Is Pad Thai Healthy? Nutrition, Calories & Better Swaps
Pad Thai nutrition facts per 100 g and per serving
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Serving: 300 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 169 kcal | 507 kcal |
| Energy (kilojoules) | 707 kJ | 2,121 kJ |
| Protein | 7.5 g | 23 g |
| Fat | 7 g | 21 g |
| incl. saturated | 1.2 g | 3.6 g |
| Total carbohydrates | 20 g | 61 g |
| incl. sugars | 5 g | 15 g |
| incl. fiber | 1.2 g | 3.6 g |
| Salt | 1.2 g | 3.6 g |
*Where the numbers come from
Values per 100 g as eaten, averaged from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) and rounded — a specific brand or recipe will differ a little. Carbohydrates are total carbohydrate, fiber included, as on a US Nutrition Facts label.
169 kcal (707 kJ) per 100 g · P/F/C 7.5/7/20 g
Serving (300 g) — 507 kcal (2,121 kJ) · Nutri-Score C
Per 100 g: sugar: low saturated fat: low salt: medium fiber: low
In moderation. Pad Thai sits in the middle of the scale — grade C on the open 2023 Nutri-Score algorithm: fine in a balanced diet, but not a “more is better” food.
For
- Protein: 23 g per serving — 41% of the 56 g daily reference for a 70 kg (154 lb) adult.
Against
- Salt: 3.6 g per serving — 72% of the 5 g a day the WHO sets as the maximum.
- Sugar: 15 g per serving. For scale, the WHO's ideal limit for free sugars (added sugar, plus the sugar in honey, syrups and juice) is 25 g a day.
A typical serving is 300 g: 507 kcal, 23 g protein, 21 g fat and 61 g carbs. Other weights in the table.
How we judge this, and the sources
The answer comes from the food's composition, not from opinion: its Nutri-Score grade on the open 2023 algorithm, a traffic light for sugar, salt, saturated fat and fiber per 100 g, and the share of daily reference amounts in a typical serving (for salt, sugar, fiber and vegetables, those of the WHO). It rates the food's nutrient profile; it is not medical advice. Formulas, thresholds and every source are on the methodology page; last checked against the sources on November 1, 2026. The short food description was written by our language model (AI) — how we check the text.
More about this food
Pad Thai is stir-fried rice noodles with egg, peanuts and a sweet-salty sauce — tasty, but high in sugar, salt and oil.
protein 18%fat 37%carbs 45%
Pad Thai calories by weight, 50–300 g
150 g of Pad Thai has 254 calories and 200 g has 338. The table gives protein, fat and carbs for each weight; for any other amount, type your own into the calculator below.
| Weight | Kcal | P / F / C, g | Fiber, g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 g | 85 | 3.8 / 3.5 / 10 | 0.6 |
| 100 g | 169 | 7.5 / 7 / 20 | 1.2 |
| 150 g | 254 | 11 / 11 / 30 | 1.8 |
| 200 g | 338 | 15 / 14 / 40 | 2.4 |
| 250 g | 423 | 19 / 18 / 51 | 3 |
| 300 g — typical serving | 507 | 23 / 21 / 61 | 3.6 |
Free to reuse with a link to the source, CC BY 4.0
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Portion → calories and macros
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Pad Thai: calories by type and cooking method
“Calories per 100 g” depends on which kind you mean — dry or cooked, oil in the pan, what it's served with. Every row comes from the same database the diary uses.
| Per 100 g | Kcal | P / F / C, g |
|---|---|---|
| Pad Thai with shrimp | 146 | 6.5 / 5.5 / 18 |
| Pad Thai with chicken | 160 | 8.3 / 6.2 / 18 |
| Pad kra pao (chicken with holy basil) | 166 | 8.8 / 7.8 / 15 |
| Pad Thai | 169 | 7.5 / 7 / 20 |
Pad Thai: more nutrition highlights
It has 3.6 g of fiber per serving — roughly 14% of the 25 g a day most adults fall short of.
How much movement is one serving?
A 300 g serving is 507 kcal — roughly 2 h 46 min of easy walking or 64 min of cycling for a 70 kg (154 lb) person. In the diary, minutes are worked out for your weight and the activities you actually do.
Healthier swaps for Pad Thai
Why swap: Pad Thai has a fair amount of salt (1.2 g per 100 g), almost no fiber (1.2 g per 100 g). The swaps below fix that at the same calories.
How we pick
A swap is offered only for a real problem with the food (for grades C–E an amber traffic light counts too), from the same or a neighbouring category, in a serving matched to the same calories (±25%; drinks glass for glass) and no more than one and a half times the original weight, a full Nutri-Score grade better and with a noticeable gain per serving. We don't suggest “salad instead of pizza”.
- Pad Thai with chicken — 320 g, 512 kcal: −1 g salt.
Pad Thai vs similar foods: calories compared
| Per 100 g | Kcal | P / F / C, g |
|---|---|---|
| Spaghetti Bolognese | 165 | 8 / 6 / 21 |
| Chicken Curry | 165 | 14 / 9.5 / 7 |
| Nasi Goreng | 165 | 6.4 / 7.4 / 18 |
| Duck Rice | 166 | 7.5 / 7.8 / 16 |
| Pad Thai | 169 | 7.5 / 7 / 20 |
| Chwee Kueh | 169 | 1.5 / 9.3 / 20 |
| Nasi Lemak | 172 | 6 / 8.6 / 18 |
FAQ
How many calories are in 100 g of Pad Thai?
100 g of Pad Thai has 169 calories, with 7.5 g protein, 7 g fat and 20 g carbohydrates (1.2 g fiber).
How many calories are in a serving of Pad Thai?
A 300 g serving has 507 calories: 23 g protein, 21 g fat and 61 g carbs.
What are the macros of Pad Thai?
Per 100 g: 7.5 g protein, 20 g carbs and 7 g fat. By calories that's about 18% protein, 45% carbs and 37% fat.
How long do you have to walk to burn a serving of Pad Thai?
About 2 h 46 min of easy walking or 64 min of cycling for a 70 kg (154 lb) person — that's the 507 calories in a 300 g serving.
How much fiber is in Pad Thai?
100 g of Pad Thai has 1.2 g of fiber; a 300 g serving has 3.6 g — 14% of the 25 g a day the WHO recommends.
How do the calories in Pad Thai change with the type and cooking method?
Per 100 g it ranges from 146 kcal (Pad Thai with shrimp) to 169 kcal (Pad Thai).
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