How many calories does one serving of Veg Fried Rice have?

One serving of Veg Fried Rice gives 191 calories. Out of which carbohydrates comprise 124 calories, proteins account for 14 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 53 calories. One serving of Veg Fried Rice provides about 10 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories.

See recipe Veg Fried Rice | vegetable fried rice | Chinese fried rice | Indian style Chinese fried rice | with 30 amazing images

Off day and want to cook something different from everyday dal roti? Veg chinese fried rice is one of the best options to trear your taste buds. This is an Indo-Chinese veg fried rice.

Veg fried rice is flavourful rice tossed with vegetables and Chinese sauces. It is basically from the Asian cuisine which has been adapted in India and now is found in every restaurant and is also, one of the famous Indian street food. As mentioned earlier, it is an Indian style Chinese fried rice of making it, the authentic one differs.

There are a lot many variations to the recipe, ours is a simple veg fried rice from the indo-chinese recipes. The preparation for the dish may take a while but it is totally worth it.

We have made chinese fried rice by steaming rice at first and then in a wok, taking oil + all the flavour enhancing ingredients like ginger, garlic, green chillies, spring onions are tossed. Further, all the vegetables are added which include cabbage, french beans, carrots and capsicum and it is cooked on high flame, the reason behind cooking everything on high flame is that it helps remain the vegetable crunchy. Soy sauce and pepper powder are added and lastly some spring onion greens. Some people also add vinegar and chilli sauce to the vegetable fried rice but this is our own version and like said earlier everyone has their own version.

I usually make veg fried rice for both lunch and dinner. Sometimes, even for my kids tiffin box or if we have left over rice this is the go to recipe. I personally love it, my kids love it and the whole family loves it. We have this on our regular menu. Doesn’t take more than 20 minutes to prepare the dish.

Vegetable fried rice teams up well with most of the Chinese vegetable dishes like the Sweet and Sour Vegetable, Chinese Fried Paneer in Hot and Sweet Sauce or Tofu in Black Bean Sauce. It makes a sumptuous meal that you will relish till the last bite! I usually make Veg Manchurian with fried rice as an accompaniment.

Serve the chinese fried rice immediately with chilli sauce, soya sauce and chillies in vinegar.

Is Veg Fried Rice healthy?

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

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Green Chillies : Antioxidant vitamin C in green chillies protects the body from effects of harmful free radicals and prevents stress. It is probably the high fiber which helps in controlling blood sugar levels. This it is a welcome addition to a diabetic diet. Suffering from anaemia? Add green chillies to your list of iron rich foods too. For complete details see benefits of green chilli. 

2. Garlic : Garlic has been proven to lower cholesterol. The active ingredient allicin present in garlic aids in lowering blood pressure. Garlic is also alleged to help regulate blood glucose levels for diabetics. Garlic is great for the heart and circulatory system. Garlic has an antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal function and can help in relieving common cold and other viral infections. To boost your immune system have a garlic clove a day. Garlic is a top anti viral food. The thiosulphate compound, Allicin found in garlic acts as a strong antioxidant and protects our body from damage of free radicals.  Read here for complete benefits of garlic. 

3. Ginger (Adrak) : Ginger is an effective cure for congestion, sore throat, cold and cough. It aids digestion and relieves constipation. Ginger was found as effective as drugs in relieving menstrual pain. Ginger is effective in decreasing the cholesterol levels in patients with high cholesterol. Ginger significantly reduces symptoms of nausea in pregnant ladies. See here for 16 Super Health Benefits of Adrak, Ginger.

4. Celery (Ajmoda) : Celery helps reduce the total blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, thus reducing the clogging of arteries and chances of stroke.  Diabetics too can include this vegetable to their diet as its high fiber contribute to maintain healthy levels of blood sugar levels.  Potassium and its active compound phthalides have shown positive effects in controlling blood pressure. See detailed benefits of celery. 

5. Spring Onions : The sulfur compounds in spring onions are known to keep blood pressure under check. Here the sulfur compounds and antioxidant quercetin together help to keep blood sugar levels under control by increasing the production of insulin making it good for Diabetics. Spring onions have also been identified to lower cholesterol levels in the body. The vitamin C also puts you at less risk of heart disease. Being very low in calories and fat and encompassing a basketful of nutrients, they are looked upon as a weight loss vegetable too. See detailed benefits of spring onions. 

6. Cabbage ( Patta Gobhi + Red Cabbage) : Cabbage is low in calories, relieves constipation, good for diabetics. Cabbage has high levels of flavonoids and anthocyanins and has long been used as a herbal medicine. Rich in Antioxidants in turn lowers the risk of infection and inflammation of the body due to eating processed foods. Red cabbage also called purple cabbage has slightly high levels of flavonoids and anthocyanins than green cabbage and has long been used as a herbal medicine. It has same health benefits to offer as the cabbage otherwise.See here all benefits of cabbage. 

