Fried rice is a popular Chinese dish made by stir-frying rice with vegetables, meat, eggs, and seasonings like soy sauce. With its delicious flavor and texture, it’s easy to overindulge. However, fried rice can also be high in sodium due to some of the ingredients used. Here’s a closer look at the sodium content of fried rice and tips for enjoying it as part of a healthy diet.
Sodium in Common Fried Rice Ingredients
The exact sodium content of fried rice can vary greatly depending on the specific ingredients used. Here’s how much sodium is found in one serving of some typical fried rice ingredients:
- Soy sauce: Over 1,000 mg
- Oyster sauce: About 300 mg
- Hoisin sauce: Around 350 mg
- Chicken broth: Around 800 mg
- Scrambled egg: Around 125 mg
- Cooked chicken breast: Around 60 mg
- Sauteed mixed vegetables: Around 35 mg
- White rice, cooked: Less than 5 mg
As you can see, condiments like soy sauce, oyster sauce, and hoisin sauce contribute a significant amount of sodium. One tablespoon of soy sauce alone has over 1,000 mg of sodium, which is nearly half of the recommended daily limit.
Sodium in Fried Rice from Restaurants
The sodium content in fried rice from restaurants and takeout joints is highly variable. A typical one cup serving may contain:
- Chinese restaurant fried rice: 600-1,500 mg
- Grocery store frozen fried rice: around 800 mg
- Thai fried rice: 700-1,100 mg
This wide range demonstrates how sodium levels differ based on the specific ingredients and cooking methods used. Fried rice from restaurants often contains more sodium than homemade versions since more soy sauce, broth, and oil are used to boost flavors.
Recommendations for Sodium Intake
Here are the major recommendations for sodium intake per day:
- USDA: Less than 2,300 mg
- American Heart Association: 1,500 mg or less
- WHO: 2,000 mg or less
People with high blood pressure, heart disease, or other conditions may be advised to limit sodium even further for optimal health.
Tips for Enjoying Lower Sodium Fried Rice
Here are some tips for reducing your sodium intake from fried rice while still enjoying its great taste:
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos
- Skip high-sodium ingredients like oyster sauce and chicken broth
- Use fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned
- Flavor with fresh herbs, spices, citrus, vinegars, and chiles instead of salt
- Cook rice and vegetables separately from sauce to control sodium
- Enjoy a small portion as a side dish rather than a main meal
Healthy Homemade Fried Rice Recipe
This homemade recipe delivers the classic fried rice flavor with a fraction of the sodium you’d get from a restaurant:
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Sriracha or chili-garlic sauce (optional)
- 2 scallions, chopped
Instructions:
- Scramble eggs in a small nonstick skillet. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and carrots and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add peas and garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add rice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in scrambled eggs, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Remove from heat.
- Top with sriracha and scallions if desired.
This homemade version has only 300 mg of sodium for a 1 cup serving. It skips high sodium ingredients and uses just a small amount of reduced-sodium soy sauce to deliver big flavor. Enjoy fried rice as part of an overall healthy diet!
Conclusion
Fried rice can contain high amounts of sodium, especially versions made at restaurants or takeout joints. But you can still enjoy this tasty food while controlling your sodium intake. Use reduced-sodium ingredients, skip salty condiments, flavor with herbs and spices instead of salt, and enjoy smaller portions. With some simple tweaks, homemade fried rice can be a delicious lower-sodium option.