Should you choose Vietnamese or Thai food for a healthy dinner out?

For a healthy dinner out, Vietnamese food is generally the better choice compared to Thai food. Vietnamese cuisine relies on fresh herbs, light broths, rice noodles, and minimal added fat, which tends to produce lower-calorie, higher-protein dishes across the board. That said, both cuisines offer genuinely nutritious options – the healthiest meal depends largely on what you order. This article breaks down the key differences across calories, dietary needs, and specific dishes to help you make the best choice.

Which cuisine uses fewer calories per dish?

Vietnamese food typically uses fewer calories per dish than Thai food. Vietnamese cooking centres on broth-based soups, fresh rice-paper rolls, and herb-heavy salads, which are naturally low in fat and refined sugar. Thai cuisine, while delicious, more frequently uses coconut milk, palm sugar, and deep-frying, which push calorie counts higher.

To put this in concrete terms, a bowl of Vietnamese chicken phở contains around 347 kcal with 29 g of protein – a genuinely filling, nutritionally balanced meal. A Vietnamese chicken salad comes in at just 210 kcal, while a prawn and pomelo salad sits at 182 kcal, both including dressing. A green papaya salad with prawn is even lighter at 129 kcal.

Comparable Thai dishes, such as a green curry with coconut milk or pad thai with peanut sauce, regularly exceed 600 to 800 kcal per portion, depending on the restaurant and portion size. Even a Thai chicken salad often carries a heavier dressing than its Vietnamese equivalent. For calorie-conscious diners, Vietnamese food vs Thai food is not a close contest.

What makes Vietnamese food considered healthy?

Vietnamese food is considered healthy because it is built around fresh, minimally processed ingredients with a strong emphasis on herbs, vegetables, lean protein, and slow-cooked broths rather than heavy sauces or frying. The cooking philosophy prioritises balance and freshness over richness, making it one of the most nutritionally sound cuisines in the world.

Several structural features of Vietnamese cuisine contribute to its health credentials:

• Broth-based soups: Phở broth is simmered for hours using bones, aromatics, and spices, producing a deeply flavourful but low-fat base that is rich in minerals.
• Fresh herbs and vegetables: Dishes are finished with bean sprouts, fresh basil, mint, coriander, and lime, adding micronutrients without adding calories.
• Rice noodles over wheat: Vietnamese cuisine predominantly uses rice noodles, which are naturally gluten-free and easier to digest than wheat-based pasta.
• Lean proteins: Chicken, prawn, and tofu feature heavily, and even beef-based dishes like phở steak come in at just 287 kcal with 21 g of protein.
• Light dressings: Vietnamese salads use nước chấm, a fish sauce-based dipping sauce, rather than creamy or oil-heavy dressings, keeping calorie counts low.

This combination of high protein, complex carbohydrates from rice noodles, and abundant fresh vegetables makes healthy Vietnamese food a strong option for anyone trying to eat well without sacrificing flavour or satisfaction.

Is Thai food healthy or high in fat and sugar?

Thai food can be healthy, but many popular dishes are high in fat and sugar compared to Vietnamese food. The regular use of coconut milk in curries, palm sugar in sauces, and deep-frying in street food staples means that Thai meals often carry significantly more calories and saturated fat than their Vietnamese counterparts.

Dishes like massaman curry, pad see ew, and mango sticky rice are undeniably delicious but nutritionally dense. A standard Thai green or red curry made with full-fat coconut milk can contain 40 g or more of fat per portion, much of it saturated. Pad thai, often perceived as a lighter option, frequently exceeds 600 kcal once peanuts, egg, and sauce are accounted for.

That said, Thai cuisine does include genuinely lighter options. Tom yum soup, larb salad, and steamed fish dishes are lower in fat and calories. The challenge for diners is that these lighter Thai dishes are less commonly the default choice on UK restaurant menus, whereas Vietnamese menus tend to be structured around lighter preparations as the norm rather than the exception.

For diners specifically comparing Vietnamese food vs Thai food on health grounds, Vietnamese cuisine offers a broader range of naturally low-calorie dishes without needing to seek out the healthier outliers.

Which cuisine is better for gluten-free diners?

Vietnamese food is significantly better for gluten-free diners than Thai food. Vietnamese cuisine is built on rice noodles, rice paper, and rice-based dishes, which are naturally free from gluten. Thai food, by contrast, frequently uses soy sauce, oyster sauce, and wheat-based noodles, making gluten a more persistent concern across the menu.

