The 10 Healthiest Thai Food Orders, According To A Nutritionist

“My number one tip for eating at a Thai restaurant is to start the meal off with a fresh salad," Gorin says. "So many Thai dishes—think fried meat with noodles in sauce—are delicious but heavy, so it helps to fill up on fresh veggies.”

“My go-to is a papaya salad with the dressing on the side," she adds. "It’s usually made with shredded green papaya, string beans, and tomatoes.”

Gorin likes to order the salad as an appetizer, but if you add some grilled protein to your order, it easily transforms into a light meal.

Speaking of grilled meat, here's another protein-packed starter for you. If you’re in the mood for red meat but want to be mindful of saturated fat or portion sizes, this dish is a great choice, Gorin says.

In most spicy beef salads, vegetables are tossed in a citrus-y dressing and topped with a small-ish portion of grilled steak.

Steamed proteins are a great choice if you're trying to stay on the healthy side of the menu because they don’t typically use any oil, and they’re generally lower in calories, says Gorin.

At Thai restaurants, fish is often steamed with aromatics (like ginger, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves) and served in a sweet-salty-spicy sauce. Gorin recommends ordering your sauce on the side so you can use only as much as you need (and avoid going overboard on salt in the process).

“I love Pad Thai, but it never comes with as many veggies as I’d normally want with an entrée,” Gorin says. “So when I order it, I also order a side of steamed veggies (broccoli is my go-to) and mix everything together. This adds a lot of volume to the entree. I usually end up with so much food that I have enough for at least two meals.”

Most Thai curries are made with a sauce of coconut milk, spices, herbs, a salty fish or soy sauce, and (yep) sugar. The sauce is rich and relatively fat- and calorie-dense, but a little goes a long way.

If you love Thai curry (who doesn’t?), know that you don’t need to skip it in order to keep fat and calories reasonable, says Gorin. Just order your curry with extra vegetables and a lean protein like chicken or tofu to balance out the meal. If you go for rice, make it brown to get more vitamins and minerals.

Once you’ve had enough, box up the leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.

Larb is a traditional Thai 'salad' made by stir-frying ground or chopped meat with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and spices, says Gorin. Typically, it's finished off with lime juice and fish sauce and served in lettuce or cabbage wraps, which means it’s rich in protein and veggies.

“This is another go-to dish, and I’m a fan because of all the flavor and veggies,” Gorin says. “Fried tofu is delicious, but if I’m looking to save some calories, I'll ask for the tofu not to be fried."

Up the nutrition factor by ordering extra vegetables, and, as always, stick with brown rice.

This classic Thai sour soup is made with a spicy broth, shrimp, and lots of veggies, says Gorin. Typically, you can choose between soup made with or without coconut milk. For a lighter meal, opt for the coconut milk-free version, which is lower in saturated fat and packs more of that satisfying sour flavor.

“Fresh summer rolls are a great way to get some veggies into your meal, and choosing them over fried spring rolls saves you both calories and saturated fat,” Gorin says.

If you want some extra protein, choose tofu or shrimp summer rolls. For an easy appetizer, just keep it simple with straight-up veggie rolls.