General Tso’s chicken is a sweet, crispy, saucy chicken dish that is hugely popular as takeout and at Chinese restaurants across America. But with its deep-fried chicken and sweet, sticky sauce, you may wonder – is General Tso’s chicken actually healthy for you?
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the nutritional value of General Tso’s chicken and weigh up whether it can be part of a balanced diet or is best reserved as an occasional treat. We’ll consider the calories, fat, sodium, and sugar content, and how these stack up against your daily nutritional needs. We’ll also look at how it compares to other popular Chinese takeout dishes.
By the end of this article, you’ll know whether America’s favorite Chinese chicken dish is fine to eat on the regular or best saved for special occasions.
Nutritional Breakdown of General Tso’s Chicken
First, let’s look at what exactly is in General Tso’s chicken and its nutritional profile. While recipes can vary between restaurants, the main components are:
Chicken
General Tso’s chicken is made from chicken breast or thigh meat that is battered and deep fried. White chicken meat is a good source of protein and lower in fat than dark meat. However, the deep frying adds a significant amount of extra calories and fat.
Sauce
The sauce is made from a mixture of salty and sweet ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin or oyster sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, chili, and sugar. It gives the dish its signature sticky, sweet and sour flavor. However, it can also contribute high amounts of sodium, sugar, and calories.
Vegetables
General Tso’s chicken often contains sautéed vegetables like onions, carrots, broccoli and peppers. These provide beneficial vitamins, minerals and fiber. However, they make up a relatively small part of the dish.
Rice
General Tso’s chicken is usually served with a side of steamed white rice. White rice is mostly refined carbs with little nutritional value. Brown rice would be a healthier choice.
Now let’s look at the typical nutrition facts for a serving of General Tso’s chicken with rice from a chain takeout restaurant:
| Nutrient | Amount | Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 760 | 38% |
| Total Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5g | 23% |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g | |
| Cholesterol | 145mg | 48% |
| Sodium | 2560mg | 107% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 87g | 29% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g | 11% |
| Sugar | 12g | |
| Protein | 30g |
As you can see, a single serving provides over 700 calories – which is over a third of the recommended daily intake for an average adult. The sodium content is also very high at over 100% of your daily value.
Let’s analyze the key nutrients in more detail:
Calories
At 760 calories per serving, General Tso’s chicken is a high calorie dish. The deep frying adds a lot of calories, as does the sugar in the sauce. If you’re trying to watch your calorie intake, this single dish provides a hefty chunk of your daily amount.
Fat
With 24g of fat per serving, including 23% of your daily value of saturated fat, the fat content is quite high. All that oil from deep frying contributes significant fat. Too much saturated and trans fat can negatively impact cholesterol levels and heart health.
Sodium
The salt and soy sauce make this a very high sodium dish, with a single serving providing 107% of your daily recommended value. Diets high in sodium have been linked to increased blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke. Consuming this much sodium in one meal is alarming.
Sugar
While 12g of sugar may not seem too high, it’s actually approaching the maximum daily amount recommended for women (25g). The sauce adds a lot of sugar to balance the saltiness. Too much added sugar can lead to weight gain and increase diabetes risk.
Protein
On the plus side, with 30g of protein this meal will keep you full and satisfied. Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein.
Micronutrients
General Tso’s chicken does contain some beneficial veggies that provide vitamins A, C and K and minerals like iron and potassium. However, the overall nutrition profile is unbalanced, with excessive sodium, fat, and sugar outweighing the benefits.
So in terms of nutritional value, General Tso’s chicken is high in calories, fat, and sodium, moderate in protein, and low in fiber and micronutrients. Eaten occasionally it’s fine, but on a regular basis it doesn’t add up to a healthy diet.
How Does It Compare to Other Chinese Takeout Options?
To provide more context, let’s see how General Tso’s chicken compares nutritionally to some other popular Chinese takeout dishes:
Sesame Chicken
Sesame chicken is also fried chicken with a sweet sauce. It’s slightly lower in calories at 700 per serving but still high in sodium at 1700mg (71% DV). Overall it’s on par with General Tso’s nutrition-wise.
Beef with Broccoli
With 550 calories and 990mg sodium, beef with broccoli has fewer calories and less sodium compared to General Tso’s. But it still provides nearly half your daily value of sodium in one dish.
Chicken Lo Mein
Chicken lo mein noodles have 720 calories and 1760mg sodium per serving. Very similar to General Tso’s in its high calorie and sodium content.
Vegetable Stir Fry
A vegetable stir fry made with chicken or tofu instead of beef has about half the calories at 350 per serving. It also has significantly less sodium at 800mg. The higher vegetable content improves the vitamin, mineral and fiber content compared to General Tso’s chicken.
So in the context of typical Chinese takeout, General Tso’s chicken is moderately high in calories and very high in sodium. Dishes focused on fresh vegetables tend to be lower in both calories and sodium. But most menu favorites like General Tso’s, sesame chicken and lo mein are all quite high in sodium.
Healthier Ways to Make General Tso’s Chicken
If you want to still enjoy General Tso’s chicken but make it a bit healthier, there are some modifications you can make:
– Use fresh chicken breast and bake it in the oven instead of frying for lower fat.
– Skip the batter to further reduce calories and fat.
– Use reduced sodium soy sauce in the sauce. Also cut back on salt and sugar.
– Increase the vegetables – double up on the broccoli, bell peppers etc.
– Serve it with cauliflower rice or brown rice instead of white rice.
– Enjoy it with a side salad to increase nutrients and fiber.
While it won’t be exactly the same, a freshly made General Tso’s with oven baked chicken, lots of veggies and reduced sauce will be lower in fat, sodium and sugar. Pay attention to portion sizes as well.
Conclusion
General Tso’s chicken is a beloved Chinese takeout dish, but is it healthy to eat regularly? Due to the high calorie, fat, and sodium content, General Tso’s chicken is best reserved for an occasional treat. Consuming it frequently is likely to lead to weight gain and negative impacts on heart health from all that sodium.
Compared to other popular Chinese dishes, it is moderately high in calories and extremely high in sodium. There are lower calorie, lower sodium options like vegetable stir fries on the menu. And homemade versions can be tweaked to be healthier by baking instead of frying, increasing vegetables, and modifying the sauce.
So if you’re a big General Tso’s fan, the healthiest approach is to limit it to once in awhile, try lower sodium options sometimes, and modify recipes at home. As part of an overall balanced diet General Tso’s chicken can definitely still be enjoyed – just not as an everyday meal.