Chinese cooking is well-loved by many people from virtually all parts of the world. When it comes to healthiness, Chinese food is still the subject of debate though. The oil content and generous seasonings added to the dishes are far from healthy. At some point, you may even wonder if Chinese cooking is synonymous to fast food meals. This page will help you pick out the healthier choices from your Chinese menu. Check out the following tips.

1. For your appetizer, stick to soup. The popular spring rolls are high in fat and high in cholesterol. Soup has more flavor and less oil. Soup will get your appetite all worked out for the main course.

2. For your main course, select high-protein, high-fiber and low-fat dishes. Sesame-sprinkled beef, vegetable mixes and sweet and sour pork indeed sound delicious. However, if you want the healthier track, ask the waiter or the chef if the dishes have been deep-fried or sautéed. Settle, of course, for sautéed dishes over deep-fried ones. Sautéing uses less oil than frying.

3. For your meat and vegetable dishes, consider steamed alternatives. Go for steamed dishes such as dumplings and sio mais. Oil content is negligible and you get to savor the full flavor of the meat and vegetables, as the edible food wraps are essentially tasteless but carbohydrate-rich.

4. For your carbohydrate selection, skip the fried stuff. Although they taste more delicious than the traditional bowl of soupy noodles, deep-fried noodles offer no nutritional value but carbohydrates – plus a menacing lot of bad fats that are not good for your health.

5. For your dessert, choose traditionally baked cakes and pastries, or dried and sweetened plums and fruits. Again, ditch the tempting buchis. These sesame-sprinkled desserts with sweet fillings are deep-fried to perfection. You will get the complete package of oils, fats and sugars with these adorable-looking balls.

6. For all food choices in between, consider a few more basic tips.

• First, tell the chef to go easy on monosodium glutamate (MSG). There have been conflicting reports about the nutritional value of this seasoning. MSG does enhance flavor and compensates for a dish's lack of sodium content; however, too much MSG can cause hair loss.

• Second, tell yourself to go easy on salt. Whether it is fortified with iodine or is just the common rock variety, salt indeed gives your food the right kick. Beware, however, having too much can cause your kidneys to overwork.

• Third, tell yourself to go easy on peanut sauces and peanuts. Peanuts are one of the favorite ingredients in Chinese dishes (This comes as no surprise since China is the leading producer of peanuts worldwide). Again, although these nuts have high nutritional content, they can give you diarrhea if you eat too much of the stuff.

It is a rare instance not to find at least one or two Chinese restaurants in your locale. After all, what is there that is not likeable? The prices are inexpensive, the servings generous, the taste sumptuous and the food healthy – if you know how to pick the right dishes.