Does Panda Express contain a lot of sugar? In this post, I am going to be sharing the sugar content of all the menu items available from Panda Express. In it, I will go through the sugar content of Panda Express sides, Entrees, Meats, Soups, Sauces, Appetizers, and Sweets. I will also share some of the zero-sugar drinks available from this popular Asian-inspired cuisine chain. So, if you love orange chicken this is the post for you.
But first, how much sugar is there in Panda Express?
What is the sugar content of Panda Express?
As a general rule, the sugar content of Panda Express’ entrees ranges from a mere 2g up to 24g of sugar. There are lower sugar (2g-8g) beef, shrimp, chicken, and veggie entrees at Panda Express – so there is a lower sugar option to suit everyone. Panda Express also has a selection of 9 sugar-free drinks.
Sugar Content of Panda Express’ Sides
| Panda Express Side | Sugar |
|---|---|
| White steamed | 0g |
| Brown rice | 1g |
| Fried rice | 3g |
| Super greens | 4g |
| Chow fun | 6g |
| Chow mein | 9g |
If you are looking for lower sugar sides at Panda Express, then avoid the two sides with “chow” in the name i.e. “chow fun” and “chow mein” as these contain the most sugar. The steamed white rice is the lowest sugar Panda Express side (0g), followed by brown rice (1g), fried rice (3g), and super greens (4g).
Sugar Content of Panda Express’ Entrees
| Panda Express Entrees | Sugar Content |
|---|---|
| Super Greens | 2g |
| Potato Chicken | 4g |
| Mushroom Chicken | 5g |
| String bean Chicken | 5g |
| Steamed Ginger Fish | 6g |
| Kung Pao Chicken | 6g |
| Black Pepper Chicken | 7g |
| Black Pepper Angus Steak | 7g |
| Broccoli Beef | 7g |
| Honey Walnut Shrimp | 8g |
| Grilled Teriyaki Chicken | 9g |
| Grilled Asian Chicken | 9g |
| Teriyaki Chicken | 10g |
| Asian Chicken | 10g |
| Golden Treasure Shrimp | 14g |
| Wok Fried Shrimp | 15g |
| Honey Sesame Chicken | 16g |
| Eggplant Tofu | 17g |
| Orange Chicken | 19g |
| Sweetfire Chicken | 19g |
| Beijing Beef | 21g |
| Sweet and Sour Chicken | 24g |
Lowest Sugar Panda Express Veggie Entree
If you are veggie the super greens (2g sugar per entree serving) is a better option than eggplant tofu (17g of sugar) in terms of sugar content.
*I was a bit confused as to why the super greens side contained double the sugar content of the super green entree. Turns out it is because the super green entree is half the size (3.5oz) of a super green side (7oz). In case you were wondering*
Lowest Sugar Panda Express Chicken Entrees
If you love chicken, then the potato chicken the is lowest sugar chicken option at Panda Express at 4g of sugar.
The string bean chicken, mushroom chicken, kung pao, and black pepper are all also lower sugar options at 5g-7g of sugar.
If you are looking for a lower sugar chicken entree at Panda Express then avoid the Honey Sesame Chicken, Orange Chicken, Sweetfire Chicken, and Sweet & Sour Chicken, which contain 16g-24g of sugar per entree serving.
How Much Sugar is in Panda Express Orange Chicken?
There are 19g of sugar in a Panda Express Orange Chicken Entree.
Lowest Sugar Beef Panda Express Entrees
Both the Broccoli Beef and the Black Pepper Angus Steak contain 7g of sugar. If you want a lower sugar beef entree at Panda Express, then avoid the Beijing Beef which contains 21g of sugar in an entree serving.
Lowest Sugar Shrimp Panda Express Entrees
The Honey Walnut Shrimp is the lowest sugar shrimp entree at Panda Express at 8g of sugar. The Golden Treasure Shrimp and Wok Fried Shrimp are higher in sugar at 14g and 15g of sugar respectively.
Sugar Content of Panda Express Appetizers
| Panda Express Appetizers | Sugar Content |
|---|---|
| Vegetable Spring Rolls (2 rolls) | 0g |
| Cream Cheese Rangoon (3 pieces) | 1g |
| Chicken Egg Roll | 2g |
| Chicken Potstickers (3 pieces) | 2g |
All the Panda Express appetizers are low in sugar. The Vegetable Spring Rolls are the lowest sugar appetizer at 0g of sugar.
Sugar Content of Panda Express Sauces
| Panda Express Sauce | Sugar Content |
|---|---|
| Soy Sauce | 0g |
| Hot Mustard | 0g |
| Chili Sauce | 2g |
| Potsticker Sauce | 2g |
| Plum Sauce | 3g |
| Teriyaki Sauce | 14g |
| Sweet & Sour Sauce | 20g |
If you are looking for lower-sugar sauces at Panda Express, then stay away from the teriyaki and sweet & sour sauces. None of the other sauces (soy, hot mustard, chili, potsticker, or plum) are going to drastically increase your sugar consumption.
Sugar Content of Panda Express Sweets
| Panda Express Sweets | Sugar Content |
|---|---|
| Fortune Cookie | 2g |
| Tree Top Apple Crisps | 7g |
| Chocolate Chunk Cookie | 14g |
If you fancy a fortune cookie after your Panda Express meal it is great to know one only contains 2g of sugar.
Sugar Content of Panda Express Soups
There is one soup currently on the Panda Express menu – hot & sour soup. There are 4g of sugar in a cup of Panda Express hot & sour soup, and 6g of sugar in a bowl.
Zero Sugar Drinks at Panda Express
Panda Express has a wide variety of zero-sugar teas on the menu, including black tea, lemon green tea, unsweetened tea, and passion fruit mango black tea.
The 9 zero sugar drinks currently on the Panda Express menu are:
- Black tea
- Passion fruit mango black tea
- Gold Peak premium unsweetened tea
- Lemon green tea
- Diet Coke
- Coca-Cola Zero sugar
- Glaceau vitamin water squeezed zero
- Minute Maid light lemonade
- Sprite zero
If you are watching your sugar intake then stay away from a large Powerade Fruit Punch, which contains 250g of sugar, and opt for one of the above zero sugar drinks.
Does Panda Express Contain a Lot of Sugar? The Final Bite
Does Panda Express contain a lot of sugar? What have we learned from the above? Well, when it comes to the sugar content of your Panda Express order it really depends on what you order. Always choose the white steamed rice (0g of sugar) and pick one of the entrees I list above that contain 2g to 7g of sugar. If you want a side pick some of the spring rolls which contain 0g of sugar and avoid any Sweet and Sour or Teriyaki sauce.
Finally, don’t forget you can still have your fortune cookie – they only come in at 2g of sugar per cookie (or you can just crack it open for the fortune – that contains 0g of sugar and 100% fortune).
And Remember…
Ingredients and/or manufacturing processes may change. Always double-check ingredient lists and nutritional information before purchasing any food items.
WANT TO FIND MORE LOW SUGAR OPTIONS?
Do you want to learn about some other low-sugar options at your favorite coffee chains, fast food, or restaurant joints, or just while you are shopping for groceries? If you do, then check out some of my other articles below: