Kung Pao chicken vs. General tso's chicken — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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by Victoria Mazmanyan | Last updated on November 10, 2022

Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Summary

General Tso’s chicken is made by deep-frying chicken in batter, while Kung Pao chicken is stir-fried.

General Tso is considerably higher in calories, protein, fats, cholesterol, and net carbs. General Tso’s chicken is also richer in vitamin K, vitamins B12 and B2, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus.

Kung Pao chicken is a better source of vitamin A, vitamin C, copper, and manganese.

Table of contents

Introduction

History and Origin

Ingredients and Preparation

Nutrition

Macronutrients and Calories

Calories
Protein
Fats
Carbohydrates

Vitamins

Minerals

Health Impact

References

Introduction

Kung Pao and General Tso’s chicken are two popular dishes you can get at many Chinese restaurants. Both consist mainly of diced-up chicken, served with various other ingredients, but what sets them apart? This article will answer this and other questions by comparing Kung Pao chicken with General Tso’s chicken.

History and Origin

Kung Pao chicken, also spelled as Gong Bao or Kung Po, originates in the Sichuan province of China. It has since spread all across China and the West.

The origins of General Tso’s chicken are a little more uncertain. It is said to be named after Zuo Zongtang of the Qing dynasty; however, the dish did not exist in his time. There are competing claims for the origin of General Tso’s chicken. Regardless of the story, General Tso’s chicken is rooted in the Hunanese cuisine of China with American influence.

Ingredients and Preparation

Kung Pao is stir-fried cubed chicken in sauce, usually served with peanuts and vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, red or green pepper, mushrooms, onions, and others. Except for chicken, the ingredients of Kung Pao can greatly vary based on the version.

The chicken in General Tso is not only cubed and mixed with a sauce but also covered in batter and deep fried. General Tso’s chicken meat is usually of darker cuts, such as thighs. This dish can also be served with vegetables, usually broccoli.

Kung Pao tends to be spicier, while General Tso’s chicken can have more of a sweet taste to it.

Nutrition

The nutritional information below is presented for Kung Pao and General Tso’s chicken dishes from Chinese restaurants. Rice was not included in the dishes; however, ingredients and amount of breading and sauce vary by restaurant.

The nutrition of the Kung Pao chicken dish can include carrots, broccoli, red or green pepper, mushrooms, onion, and celery. General Tso’s chicken can include broccoli and red pepper.

The infographics provide information based on 100g servings of these dishes. However, one average order of Kung Pao chicken weighs 604g, while one General Tso’s chicken order weighs 535g.

Macronutrients and Calories

General Tso is much denser in nutrients compared to the Kung Pao chicken dish, potentially due to the added water content of the carrots in Kung Pao chicken.

General Tso’s chicken contains 46% water and 54% nutrients, while Kung Pao chicken consists of 75% water.

Calories

Naturally, being denser in overall nutrients, General Tso’s chicken is much higher in calories. General Tso’s chicken provides over two times more calories compared to Kung Pao chicken.

Both dishes are very high-calorie foods. One average order of Kung Pao chicken provides 780 calories, while one order of General Tso’s chicken contains 1580 calories.

Protein

Compared to Kung Pao chicken, General Tso’s chicken is around 2g richer in protein per 100g serving.

The protein found in both General Tso and Kung Pao chicken is of high quality. One order of either of these dishes covers the daily needed values of all essential amino acids.

Naturally, General Tso’s chicken is higher in all essential amino acids compared to Kung Pao chicken.

Fats

General Tso’s chicken is also over two times higher in fats and cholesterol than Kung Pao chicken.

General Tso is higher in all three types of fatty acids - saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.

Carbohydrates

Kung Pao chicken contains 3.5 times fewer carbohydrates compared to General Tso’s chicken.

General Tso’s chicken is high in net carbs, mostly due to the cornstarch found in the sauce and batter. This dish is 4 times higher in starch than Kung Pao chicken.

Kung Pao chicken is slightly higher in dietary fiber due to the added vegetables.