7. French Beans ( Fansi ) : French Beans is rich in folic acid.  A deficiency of folic acid can also lead to anaemia, as like iron they are equally necessary to make red blood cells. Without enough folic acid, you can get easily tired. Pregnant women can also benefit from its folic acid count. It’s effective to achieve weight loss, overcome constipation, control blood sugar levels,  treat high cholesterol as well as prevent cancer. See here for detailed 15 benefits of french beans. 

8. 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.

9. Capsicum (Bell Peppers) : Rich in vitamin C, capsicum protect and maintain the lining of the heart. Low glycemic index (40) colourful capsicum are immune boosters. 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. 

10. Soy sauce, soya sauce : It is a good source of niacin, manganese and protein.
· Soy sauce, while still high in sodium, has a flavor that goes beyond its saltiness. This means that you can use less soy sauce than you would salt to get the same level of enjoyment from your foods.
· And soy sauce blends so well with many spices - garlic, ginger, onions, etc. - that you won't even miss your salt shaker. Some brands even have low sodium varieties of soy sauce available. So, rather than dousing your food with salt, try just a touch of soy sauce instead.
· If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and told by your doctor to limit your salt intake, you may want to limit your intake of soy sauce as well or try a low-sodium variety instead.
· Dark soy sauce acts as preventive for the entire body and cures not only the listed disorders, but also prevents heart disease.

11. Benefits of Black Pepper ( kali mirch) : Black pepper has been identified to stimulate the digestive juices and enzymes in the gut thus lending a helping hand in maintaining digestive health. The antibacterial nature of black pepper helps to relieve cold and cough, especially when black pepper is ground and mixed with honey and consumed. kali mirch may help in maintaining normal blood sugar levels as it improves insulin sensitivity. So diabetics and weight watchers with high blood sugar levels both can benefit from black pepper. Kalimich is known to boost metabolism and promote fat cell breakdown. Yes, the piperine in it may help you overcome obesity, weight loss. See detailed benefits of black pepper, kali mirch.

What's the problem?

1. Rice : Here are the pros for rice. Rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates, which is an important source of energy for our body. Moreover it is gluten free. Rice is low in fibre and therefore a good option for people suffering from diarrhoea. But rice is a good source of protein and B vitamins. 

What's not good in rice. Foods like rice are high in Glycemic index are not suitable for weight loss, heart patients,  diabetics as they affect the blood sugar control levels. However if rice is combined with high protein or high fibre foods, the glycemic load can be balanced. Thus its combo is a better choice as we have done in the recipe of panch dhan khichdi and toovar dal khichdi. See details of is white rice and parboiled rice good for you?

2. 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. 

Note : 1 cup = 200 ml (standard cup available in the market). The weight in grams varies for each ingredient.

Can diabetics, heart patients and overweight individuals have Veg Fried Rice?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. Foods like rice are high in Glycemic index are not suitable for weight loss, heart patients,  diabetics as they affect the blood sugar control levels.

Can healthy individuals have Veg Fried Rice?

Not suggested as we are not great fans of too much rice. The good things there are lots of vegetables in this recipe so have a little bit. 

What is a healthier option than using rice? 

We suggest the following healthy khichdi like fada ni khichdi recipe, vitamin khichdi recipe, buckwheat moong dal and vegetable khichdi, bajra moong and green peas khichdi, barley khichdi and vegetable biryani from brown rice. All these recipes have ZERO usage of rice and portion control is suggested for diabetics. 

Vegetable Biryani

8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet

1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet. 

2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good. 

Skip having Indian junk foods like pav bhaji, bata vada, pakoras, gulab jamun as they cause your body to have insulance resistance. The resultant is your body will store more carbohydrates as fats, causing storage of fat in the stomach causing a paunch and slowing down of our fat burning process. So its a bad cyle which causes you more more hunger and fatigue every time you eat junk food. 

3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads  recipes using this food group.           

4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar  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. 

Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes. 

This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes. 

5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds. Stress. The easiest way to kill your immune system is chronic stress. 

6.  Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts. 

7.  Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym. No activity reduces muscle tissue which will lead to muscke loss and all kinds of problems with that. Workout builds immunity and keeps virus or bugs away. 

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover and makes you look much younger. Also getting good sleep prevent muscle loss, builds immunity and keeps virus or bugs away.

One serving of Veg Fried Rice is high in

1. Fiber : Dietary fiber reduce the risk of heart disease, prevent the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for diabetics. Consume more fruits, vegetables, moong, oats, matki, whole grains.

2. Vitamin A : Vitamin A is crucial for healthy vision, cell growth and healthy skin. 

3. Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. 

4. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) : Vitamin B2 enables the production of red blood cells that contribute to the rise in your energy levels. So have more milk, curds, eggs and green leafy vegetables. 

5. Vitamin C :  Vitamin C is a great defence against coughs and colds.

6. Folic Acid : Folic acid is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy.

7. Calcium : Calcium  is a mineral that makes bones stay strong. Required from kids to adults.

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 191 calories that come from one serving of Veg Fried Rice?

Walking (6 kmph) = 57 mins
Running (11 kmph) = 19 mins
Cycling (30 kmph) = 25 mins
Swimming (2 kmph) = 33 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.