How Many Calories Are In Fried Rice

One of the must order dishes when at the local zhi char store would be fried rice. A tasty staple that goes well with any of the side dishes ordered and relatively inexpensively priced on the menu. 

No matter how savoury this mountain of oil coated rice can be, it was being mentioned that a plate of fried rice calories with a side of fried egg, seafood and meat can amount to 907 Cals! [1]

That’s almost half of the calories of an average individual daily recommended calorie intake of 2000 Cals! 

Let’s discuss in this article how to inject a huge dose of healthiness in home-made fried rice, that even uncle Rogers will approve!   

Nutrition Information (Per Serving)

• Energy: 907 Cals
• Protein : 28 g
• Total fat: 33 g
• Saturated Fat: 13.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 125 g
• Dietary fibre:0.9 g
• Cholesterol : 175 mg
• Sodium : 1245 mg

It Can Be Healthier When It Is Homemade

Almost all home made dishes can be made healthier without losing taste, when made at home. Let us first look at the more unhealthy aspects of fried rice and what can be done to change them.

#1 Too Salty

At 1245 mg of sodium per plate, fried rice can easily be one of the saltiest hawker dishes out there. Some great alternatives to salt used as flavorings include black pepper, onion / garlic powder, rosemary etc. [2]

Do note that “healthier” salts such as sea salt or himalaya pink salts still contain the same amount of sodium levels as normal salt, moderation is still required. 

Try to avoid using processed meat such as ham or sausages and replace them with white meat such as chicken breast or fish bits. 

#2 High fat content

Consider using healthier oils such as olive oil for frying so as to increase the healthy fat content of the dish. Also opt for hard boiled egg rather than sunny side up. 

#3 Increase the fibre content

Replace white rice with a mix of brown rice or rice alternatives, such as quinoa, riced cauliflower or whole wheat couscous. [3]

Also do not forget to add a generous amount of vegetables such as carrot, peas and corn bits to increase the fiber content.  

Read next: 10 Hawker Food Calories in 2021