Vitamins

It’s hard to choose a definitive winner in this category as the two dishes are rich in different vitamins.

General Tso’s chicken is a better source of vitamin K, vitamin B12, and vitamin B2.

At the same time, Kung Pao chicken is richer in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Kung Pao chicken

General tso's chicken

Contains more Vitamin A +1281.9%

Contains more Vitamin C +343.8%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +18.5%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +20.3%

Contains more Folate +45.5%

Contains more Vitamin E +18.6%

Contains more Vitamin D +∞%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +114.5%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +23.4%

Contains more Vitamin B12 +100%

Contains more Vitamin K +180.9%

Equal in Vitamin B3 - 2.853

Kung Pao chicken

General tso's chicken

Contains more Vitamin A +1281.9%

Contains more Vitamin C +343.8%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +18.5%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +20.3%

Contains more Folate +45.5%

Contains more Vitamin E +18.6%

Contains more Vitamin D +∞%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +114.5%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +23.4%

Contains more Vitamin B12 +100%

Contains more Vitamin K +180.9%

Equal in Vitamin B3 - 2.853

Minerals

The two chicken dishes are similar in mineral content. However, Kung Pao chicken is higher in copper, magnesium, and calcium.

General Tso’s chicken contains more iron due to the darker cuts of the meat used. It is also richer in phosphorus and zinc.

Kung Pao and General Tso’s chicken are similarly high in sodium.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Kung Pao chicken

General tso's chicken

Contains more Calcium +66.7%

Contains more Magnesium +33.3%

Contains more Copper +58.7%

Contains more Manganese +241.3%

Contains more Iron +52.6%

Contains more Phosphorus +35.1%

Contains more Zinc +75.7%

Contains more Selenium +77.8%

Equal in Potassium - 201

Equal in Sodium - 435

Kung Pao chicken

General tso's chicken

Contains more Calcium +66.7%

Contains more Magnesium +33.3%

Contains more Copper +58.7%

Contains more Manganese +241.3%

Contains more Iron +52.6%

Contains more Phosphorus +35.1%

Contains more Zinc +75.7%

Contains more Selenium +77.8%

Equal in Potassium - 201

Equal in Sodium - 435

Health Impact

While Kung Pao and General Tso’s chicken can be good sources of protein, vitamins, and minerals, they are also high in saturated fats, net carbs, and sodium, which may have adverse effects on health.

Cardiovascular Health

Overall, high consumption of fried food has been researched to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular mortality, and cancer incidence (1, 2). However, compared to shallow-fried food, lower amounts of deep-fried food were found to lead to the same increased risk of coronary heart disease (1).

Diabetes

Frequent consumption of fried food has also been associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (3, 4).

References

Author name: Victoria Mazmanyan

Education: General Medicine at YSMU

Last updated: November 10, 2022

Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

Infographic

Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Kung Pao chicken

General tso's chicken

Contains more Water +65.6%

Contains more Protein +32.2%

Contains more Fats +134.4%

Contains more Carbs +249.2%

Equal in Other - 1.6

Kung Pao chicken

Protein: 9.76 g

Fats: 6.98 g

Carbs: 6.87 g

Water: 74.78 g

Other: 1.61 g

General tso's chicken

Protein: 12.9 g

Fats: 16.36 g

Carbs: 23.99 g

Water: 45.15 g

Other: 1.6 g

Contains more Water +65.6%

Contains more Protein +32.2%

Contains more Fats +134.4%

Contains more Carbs +249.2%

Equal in Other - 1.6

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Kung Pao chicken

General tso's chicken

Contains less Saturated Fat -51%

Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +78.5%

Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +148.4%

Kung Pao chicken

Saturated Fat: 1.352 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 2.173 g

Polyunsaturated fat: 3.02 g

General tso's chicken

Saturated Fat: 2.76 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 3.879 g

Polyunsaturated fat: 7.501 g

Contains less Saturated Fat -51%

Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +78.5%

Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +148.4%

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Kung Pao chicken

General tso's chicken

Contains more Starch +367.6%

Contains more Sucrose +462.4%

Equal in Glucose - 0.62

Equal in Fructose - 0.51

Kung Pao chicken

Starch: 2.53 g

Sucrose: 1.86 g

Glucose: 0.63 g

Fructose: 0.54 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

General tso's chicken

Starch: 11.83 g

Sucrose: 10.46 g

Glucose: 0.62 g

Fructose: 0.51 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

Contains more Starch +367.6%

Contains more Sucrose +462.4%

Equal in Glucose - 0.62

Equal in Fructose - 0.51

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.


