Pad Thai vs Fried Rice: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Fried Rice has 174 calories and 4.0 g of protein, while Pad Thai has 154 calories and 8.1 g of protein. Thus, Pad Thai is higher in protein and lower in calories.

Pad Thai and Fried Rice are both beloved Asian dishes, each with unique ingredients and flavors. This comparison highlights their nutritional differences, helping you make informed dietary choices.

What Is the Difference Between Pad Thai and Fried Rice?

Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish commonly served with shrimp, chicken, or tofu, and flavored with tamarind paste, fish sauce, and lime. It often includes vegetables and peanuts. Fried Rice is a dish made from pre-cooked rice that is stir-fried in a wok with ingredients such as vegetables, eggs, and proteins like chicken or shrimp. It is often seasoned with soy sauce.

Pad Thai vs Fried Rice: Nutrition Side by Side

Here is a side-by-side comparison of Pad Thai and Fried Rice to illustrate their nutritional differences.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Pad thai	Fried rice
Calories	154 kcal	174 kcal
Protein	8.1 g	4.0 g
Carbs	14.4 g	32.8 g
Sugar	4.1 g	0.6 g
Fat	7.5 g	3.0 g
Fiber	1.2 g	1.1 g
Sodium	384 mg	387 mg

Which Is Better, Pad Thai or Fried Rice?

For weight loss: Pad Thai has 154 calories, while Fried Rice has 174 calories. Therefore, Pad Thai is the better option for those looking to reduce calorie intake.

For muscle and protein: Pad Thai contains 8.1 g of protein, compared to Fried Rice's 4.0 g. This makes Pad Thai the superior choice for those seeking higher protein content.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Fried Rice has 32.8 g of carbohydrates and 0.6 g of sugar, while Pad Thai has 14.4 g of carbohydrates and 4.1 g of sugar. Thus, Pad Thai is lower in both carbs and sugar.

How to Track Pad thai and Fried rice Accurately

Portion sizes and macro content can be easy to misjudge, leading to unexpected calorie intake. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a professional for personalized dietary recommendations. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which dish has more protein?

Pad Thai has 8.1 g of protein, while Fried Rice has 4.0 g of protein. Therefore, Pad Thai has more protein.

Which dish has fewer calories?

Pad Thai contains 154 calories per 100 g, while Fried Rice contains 174 calories. Thus, Pad Thai has fewer calories.

What are the carbohydrate contents of each dish?

Fried Rice has 32.8 g of carbohydrates, while Pad Thai has 14.4 g. Therefore, Fried Rice has more carbohydrates.

How much sugar is in each dish?

Pad Thai contains 4.1 g of sugar, while Fried Rice has 0.6 g of sugar. Thus, Pad Thai has more sugar.

What is the fat content of Fried Rice?

Fried Rice has 3.0 g of fat per 100 g. In comparison, Pad Thai has 7.5 g of fat.

What is the sodium content in Pad Thai?

Pad Thai has 384 mg of sodium per 100 g, while Fried Rice has 387 mg of sodium.

Key Takeaways

• Pad Thai has 154 calories per 100 g.
• Fried Rice has 174 calories per 100 g.
• Pad Thai contains 8.1 g of protein.
• Fried Rice contains 4.0 g of protein.
• Pad Thai has 14.4 g of carbohydrates.
• Fried Rice has 32.8 g of carbohydrates.