Chinese Takeaway Syns: Your Passport to Flavourful Slimming

If you are in the mood for a Chinese you may be wondering how many syns your favourite meal has, and what the healthiest options are on the menu.

From the BBQ spare ribs to a chicken chow mein, it can be a little overwhelming to know which of your favourite meals you can fit in with your diet. Especially with all the extra sweet and sour sauces and fried options.

We have listed out some of the most popular Chinese dishes below with their approx slimming world syns to help you out.

If you're looking for an app for Slimming World syns, we have a page just for you!

Highest Chinese Takeaway Syns (20 & Over)

Mains (average portion size)

• Beef Chow Mein (550g) - 23.5 syns 
• Chicken Curry (550g) - 21.5 syns 
• Ginger & Garlic Prawns with Noodles (550g) - 24 syns
• Battered Prawns With Sweet Chilli (550g) - 35 syns. 
• Sweet and Sour Chicken (550g) - 27 syns.
• Battered Sweet and Sour Chicken (550g) - 30.5 syns. 
• Sweet and Sour Pork (550g) - 28.5 syns.
• Sweet and Sour Prawns (550g) - 28.5 syns.

Medium Chinese Takeaway Syns (10 - 15)

Soup

• Won Ton Soup - 13 syns. 

Starters

• Duck with Pancakes (100g) - 14 syns.

Mains (average portion size)

• Chicken & Cashew Nuts (550g) - 14 syns.
• Fried Noodles (350g) - 17.5 syns.
• Fried Rice with Chicken/Pork/Prawns (550g) - 11 syns. 
• Szechuan Prawns & Vegetables (550g) - 10.5 syns.
• Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetables (550g) – 10.5 syns
• Beef with Pepper, Onion & Chesnuts (550g) - 19 syns.

Lowest Takeaway Chinese Syns (10 & Below)

Soups

• Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup - 7.5 syns. 
• Crab & Sweetcorn Soup - 6.5 syns. 
• Hot & Sour Soup - 5 syns. 

Starters

• BBQ Spare Ribs (160g) - 9.5 syns. 
• Prawn Crackers - 1.5 syns for 5. 
• Sesame Prawn Toast - 4 syns.
• Meat Spring Rolls - 6.5 syn for one.

Mains (average portion size)

• Beef in Black Bean Sauce (550g) - 8 syns. 
• Beef & Mushroom (550g) - 8.5 syns.
• Chicken & Mushroom (550g) - 9.5 syns. 
• Chicken Chop Suey with Noodles (550g) - 9.5 syns. 
• Chicken in Black Beans Sauce (550g) - 7.5 syns. 
• Chicken in Oyster Sauce (550g) - 6.5 syns. 
• Plain Noodles - SYN FREE. 
• Plain Rice - SYN FREE. 
• Fried Rice - 5 syns for 350g.

Conclusion

The healthiest and lowest syn Chinese dishes seem to be the Beef/Chicken and mushroom combos for mains, along with the black bean/oyster sauce and chop suey option.

We also suggest opting for plain rice or plain noodles with your sauce to lower down the syns.

For starters with low syns, you could probably go for the majority of the soups on the menu and opt for prawn crackers as aside.

Dishes to avoid are the chow miens and the battered prawns, sweet and sour sauces also tend to be very high in calories and are the sauce type to avoid if you are looking to cut back on syns.

Tips For Choosing Healthy Chinese Take-Out Meals

Some of the most popular Chinese dishes can have a lot of sodium in and be quite unhealthy, however, if you know what to look for on the menu there's no reason why you can't enjoy a healthy Chinese take away as part of your slimming world diet.

We have put together some great tips below for you to consider when looking for healthy options at a Chinese restaurant/takeaway.

• Try Egg Foo Young - Egg Foo Young is not on every Chinese menu but if it is, its a great option to choose if you are looking to lower calories but get a high protein meal in. This egg Chinese dish also tends to have lots of veggies making it more nutritious than a plain sauce.
• Go for steamed not fried dumplings - Steamed dumplings are a much healthier alternative than fried dumplings and often have veggies inside. When you can, it's better to choose steamed rather than anything fried.
• Order brown rice - If you have the option, try ordering brown rice rather than fried or plain white rice to go with your sauce.
• Have a soup - Most Chinese soups are mostly made of broth and are very low in calories/healthy. These soups could be a much better option rather than a full starter as they can also help you eat less throughout your meal.
• Chop suey - Chop suey is a great Chinese menu option which consists of stir-fried vegetables with the accompaniment of your choice such as chicken or tofu, this meal is one of the healthiest options you can find for Chinese take out.
• Use chopsticks - If your takeout comes with chopsticks then use them! Chopsticks can actually help you slow down when eating, this allows your body to signal to you when your full and can stop you from overeating.
• Avoid the battered dishes - Anything battered such as prawns is something to avoid on your dish, they just add empty calories for no reason, instead, ask for the meat/fish to be unbattered with sauce.

Final Words

This syn list should help you enjoy a Chinese takeaway now and again while feeling confident you are still eating healthy and within your slimming world plan.

Just watch out for sodium in the add-on sauces and make sure your dish comes with plenty of steamed vegetables for the best nutrition. Always opt for veggie-based dishes when possible too.

Enjoy your takeaway!