At a specialist Vietnamese restaurant, the vast majority of dishes can be eaten safely by those avoiding gluten. Phở, Vietnamese salads, rice bowls, wok-fried rice, and most grilled dishes are all naturally gluten-free. Gluten-free Vietnamese food is not a niche category – it is simply how most of the cuisine is cooked.

For coeliacs and those with gluten sensitivity, eating Thai food requires careful interrogation of every dish, since soy sauce and oyster sauce are foundational to Thai wok cooking and both typically contain wheat. Vietnamese dipping sauces like nước chấm are fish sauce-based and gluten-free by nature.

Diners with coeliac disease should always inform restaurant staff of their requirements regardless of cuisine, and should check allergen information carefully. However, as a starting point, Vietnamese food offers a structurally safer and more varied gluten-free dining experience than Thai food.

What are the best dishes to order for a healthy dinner?

The healthiest dishes to order at a Vietnamese restaurant are phở noodle soups, fresh summer rolls, Vietnamese salads, and grilled protein dishes served with vermicelli. These options combine lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and fresh vegetables in portions that are filling without being calorie-heavy.

Here are some of the best choices for a healthy dinner out:

• Phở steak (Phở tái): One of the lightest main courses available at just 287 kcal, with 21 g of protein and under 2 g of fat, a genuinely exceptional nutritional profile for a satisfying bowl of food.
• Chicken phở: At 347 kcal with 29 g of protein, this is a high-protein, low-fat meal that keeps hunger at bay for hours.
• King prawn phở: 305 kcal with under 1 g of fat – ideal for those prioritising very lean eating.
• Green papaya salad with prawn: Just 129 kcal, making it one of the lightest starters or light lunches on any Vietnamese menu.
• Summer rolls: Fresh rice-paper rolls containing herbs, vermicelli, and pickle – prawn summer rolls come in at 145 kcal, chicken at 183 kcal.
• Wok-fried bún with king prawn: A vermicelli noodle dish at 236 kcal, served at room temperature with fresh herbs and peanuts.

When ordering for a healthy dinner, the key principle across Vietnamese cuisine is to favour broth-based and fresh preparations over fried or coconut-heavy dishes. Dipping sauces add minimal calories – nước chấm is around 22 to 50 kcal per serving – so do not shy away from the traditional accompaniments.

Which is the better choice for vegans and plant-based eaters?

Vietnamese food is the stronger choice for vegans and plant-based eaters compared to Thai food. Vietnamese menus typically include a wide range of naturally vegan dishes – from tofu phở and veggie salads to plant-based vermicelli bowls – and the cuisine’s reliance on fresh vegetables, herbs, and rice makes plant-based eating straightforward rather than an afterthought.

Thai cuisine can accommodate vegans, but fish sauce is so embedded in Thai cooking, appearing in curries, salads, and stir-fries, that truly vegan Thai food requires significant adaptation. Many dishes that appear plant-based on a Thai menu contain fish sauce or shrimp paste in the base.

Vietnamese food, by contrast, has a long tradition of Buddhist vegetarian cooking, which means plant-based versions of core dishes are well-established. Tofu phở, veggie salads, and vegan summer rolls are not compromises – they are authentic expressions of the cuisine. Vegan Vietnamese food spans starters, mains, and sides, giving plant-based diners genuine choice across the whole menu.

For those who eat plant-based protein alternatives, dishes featuring products like THIS™ Isn’t Chicken – a pea and soy-based substitute fortified with vitamin B12 and iron – offer nutritional completeness alongside the flavour and texture of a meat dish. A THIS™ Isn’t Chicken salad contains 233 kcal and 17.5 g of protein, making it a strong option for vegan diners prioritising protein intake.

How Pho Restaurants supports healthy dining out

Pho Restaurants is the UK’s leading Vietnamese street food chain and one of the most inclusive, health-conscious restaurant groups in the country. Whether you are comparing Vietnamese food vs Thai food, managing a dietary requirement, or simply looking for a nourishing meal, Pho is built to deliver:

• A menu that is the majority gluten-free and accredited by Coeliac UK
• Signature phở broths slow-simmered for a minimum of 12 hours – no shortcuts, no frozen ingredients
• A wide range of vegan dishes spanning starters, soups, salads, noodle bowls, and rice dishes
• Nutritionist-approved food recognised as the UK’s number one brand for diners with allergies and dietary requirements
• Fresh, transparent cooking with no pre-packaged or frozen shortcuts

With more than 40 restaurants across the UK, from London to Edinburgh and Bristol to Manchester, Pho makes healthy Asian food accessible wherever you are. Find your nearest Pho restaurant and discover a menu built around flavour, freshness, and food you can genuinely feel good about.