Nutrition Panda Express: Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Panda Express which was founded in Glendale, California, in 1983 by Peggy and Andrew Cherng, is a fast-food chain that has grown significantly over the years. 

It has something for everyone, and if you’re looking for healthy options, this guide will help you choose the best items to stick to your health goals. Famous for its classic menu items like Beijing Beef, Kung Pao Chicken, and the wildly popular Orange Chicken, which was developed by Panda Express chef Andy Kho in 1987.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that, like most fast-food menus, Panda Express offers a large selection of foods that are high in calories, fat, sodium, and saturated fat.

We’ve put together a list of healthy Panda Express menu selections that you may select from the next time you visit the restaurant if you want the flavors of your favorite Chinese food while also maintaining your health objectives.

What Makes a Healthy Nutrition Panda Express Meal

We separated the menu into healthy entrees and healthy sides to compile our list of the healthiest Nutrition Panda Express. You can then construct the meal of your choice based on the nutritional value of each item.

When choosing our healthy solutions, we considered the following factors:

• Low sodium: Soy sauce and other ingredients in Chinese food are known to be rich in sodium. The Steamed Ginger Fish is one of the menu items at Panda Express that has the potential to contain up to 1,990 mg of salt. We concentrated on products with less than 850 mg of sodium to guarantee healthier options.
• Low fat: Because some Panda Express foods are breaded and deep-fried, which adds calories from oil, they may have a high-fat level. To limit fat intake, we gave preference to unbreaded foods that had fewer than 15 grams of fat.
• Low calorie: Breading and sauces can also increase calorie intake. We sought to reduce the overall calories for the same serving size while simultaneously offering additional nutrients by selecting menu items that feature veggies in addition to meat. Meals with fewer than 350 calories per serving are what we chose.

The Healthiest Choice

Are you trying to find the healthiest Nutrition Panda Express? We recommend the chicken breast with string beans.

Starters

Four appetizer options are available at Panda Express: cream cheese rangoons, vegetable spring rolls, chicken potstickers, and chicken egg rolls. The chicken potstickers are the finest option out of the four. They have the fewest calories and aren’t deep-fried like the other three selections.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

One of the most traditional and popular Chinese takeaway dishes is chicken teriyaki, but depending on where you eat, the nutritional content might vary greatly. Fortunately, one of Panda Express’s healthier selections is the Chicken Teriyaki.

Black Pepper Angus Steak

The Black Pepper Angus Steak from Nutrition Panda Express is another nutritious option for those who enjoy red meat.

This dish is among the restaurant’s “Wok Smart” selections, which ensures that it will include under 300 calories and at least 8 grams of protein. You can get some protein, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants by eating this steak dinner with rice and greens. It also comes with broccoli, bell peppers, and mushrooms.

Mushroom Chicken

Another chicken dish that is high in vegetables is the mushroom chicken, which has only 220 calories and 13 grams of protein. With mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, and leafy greens, you’ll be feeding your body an abundance of vegetables when you order this meal with a side order of Super Greens. Seems quite healthy for a fast-food restaurant!

Beef Entrées

With its five beefy selections, Panda Express caters to all appetites, whether it’s for meat plus vegetables or meat on its own. Many have a surprisingly low calorie count and are high in protein, of course. 

However, there’s a lot of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat in this area, so choosing healthily might be challenging. We advise you to review the nutrition facts for any beef dish before placing your order. For a more well-balanced dinner, you should also select a vegetable side to offer fiber and vitamins.

Seafood Entrees

Anyone who appreciates seafood with a Chinese flair, particularly pescatarians, will find no shortage of meals at Nutrition Panda Express. While steamed ginger fish is an option, shrimp is the main ingredient in most seafood dishes.

Kid Meals

Though you might associate kid-friendly cuisine with mac & cheese or pizza, Panda Express offers savory and sweet Chinese-inspired dishes that are sure to please even the pickiest eaters. Children can order many adult dinners in “cub” sizes.

When selecting nutritious meals for your child, the same guidelines apply as they do for you. Try emphasizing meals that are high in fiber and protein and low in sugar, salt, and saturated fat.

Steamed Brown Rice

When picking rice for your Panda Express lunch, Sabat advises going with brown instead of white “because it contains more fiber and nutrients.” Although eating rice with your entree instead of Super Greens increases the number of calories in your meal significantly (460 calories), the total calories you should get from rice and one of the entree selections above shouldn’t exceed 650–700.

Desserts 

After your Chinese-inspired lunch or dinner, if you still have room for dessert, try a fortune cookie or a chocolate chip cookie. In terms of nutrition, neither option is superior, but fortune cookies come out on top because they have less fat, calories, and carbs.

Beverages

Some Panda Express locations provide a tea bar with unusual, handcrafted drinks such as milk tea, fruit smoothies, lemonade, and sparkling yogurts for a special treat. The nutritional value of these drinks varies greatly because they can be made with additives like lychee fruit jelly, boba pearls, and aloe vera.

The standard selection of fountain drinks, including soda and iced tea, is available at every Panda Express store. We advise avoiding sweet drinks in favor of unsweetened iced tea as consuming sugar-sweetened beverages regularly might raise the risk of diseases including obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Diet-Specific Options

Nutrition Panda Express is open and honest about their lack of adherence to certain diets. Their menu does not include a section for vegetarians or vegans. On the other hand, you might be able to prepare a meal that suits your dietary requirements. Try the special diet options listed below.

Food Allergies and Safety

For allergies, Panda Express is not the best option for a quick dinner. All nine of the FDA’s most prevalent food allergies—eggs, milk, soy, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, and wheat—may be present in the ingredients used to create their food. Many of their menu items also include sesame, another major allergy.

Fortunately, Panda’s online allergen information allows you to find out which menu items have particular allergies. But remember that there’s a chance of cross-contamination because any meal could get contaminated by allergies if cooking utensils and equipment are shared.

In Summary

For most individuals, Panda Express offers many options for Chinese-inspired food at a more affordable price point. However, you should probably exercise caution when dining at this establishment if you have severe food allergies or intolerances, follow a particular diet, or both.

On their menu, Panda Express offers several healthy options, although many of their dishes are heavy in sugar and sodium.