp.
Ordering your Pad Thai with shrimp, chicken, or tofu instead of pork can shave 100-200 calories off a typical entrée. Going full vegetarian with tofu as the protein source will create the biggest calorie savings.
Impact of Noodles, Sauce, and Oil
Beyond the protein, other ingredients affect the calories in Pad Thai:
Noodles: Rice noodles contain about 200 calories per 6 oz serving. Substitute spiralized vegetables instead of noodles to save calories.
Sauce: Many Pad Thais use a tamarind sauce lightly coated on the noodles. But heavy, syrupy sauces like a sweet chili sauce can add 100+ calories.
Oil: Fry the noodles and proteins in a small amount of peanut or canola oil. Avoid excessive oil which quickly increases calories.
Extras: Peanuts, garlic, chives, and bean sprouts provide flavor without many additional calories. But fried tofu, heavy sauces, and high-carb garnishes like mango and crispy wontons boost the calorie count.
Calories by Portion Size
Along with what’s in the Pad Thai, the amount you eat greatly impacts total calorie intake. Here are estimated calories for different portion sizes:
| Portion Size | Calories |
|---|---|
| Snack plate (6 oz) | 300 |
| Small takeout box (10 oz) | 500 |
| Regular takeout box (12-14 oz) | 700 |
| Large takeout box (16+ oz) | 900+ |
A small, 10 oz portion of Pad Thai contains around 500 calories. But super-sized portions served at some restaurants can exceed 1500 calories.
To limit calories, order a small size or split a regular portion in half. Leftover Pad Thai also keeps well for another meal.
How to Order Lower Calorie Pad Thai
Follow these tips to reduce the calories when ordering takeout Pad Thai:
– Choose traditional or vegetarian styles over Americanized versions with heavy sauces.
– Opt for shrimp, chicken, or tofu instead of higher calorie pork.
– Ask for light oil and sauce or order it on the side.
– Load up on veggies like bean sprouts, garlic chives, and peanut garnish.
– Order a small size or split a regular portion in two meals.
– Skip high-carb add-ons like fried tofu, wontons, and mango slices.
With some simple modifications, you can enjoy takeout Pad Thai while still keeping calories under control.
Make Lower Calorie Pad Thai at Home
To get maximum nutrition and the fewest calories, consider making homemade Pad Thai. You can customize it to your liking with healthy swaps.
– Use spiralized zucchini or carrots instead of rice noodles.
– Choose brown rice noodles over refined white noodles.
– Load up with extra veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, and cabbage.
– Use chicken or extra-firm tofu for lean protein.
– Use just a drizzle of sesame or olive oil when sautéing.
– Make your own sauce from reduced-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and chili paste.
Homemade Pad Thai lets you control the ingredients and calories. Portion out single servings to keep your meal under 500 calories.
Nutrition Facts Comparison
Here is a nutrition comparison of a high-calorie vs. low-calorie order of Pad Thai:
High-Calorie Pad Thai (16 oz portion)
| Calories | 1160 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 60g |
| Protein | 40g |
| Carbs | 120g |
Low-Calorie Pad Thai (10 oz portion)
| Calories | 490 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 12g |
| Protein | 22g |
| Carbs | 65g |
As shown, simple modifications can shave off over 600 calories, 50g of fat, and 55g of carbs from a single serving.
The Bottom Line
So how many calories are in takeout Pad Thai? The answer can range wildly from 300 to over 1500 calories depending on the restaurant’s recipe, your choice of protein and veggies, portion size, and any high-calorie add-ons.
In general, you can enjoy a lighter Pad Thai with around 500 calories by:
– Ordering a small or half portion
– Choosing shrimp, chicken or tofu instead of pork
– Loading up on veggies
– Asking for light oil and sauce
– Skipping fried or high-carb garnishes
– Making it at home with spiralized noodles and extra vegetables
With some mindful ordering choices and simple swaps, you can still satisfy that Pad Thai craving while maintaining your healthy diet!
