Is Pho healthy & what are the benefits of a bowl of Pho noodle soup?

Pho healthy? The ingredients make Pho is good for health

I - Origin of Vietnamese Pho soup

According to the researches, Pho originated in Vietnam hundreds of years ago and they were initially considered a rather modest street food. However, many people also wonder whether “is pho healthy?” in addition to being a delicious dish. Indeed, although pho is extremely familiar, the level of nutrition and calories they provide are not known by many people. This is a dish that is not strange to Vietnamese people, and is becoming more and more popular around the world. A traditional bowl of pho usually contains broth, rice noodles, beef and lots of herbs, with various pho health benefits.

II - Is pho healthy with its authentic ingredients?

A good bowl of pho always comes with quality broth, which can be made from beef bones simmered with ginger and various spices and herbs like cinnamon, coriander, anise, cardamom and cloves for at least 1 day. Once done, the boiled broth is poured over thinly sliced ​​beef, onions, and rice noodles. With so many ingredients, people wonder that when eating pho, how many calories will you load into your body? And is pho healthy? The answer actually depends on the type of pho you usually eat, as everyone has different recipes and making methods.

The amount of calories provided by pho can vary depending on the serving size, the number of pho noodles and the type of meat used. But in general, it is not a diet or low-calorie dish, although there are still pho soup health benefits. And Is pho healthy in different versions of meat? A piece of beef contains more fat than chicken or shrimp, and instant noodle soup will also have a different calorie count than a bowl of pho served at restaurants or pho shops. According to the USDA Nutrient Database of the United States, a bowl of beef noodle soup provides an average of 215 calories, 4.47g fat, 25.2g carbs, 1.22g fiber, 15g protein, 1.93g sugar and 1,200mg sodium.

These figures are only averages, as many people have different tastes, resulting in them adding or reducing the ingredients in the bowl, which can make a huge difference. But just looking at these numbers may not be clear that is pho healthy? In theory, beef noodle soup is a great dish because it provides everything the body needs, from carbs to protein and fat. The balance between meat, vegetables and broth is the main reason why this dish is both filling and healthy. In addition to protein, beef in traditional pho also provides B vitamins, zinc and iron, with fiber and other vitamins coming from the herbs. The spices added to this dish also provide a number of pho health benefits, including folic acid, potassium, magnesium and selenium.

Having answered the question “is pho healthy?”, we must also ask another question, is pho harmful? The biggest danger with this dish, especially when going out to restaurants or eating instant noodle soup, is sodium. In fact, some places add so much salt to a bowl of pho that it’s close to the recommended amount for an entire day. So those who are sensitive or advised to reduce salt consumption because of health problems, please pay attention to the saltiness in pho when eating, to get the pho soup health benefits instead of negative effects.

Another factor everyone needs to keep in mind is portion size - a large bowl can cause you to skip meals later so consider this carefully before calling for another bowl of pho. In addition, anything that is absorbed in excess is not good, so the nutrients that are said to be beneficial above can also be harmful to health if eaten too much, making the answer yes for the question “is pho healthy” turns into “no”. No matter how much you want to eat pho, you should only eat a bowl of pho once, and should leave it a few days before having another, not every day.

As mentioned, pho is the perfect dish especially in the morning, providing enough protein, carbs and healthy fats. However, you can also completely adjust the ingredients to meet your taste, dietary needs and nutritional needs. In particular, choosing an alternative ingredient is essential for people who are allergic to ingredients in pho, to be able to provide a definite answer to the question “is pho healthy?”. Finally, if you are following a vegetarian based diet, don’t hesitate to add tofu, beans, green vegetables, onions or even carrots to this dish.