From The Straits Times    |

Photo: 123rf

It’s the time of the year again for family gatherings, giving (or receiving) red packets and feasting on goodies. From fragrant, savoury bak kwa to buttery, flaky pineapple tarts, Chinese New Year (CNY) treats probably contain more calories than you think.

In fact, most of these bite-sized snacks are more calorific than a bowl of white rice. Yikes! Putting this into numbers, a standard bowl of white rice has 280 calories and it would take a 55kg woman close to 30 minutes of non-stop jogging to burn it off. Check out the calorie count of your favourite festive snacks – you might think twice about overindulging this CNY.

Calorie calculations are from MyFitnessPal and based on a 55kg woman.

 

Bak kwa

Photo: 123rf

Per serving (1 slice, 94g):
370 calories

Eating just one slice will take you two hours and 15 minutes of walking to burn off!
 

 

Kueh lapis

Photo: 123rf

Per serving (2 slices, 100g):
475 calories

Expect your blood sugar to spike when you eat kueh lapis, no thanks to the copious amounts of butter, flour and sugar in it. It’s best savoured occasionally.

 

Peanut cookies

Photo: 123rf

Per serving (6 pieces, 60g):
306 calories

Relish every bite of this crumbly, nutty treat because you’ll probably be thinking about how to work it off later.

 

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Pineapple tarts

Photo: 123rf

Per serving (4 pieces, 80g):
373 calories

Pineapple tarts are laden with sugar – each serving contains a whopping 14 teaspoons – that’s more sugar than what’s in a can of coke (330ml). 

 

Dried shrimp rolls (hae bee hiam)

Photo: Shape

Per serving (14 pieces, 63g):
319 calories

These crispy and spicy shrimp rolls are deep fried, making them high in saturated fat which can increase your bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.

 

Prawn crackers

Photo: 123rf

Per serving (80g):
339 calories

Exercise portion control – this snack usually comes in packets weighing 80 to 100g. Share this treat with your friends and family so you won’t overindulge.

 

Peanut sesame candy

Photo: Shape

Per serving (2 pieces, 86g):
436 calories

This sticky, chewy candy contains rock sugar – lots of it. It’s all about eating in moderation.

This article was first published on Shape

 

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