Lower in Sugar
Lower in Sodium
Lower in Cholesterol
Lower in Saturated Fat
Lower in Glycemic Index
Lower in price	Equal
Rich in minerals	Equal
Rich in vitamins	Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient			Opinion
Net carbs	5.37g	23.09g
Protein	9.76g	12.9g
Fats	6.98g	16.36g
Carbs	6.87g	23.99g
Calories	129kcal	295kcal
Starch	2.53g	11.83g
Fructose	0.54g	0.51g
Sugar	3.03g	11.6g
Fiber	1.5g	0.9g
Calcium	20mg	12mg
Iron	0.76mg	1.16mg
Magnesium	24mg	18mg
Phosphorus	94mg	127mg
Potassium	218mg	201mg
Sodium	402mg	435mg
Zinc	0.74mg	1.3mg
Copper	0.073mg	0.046mg
Manganese	0.256mg	0.075mg
Selenium	8.1µg	14.4µg
Vitamin A	1299IU	94IU
Vitamin A RAE	65µg	11µg
Vitamin E	1.02mg	1.21mg
Vitamin D	0IU	6IU
Vitamin D	0µg	0.2µg
Vitamin C	7.1mg	1.6mg
Vitamin B1	0.032mg	0.027mg
Vitamin B2	0.055mg	0.118mg
Vitamin B3	2.757mg	2.853mg
Vitamin B5	0.5mg	0.617mg
Vitamin B6	0.243mg	0.202mg
Folate	16µg	11µg
Vitamin B12	0.11µg	0.22µg
Vitamin K	13.6µg	38.2µg
Tryptophan	0.118mg	0.142mg
Threonine	0.407mg	0.552mg
Isoleucine	0.431mg	0.564mg
Leucine	0.775mg	1.026mg
Lysine	0.449mg	1.089mg
Methionine	0.24mg	0.332mg
Phenylalanine	0.402mg	0.563mg
Valine	0.47mg	0.607mg
Histidine	0.265mg	0.333mg
Cholesterol	26mg	53mg
Trans Fat	0.034g	0.09g
Saturated Fat	1.352g	2.76g
Omega-3 - DHA	0.003g	0.005g
Omega-3 - EPA	0.003g	0.005g
Omega-3 - DPA	0.004g	0.006g
Monounsaturated Fat	2.173g	3.879g
Polyunsaturated fat	3.02g	7.501g
Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid	0.005g	0.011g
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid	2.688g	6.47g
Omega-6 - Gamma-linoleic acid	0.002g	0.005g
Omega-3 - ALA	0.244g	0.84g
Omega-3 - Eicosatrienoic acid	0g	0.001g
Omega-6 - Dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid	0.005g	0.01g

Which food is preferable for your diet?

Low Fats diet

Low Carbs diet

Low Calories diet

Low Glycemic Index diet

is better in case of low diet


Low Fats diet
Low Carbs diet
Low Calories diet
Low Glycemic Index diet

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).

Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score

28%

29%

Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

29%

33%

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?

Kung Pao chicken is lower in Sugar (difference - 8.57g)

Which food contains less Sodium?

Kung Pao chicken contains less Sodium (difference - 33mg)

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?

Kung Pao chicken is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 27mg)

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?

Kung Pao chicken is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 1.408g)

Which food is lower in glycemic index?

General tso's chicken is lower in glycemic index (difference - 55)

Which food is cheaper?

The foods are relatively equal in price ($)

Which food is richer in minerals?

It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

Which food is richer in vitamins?

It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.