Top 4 Worst Thai Restaurant Appetizers

Published:  11/19/2016

The Healthiest Way to Start Your Thai Meal

Planning a night out for Thai food? Thai cuisine is famous for its vibrant, fresh flavors, using ingredients like ginger, lemongrass, and chili. However, many restaurant menus are loaded with hidden calories, fat, and sodium, especially when it comes to the appetizers. The small plate you order at the start—like those tempting Golden Purses or Fried Spring Rolls—can single-handedly torpedo your healthy eating goals for the day.

If you're focused on heart health or simply trying to save calories while dining out, knowing what to skip is essential. We've broken down the shocking nutrition facts for the Top 4 Worst Thai Restaurant Appetizers to avoid, revealing exactly how much fat and sodium those deep-fried delights contain. More importantly, we provide a list of delicious, low-fat, heart-healthy Thai appetizers—such as Larb and Satay—so you can enjoy a flavorful, guilt-free start to your meal. Read on to make smarter choices at your next Thai dinner!

*For optimum heart health an adult's daily diet should consist of roughly 2,000 calories, fewer than 55 grams of fat, and less than 2400 milligrams of sodium.

1. Crab Puffs (Also called Money Bags or Golden Purses)
Golden brown deep-fried jumbo tortellini with stuffing of mixed imitation crab meat and cream cheese. 4 pieces contain 600 calories (150 calories each); 20 grams of fat and 500 mg sodium.

2. Coconut Prawns
Deep-fried coconut prawns served with plum sauce.  4 small pieces are 355 calories; 24 grams fat; 745 mg sodium.

3. Fried Rolls
Mixed vegetables and vermicelli noodle wrapped in wheat paper wrap and deep-fried. Each roll has 270 calories; 12 grams of fat and 375 mg sodium.

4. Fried Calamari
Breaded and deep-fried calamari with seasoned mayonnaise. 20 small pieces contain 300 calories; 16 grams of fat and 690 mg sodium.

Healthier Thai Appetizer Alternatives

1. Fresh Spring Rolls (or Summer Rolls)
These are your best low-fat option. Unlike the deep-fried rolls, these are packed with raw vegetables, fresh herbs, and usually shrimp or tofu, all wrapped in a thin rice paper. Because they are served cold and raw, they contain minimal added fat.

2. Satay (Chicken or Beef Skewers)
These marinated skewers are grilled, not fried, making them a much leaner protein choice. The chicken or beef is typically very lean. To keep the fat and calories down, ask for the traditional peanut sauce on the side and use it sparingly as this is often the highest-calorie component.

3. Steamed Dumplings (or Shumai)
Dumplings filled with seasoned pork, shrimp, or vegetables are cooked by steaming, which adds no fat. They are filling and rely on flavorful soy-based dipping sauces instead of heavy oil.

4. Larb (Chicken or Tofu Salad)
Although often listed as a main dish, a small portion of Larb makes an excellent appetizer. This is a flavorful salad of minced lean meat (or tofu), tossed with red onion, mint, lime juice, chili flakes, and fish sauce. It is very high in protein and low in fat, and typically served with fresh cabbage leaves for wrapping.