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Whether we’re talking fat-free, gluten-free, organic, MSG-free, Paleo or vegetarian, every regimen takes on new challenges and pitfalls when you are traveling or living abroad – especially in a country like China, where you may face a language barrier.

As most expats in Shanghai know, dining out (and drinking) is not only considered a hobby, but it’s generally the essence of having an active social life. By the time you factor in business dinners, going-away parties, birthdays and every other reason for getting together or celebrating, many Shanghai residents find their kitchen supplies gathering cobwebs and their waistlines steadily expanding.

We consulted with Shanghai-based health coach and nutrition consultant Kimberly Ashton for tips on striking a balance between having a life, being a curious eater and staying healthy in this culinary capital. You’ll also find our top restaurant picks, food delivery services, workshops and more below.

Tips for Healthier Restaurant Dining

Learning a few common characters found on menus will help you decipher between greasier deep-fried (炸, zhà) dishes and lighter ones that are steamed (蒸, zhēng) or sautéed (炒, chǎo).

Many Chinese sauces, especially in Shanghai, where main dishes can be almost as sweet as desserts, have a great deal of sugar (and thus many calories). As tasty as the braising sauces may be, use them sparingly and resist the temptation to pour the excess over your white rice.

Opt for the steamed fish dishes available at most local restaurants, as Shanghainese diners expect a variety of fresh selections on offer.

Save the fatty dishes, like the (delicious) local specialty braised pork belly (红烧肉, hóngshāo ròu) at Old Jesse, for occasional “cheat” days or for when you have visitors in town.

For the very small portion of the population that may experience an immediate physical reaction to the flavor enhancer MSG, learn or print out the following phrase to emphasize to waitstaff or street food vendors that you have an allergy: 我对味精过敏 (wǒ duì wèijīng guòmǐn).

If you are dining at a banquet or formal event that spans many courses, eat slowly and skip or only nibble at the first few dishes, which tend to be heavier. Vegetable dishes often tend to arrive toward the end, along with the rice, as both are considered fillers.

When dining in the homes of local friends, always leave a bit of food in your bowl. Eating everything you’ve been served can be interpreted as a sign that the host has not prepared enough food. You will not be able to withstand the level of cajoling to get you to eat more in this scenario.

Utilize the fruit plate that is often given at the end of meals to quell your desire for an extra dessert.

Where to Eat Out

China is home to an estimated 50 million herbivores, so there are plenty of dining-out options if you’re doing Meatless Mondays or avoiding meat altogether, and we’ve written previously about the best vegetarian eateries in Shanghai.

Vegetarian dining at Lucky Zen, photo by UnTour ShanghaiIf your concerns are less about meat and more about food safety, you can refer to our tips on general food safety while eating out in China. For a conscientiously run kitchen, head to Yi Zhang Hong, a charming Sichuan restaurant in the former French Concession. It’s owned by the same people behind Jian Guo 328, a local favorite known for using high-quality oils and bottled water and not using MSG in their cooking. Yi Zhang Hong’s spicy dishes are still plenty flavorful and the prices are very affordable for the slightly upscale dining. Many starters are just 10 RMB ($1.50), so we like to mix and match lots of dishes to sample widely across the menu. Our favorites include the dandan noodles (担担面, dàndàn miàn), chili oil wontons (红油抄手, hóng yóu chāoshǒu), minced pork green beans (干煸四季豆, gān biān sìjì dòu), twice-cooked pork – although it’s admittedly quite fatty (回锅肉, huíguōròu), and cold steamed eggplant starter (蒸茄子, zhēng qiézi).

A wet market in Shanghai, photo by UnTour ShanghaiHealthier at Home

We’ve written about how to find your local neighborhood produce market, which is always the cheapest and usually the freshest option, but if you’re pressed for time and still want healthy ingredients to do more home cooking, you’ve got several CSA-style options available for pickup and home delivery.

Mahota is a joint venture that sources from its own farm on nearby Chongming Island (which is also available for resort-style farm stays). They’re famous for their naturally raised, antibiotic- and hormone-free pork. The Mahota market is located in the Hongqiao area, but they do have home delivery.

Biofarm has been delivering veggie baskets to Shanghai residents on a weekly basis for many years with high-quality assortments of seasonal veggies, as well as fresh eggs, chicken and more.

Further afield is an option called Haobaoqing (tel. +86 21 6196 1555), which flies their produce over from the plateaus of southwest China’s Yunnan province. Healthy for you? Sure! For the planet, maybe not so much.

Relative newcomer Kate & Kimi takes a well-rounded approach to online ordering, combining excellent (often organic) produce from Gusto with a variety of local artisanal goods in addition to your traditional grocery and home needs.

Community Events

Sprout Lifestyle is quickly becoming Shanghai’s go-to resource for the health-conscious community. Co-founded by Ashton, the business occupies a growing niche and includes a natural foods store and food education platform, with a wholesome café that strictly adheres to a no-MSG policy, uses only sea salt and healthful oils for cooking and sources homegrown and organic sprouts from a partnering farm.

Sprout hosts recurring and special courses, including organic farm visits, cooking workshops and even a multiweek class to educate your ayi on healthy cooking habits for your family’s at-home meals. Others events include healthy dessert workshops, a holistic detox series and Traditional Chinese Medicine courses.

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Jamie Barys and Kyle Long

Published on October 08, 2014

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