Is Pho Healthy?

Enjoy Vietnamese food? Pho is just one of many delicious Vietnamese dishes; however, if you’re consuming a lot of it, you might be wondering whether you are making a healthy diet choice or not. 

Pho can be a very healthy meal if you do not let the carbs and calories get out of control.

In this guide, we will go over pho nutrition facts. But first, let’s introduce pho briefly in case you are new to this food.

What is Pho?

Pho is the national dish of Vietnam. It is a soup with rice noodles that includes meat and herbs. The exact ingredients can vary. While beef is the most common meat, some pho is made with chicken. The herbs can differ as well. 

Pho recipes sometimes include vegetables, too, like peppers, bean sprouts, or onions. Sometimes people add soy sauce, fish sauce, or other sauces as well.

Pho Nutrition Info

Below are the nutritional facts of a typical bowl of Pho:

• Calories: 375
• Fat: 6g
• Carbs: 51g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 24g
• Sugar: 0g
• Sodium: 384mg

Be mindful that this is just one example of the nutritional information of a bowl of Pho. Larger and smaller servings could have different nutritional values. Nutritional value could also increase or decrease as one adds or subtracts specific ingredients.

How to Make Pho Healthy

So, instead of asking, “Is pho healthy?” perhaps a more helpful question is, “How can we make pho healthy?”

Here are some recommendations:

Keep your portions manageable

Overindulging in pho can result in a high-calorie meal with a lot of carbohydrates. Pho can be healthy in reasonable portion sizes, but it is always possible to have too much of a good thing.

Consider putting in a smaller proportion of rice noodles

Rice noodles are high in carbohydrates. A diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats can promote weight loss. Plus, rice noodles are not the most filling of foods. Reducing the noodles and replacing them with other ingredients (see below) might improve satiety. 

Focus on healthy meats and vegetables

Instead of a high percentage of noodles and a low percentage of healthy meats and veggies, consider putting in more meats and veggies. These can increase the protein, healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins in your pho and help you feel full faster.

Check the ingredients in any sauces you are thinking of adding

Sometimes sauces can include high sodium or unwanted additives. If you do not check their ingredients and nutritional info, you might not realize it if you are making your pho less healthy. Use healthy sauces with natural ingredients in your pho.

Now you have some advice on making a delicious bowl of pho that is healthy and fits your dietary needs. Enjoy!