• Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Beauty Awards
  • Weddings
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Makeup
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Body & Fragrances
    • Aesthetics & Services
    • Best Of Beauty
    • Reviews
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
    • Trends & Tips
    • Style Files
    • Watches & Jewellery
  • Life
    • Life
    • Food
    • Entertainment
    • Wellness
    • Travel
    • Tech
    • Sex & Love
  • Women
    • Women
    • Women Now
    • Career
    • Money
  • #HERWORLDHERSTORY
  • Weddings
    • Weddings
    • Gowns & Suits
    • Ideas & Advice
    • Real Weddings
    • Love Nest
    • Luxe
  • Beauty Awards
  • SPA AWARDS
  • HAIR AWARDS
  • Woman of the year
  • Age Is Just A Number
  • Video
  • Showcase
    • SingHealth 2020: Defining Tomorrow’s Medicine
    • Dior Capture Totale
Subscribe!
  • Also available at:
Privacy Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising with Us
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Statement
SPH Media

MCI (P) 049/10/2021. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2022 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.

  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Life
  • Women
  • Beauty Awards
  • Weddings

Food

How many calories are in your favourite CNY snacks?

W / Wellness

How many calories are in your favourite CNY snacks?

The sugar and fat in Chinese New Year goodies can really add up. This nutrient guide of popular treats, from bak kwa to pineapple tarts, can help you decide what, and how much, to indulge in

by SASHA GONZALES  /   January 31, 2022
cny diet calorie

All images: 123rf

During this Chinese New Year season, you’re going to be eating a whole lot of food (read: snacks), and not the healthy kind. What’s a girl to do? It’s not like you can refuse the goodies offered by well-meaning relatives, and you definitely can’t turn down those lo hei opportunities from your family and colleagues. We all can do with more luck and prosperity, right?

Celebrations are more fun when there’s plenty of food around, but if you’re watching your weight or trying to eat healthier, it helps to know what ingredients are in those foods. Here, our breakdown of popular Lunar New Year treats can help you make better decisions when it comes to what – and how much – to eat.

READ NEXT

8 best places to have an indulgent CNY reunion dinner

The yummiest CNY goodies to get this year

Luxurious yu sheng and pen cai options for CNY 2022

https://www.herworld.com/gallery/life/wellness/calories-chinese-new-year-snacks/
How many calories are in your favourite CNY snacks?
PEANUTS (IN THE SHELL)
image

Peanuts have good amounts of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, but they are also high in calories. Compared to most other Chinese New Year snacks, peanuts are healthy as they contain protein and some vitamins, but eating too many can make you pack on the pounds. It’s best to eat no more than a small handful.

Breakdown (20g portion):

Calories – 113
Fat – 10g
Sugar – 0.8g

LOVE LETTERS
image

This crisp, rolled cookie is made with coconut milk, flour, sugar and eggs. Because love letters are so light tasting and melt in your mouth in seconds, it’s easy to assume that they’re low in calories, but surprise, they are actually calorie bombs.

Breakdown (2 rolls):

Calories – 112
Fat – 2.1g
Sugar – 9.9g

BAK KWA
image

Made from minced pork blended with salt, soya sauce, sugar and honey, this barbecued pork jerky is sticky, chewy and oh-so moreish. It’s impossible to stop at one slice, but you should, because this treat is high in saturated fat and sugar. Here’s a shocking fact: Just two slices of bak kwa have almost the same number of calories as a plate of chicken rice!

Breakdown (one square slice):

Calories – 229
Fat – 7.8g
Sugar – 24.5g

(Here are “9 Unusual Bak Kwa Flavours To Try This CNY“)

MINI PEANUT PUFFS
image

Also known as kok chai, these fried snacks are Cantonese in origin. The pastry is made with flour, eggs and fat (butter, margarine or lard), and the filling contains peanuts, sesame seeds, sugar and oil. Commercial peanut puffs are usually deep-fried in palm oil.

Breakdown (four puffs):

Calories – 156

OPEN-FACE PINEAPPLE TARTS
image

The pineapple filling is high in sugar, while the pastry, which contains flour, butter and eggs, is high in fat. Don’t be deceived by their small size – too many of these fruity, buttery treats can lead to weight gain. If you make your own tarts, you can control the amount of sugar in the filling. Local bakery, Delcie’s Desserts and Cakes (www.delcies.com) makes eggless pineapple tarts as well eggless and low-sugar pineapple balls.

Breakdown (one 20g tart):

Calories – 82
Fat – 4g
Sugar – 6g

DRIED SHRIMP ROLLS
image

These tiny, spring roll-like snacks are made with dried prawns, chillies, garlic, oil, salt and sugar. Unless they are homemade, they are likely to have been deep-fried in palm oil, which, due to its high saturated fat content, can increase one’s risk of heart disease. The high sodium content can also contribute to that risk.

Breakdown (45g portion or 10 rolls):

Calories – 228
Fat – 14g
Sugar – 2g

KUEH BANGKIT
image

Like love letters, these traditional cookies melt instantly on the tongue and are easy to eat. The main ingredients in kueh bangkit are coconut cream, sugar, tapioca starch and flour.

