Nutrition Facts You Need to Know About Your Top 5 Chinese New Year Snacks
Chinese New Year (CNY) is finally approaching and we are all excited over the scrumptious meals or snacks during gatherings. From fragrant, savory bak kwa to buttery, flaky pineapple tarts, Chinese New Year treats contain a lot of sugar and oil, or even artificial flavoring. What’s worse is, most the these snacks are more calorific than a bowl of white rice. Check out the nutrition facts of your top 5 snacks this CNY:
- Bak Kwa
Eating by just a slice contains 370 calories, with 8g fat and 26g sugar. This will take you two hours and 15 mins of walking to burn off! Yikes
- Pineapple Tarts
Per serving (4 pieces) contains 14 teaspoons sugar – that’s more sugar than what’s in a can of coke. With about 373 calories in per serving, 18g fat and 27g of sugar. That will be 30 mins of running.
- Peanut Cookies
6 pieces of peanut cookies per serving, that’s about 306 calories, 16g fat, and 12g sugar. Be prepared to swim for 12 laps after munching on them!
- Love Letters “Kuih Kapit”
Not only they are pretty to look at, but they also taste amazing! But they’re also loaded with calories, 112 calories in a piece, 1.5g fat, and 5g sugar. What happens after taking a piece of a love letter? Oh nothing much, only 18 mins of stairs climbing to burn those calories off.
- Nian Gao
This Chinese sticky cake made with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and oil. One slice of 2cm Nian Gao contains 482 calories, 1g fat if steamed and 70g sugar. That’s about 2 bowls of rice!
Now you know the nutrition facts of your favorite CNY snacks, be mindful while enjoying them, exercise to burn the calories off to avoid weight gaining and drink more water. There are also plenty of healthier alternatives to enjoy during CNY like nuts, seeds, dried fruits, raisins or even whole-grain cookies. Not only they are natural foods, but they also consist of lesser calories and are rich in nutrients. Be smart while feasting!
Written by: Jasmine Lim
(Love Earth Nutritionist)
[Bachelor of Science Degree in Dietics (major) &
Food Science (minor) lowa State University, USA]
#LoveEarth #LoveLife #LoveOrganic
