How many calories does one serving of Kung Pao Vegetables have?

One serving of Kung Pao Vegetables gives 114 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 48 calories, proteins account for 7 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 61 calories.  One serving of Kung Pao Vegetables provides about 6 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

Click here to view. Kung Pao Vegetables recipe. Kung Pao is a popular class of recipes from the Schezuan region. It is basically a stir-fry with a spicy, velvety sauce that combines ingredients like Schezuan sauce and soya sauce.Here, the Kung Pao is prepared with an exotic and pungent combination of vegetables like capsicums, cubed onions, carrot and broccoli. While ginger and garlic add more flavour to the Kung Pao Vegetables, a garnish of roasted cashews makes it exciting beyond words.

Is Kung Pao Vegetables healthy?

No, this is not healthy. Let's see why.

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1.Capsicum (Bell Peppers) : Rich in vitamin C, capsicum protect and maintain the lining of the heart. Colourful capsicums are not only visually appealing but also good for your eyes too, as they contain antioxidant Lutein, which protects the eye from cataracts and degeneration of the eye. Capsicum is high in Folate or folic acid, which is important for rapid growth and multiplication of red blood cells and white blood cells in the bone marrow. See detailed benefits of capsicum. 

2.Carrots (gajjar) : Carrots have the nutrient Beta Carotene which is a form of Vitamin A, helps prevent deterioration of the eye as one gets older and prevents night blindness. Carrot is great for the eyes.They relieve constipation, lower blood pressure, have fibre and lower cholesterol. Read the 11 super benefiits of carrots and why to include in your daily diet.

3. Broccoli : Broccoli is loaded with beta-carotene which converts to Vitamin A once it is inside the body. Vitamin A plays a critical role in maintaining healthy vision. It is a good source of Vitamin C which boosts the immune system and fights off cancers, heart disease and protects the body from free radical damage. Broccoli is a good source of folate and good for pregnant women. See here for 13 amazing benefits of broccoli.

4. Vegetable Oils : To some vegetable oil is only soyabean oil, while some promote it as a mix of oils like soyabean, canola, sunflower, corn and other omega-6 rich oils. These are often cheaper options than many oils, but they are highly processed oils. They are undoubtedly not to be reached out for, whether you are looking for salad dressings, sautéing or cooking.  The 5 best oils used in cooking are olive oil (low temperature short time cooking), avocado oil, canola oil, coconut oil and peanut oil. You must read the super article to find the facts of  which oil is the healthiest avoid vegetable oil. 

5. Green Garlic (hara lahsun) : The most peculiar benefit of green garlic is due to its active ingredient, allicin. This works as a powerful antioxidant to boost your immune system and prevent against common infections like cough and cold as well as chronic diseases like cancer. It protects the heart by maintaining the levels of cholesterol in the body. It also soothes the digestive tract by treating intestinal microbes. Just chop green garlic and use it creatively to make rotis, pancakes, chutney etc.

6. Onions (pyaz, kanda) :  Raw onions are a very valuable source of vitamin C – the immune building vitamin. Along with other phytonutrients from onions, it helps to build WBC (white blood cells) which serves as a line of defence against illness. Yes, it’s a source of many antioxidants, the most important one amongst them being Quercetin. The quercetin in Onions promotes production of HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers total cholesterol in the body. The sulphur in onions act as a blood thinner and prevents blood clotting too. This in turn would lower blood pressure and good for heart,  diabetics. Read the benefits of onions. 

7. Cashew Nuts (kaju) : In general, walnuts, cashew nuts, peanuts, almonds, pistachios and pinenuts are a healthy snack to carry keep with you as they are rich in monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and good for heart. They are a healthy snack for Diabetics. Dietary intakes of cashew and other foods rich in magnesium helps to regulate blood pressure. See 9 amazing benefits of cashew nuts for complete details. 

What's the problem?

1. Cornflour ( Cornstarch) : Pros. Cornflour is easy to digest because of the presence of insoluble fiber, thus benefits the gut. It’s gluten-free and can be consumed by those who cannot afford to stock wheat. Cons. Cornflour is full of calories and carbs like refined sugar, thus a barrier to weight reduction. Those on weight loss diet must definitely not reach out for it. The high crabs makes it a No-No for a diabetic meal and restricted for heart patients. Read for more details is cornflour healthy? 

2. Sugar : Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. To live a healthy life, try and cut sugar which from your diet. It requires a slow and deliberate attempt to do it. Find hidden sugar in packaged foods and drinks and stop having those products. Did you know that a can of your favourite soft drink is estimated to have 1/2 cup of sugar. Refinded carbohydrates like maida, sugar, bread, pasta, noodles and sugar on consumption get stored as unhealthy fat in the body. 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Kung Pao Vegetables?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss.  Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body.  Cornflour is full of calories and carbs like refined sugar, thus a barrier to weight reduction. Those on weight loss diet must definitely not reach out for it.

What is a helathier Chinese Vegetable ?

I would opt for Chinese stir fried vegetables. 

 Chinese Stir- Fried Vegetables