Breakdown (two cookies, about 6g each):

Calories – 46
Fat – 2g
Sugar – 2g

CASHEW COOKIES
image

These bite-size cookies contain butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and of course, cashew nuts, making them high in fat and sugar. Tip: You’re better off satisfying your cashew craving with a small handful of dry roasted, unsalted cashew nuts.

Breakdown (one cookie):

Calories – 62

YU SHENG
image

Slices of raw fish, salad vegetables, spices, sesame seeds… It all sounds healthy, but add the plum sauce, oil and “golden pillow” crackers, and you’ve got one high-fat, high-sugar appetiser on your hands. Fortunately, you can control the nutritional value of this popular dish by reducing the amount of oil and plum sauce used, using less pickles, adding more veggies, and replacing half or all of the crunchy crackers with unsalted nuts. Get chef-recommended tips to make a healthier yu sheng here.

Breakdown (one 385g portion):

Calories – 560
Fat – 42g
Sugar – 15g

NIAN GAO
image

This Chinese sticky cake is made with glutinous rice flour, sugar and oil. It can be eaten steamed, which is of course the healthier option, but it is typically served pan-fried (after being dipped in egg).

Breakdown (one 20g steamed slice):

Calories – 46
Fat – 0.1g
Sugar – 7g

MANDARIN ORANGES
image

These are by far the healthiest of all the Chinese New Year treats, as they are unprocessed, low in fat, and contain vitamins and minerals. But, as they are high in natural sugar (fructose), you should avoid going overboard.

Breakdown (one whole orange):

Calories – 50
Fat – 0.3g
Sugar – 10.6g

BANANA CHIPS
image

These are deep-fried before being coated with honey or sugar syrup, making them high in fat and sugar calories.

Breakdown (100g portion):

Calories – 510
Fat – 14.9g

DRIED MELON SEEDS
image

They are small and minimally processed, so they can’t be that bad, right? Unfortunately, like other seeds and nuts, melon seeds are fattening if consumed in large quantities – and they usually are, so try not to eat the whole bag.

Breakdown (100g portion):

Calories – 258

Healthy snacking tips for the festive period
image

The average person requires about 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day, depending on his or her activity level. Munching on festive goodies all day long can easily cause you to exceed this limit, so be mindful about your snack selections and portion sizes.

According to the Health Promotion Board, a 60kg person would have to jog for about 21 minutes to burn off the calories in just three love letters, 31 minutes to burn off the calories in three pineapple tarts, and 47 minutes to burn off the calories in a 94g slice of bak kwa. That’s a fair bit of exercise to negate the calories from those easy-to-eat snacks!

1. Have some healthy bites before heading out
image

Do not show up at someone’s house on an empty stomach. You’ll just be setting yourself up for a day of binge eating. Before you head out to visit family and friends, or in-between visits, fill your tummy with something healthy, like a banana, a bowl of high-fibre cereal, an omelette, or a yogurt smoothie.

2. Use a small plate
image

This will help you manage your portion sizes better.

3. Eat slowly
image

Your brain takes about 20 minutes to register that your stomach is full, so the longer you take to eat, the less you will eat.

4. Watch your beverage intake
image

A few glasses or beer or wine can push your calorie intake over the limit. Stick to sparkling water, diet soft drinks, or plain tea or coffee. If you really must have a glass of alcohol, sip on it slowly to make it last.

Read Next

The prettiest CNY 2022 red packet designs to get your hands on

8 Yu Sheng platters for Lo Hei this Chinese New Year

10 low-calorie foods that are incredibly filling

  • TAGS:
  • calories
  • chinese new year
  • cny 2022
  • cny goodies
  • CNY snacks
  • diet tips
  • healthy eating
SHARE THIS ON

T / Trending

Life

SingHealth professionals share their top health tips

Life

Don't be surprised to see these yoga trends in 2022

Life

Pelvic Venous Disorder was causing her so much pain but doctors d...

Life

A hunky doctor on why he chose to specialise in beauty and wellne...

Life

Are you overusing paracetamol? What a doc wants you to know

Life

Review: Why Oasia Resort Sentosa is the weekend wellness retreat ...

Life

The 6 Best Ergonomic Pillows For Your Neck And Your Back

Life

How to be at peace with being alone

Life

How to find out which type of yoga is perfect for you

Life

How to say no — a guide to setting boundaries and how to stick wi...

Life

No-equipment booty exercises for a shapelier butt

Life

7 bedroom essentials for a good night's rest

Editor’s Picks
  • Food Singapore hawker foods to avoid if you're on a diet (and ...
  • Life Is vagina steaming safe? Here's what you need to know
  • Beauty Review: A Japanese Yunomori onsen and spa hidden in Kallang
Newsletter Subscribe
Sign up for one of our free newsletters to receive the latest news, commentary and fashion features straight from Her World.

By signing up, you indicate that you have read and agreed with our Privacy Statement
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • PDPA
  • Conditions of Access
  • Privacy Statement
?>">
SPH Media

MCI (P) 049/10/2021. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2022 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.