During Chinese New Year celebrations, gathering with family while enjoying various dishes together is an inseparable tradition.
Various typical Chinese New Year foods ranging from basket cakes, semprong cakes, mandarin oranges and many more, are usually served on the table.
Even though they are delicious, you should still not consume these foods in excess. It’s possible that your daily calorie intake will actually be in surplus.
“If you want to lose weight, it can help you calculate your daily food intake. In people with obesity, it can also help them lose weight,” he explained further.
The following is the nutritional and calorie content of typical Chinese New Year foods that you need to pay attention to.
1. Basket Cake
This food is made from sticky rice flour, sugar, and oil. Its delicious and sweet taste is loved by everyone.
However, be careful if you eat too much. You need to pay attention to the calorie content of basket cakes.
One piece of basket cake (20 grams) contains 47 calories, 0.1 grams of fat, and 7 grams of sugar. 100 grams of basket cake can even contain 148 kcal. According to Dr. Dyah, the calorie content will be higher if it is processed by frying.
However, despite being high in calories, Nian Gao cake is rich in complex carbohydrates which provide sustainable energy.
Additionally, although not high in protein or fiber, Nian Gao can be a quick source of energy.
2. Semprong Cake
The savory taste of semprong cake made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar can sometimes make you forget yourself.
For those of you who want to lose weight, keep semprong cakes out of reach on Chinese New Year.
The calories in semprong cake are quite high. Eating just two pieces of semprong will add 112 calories to the body.
3. Legit Lapis Cake
Legit layer cake can be eaten at any time of the year. However, during the Chinese New Year, this cake made from butter, eggs and sugar must be provided or sent to relatives.
One slice of legit layer cake (50 gr) can contribute 259 calories and 11.28 grams of fat to your body. So, don’t eat too much of this Chinese New Year food, the calories in legit layers are quite large!
4. Cupcakes
Cupcakes are moist cakes that are famous for their sweet taste and soft texture.
Cupcakes are made from rice flour and sago flour which are usually added with food coloring to enhance their appearance.
Because it is made from flour with a sweet taste, the sugar content in cupcakes is very high, so the calories are also quite large. 100 grams of cupcakes contain around 369 calories.
5. Moon Cake
Mooncakes are also a typical Chinese New Year food whose calorie count you need to be aware of. 50 grams of mooncake contains around 214 kcal.
However, even though they are high in calories and fat, mooncakes also provide some protein and fiber, especially from fillings such as nuts or salted eggs.
6. Yusheng
This dish consists of raw fish salad mixed with chopped carrots, white radishes, crackers, nuts, and served with sauce.
A serving of yusheng (360 gr) can contain 550 calories, 42 grams of fat and 16 grams of sugar. If you eat two portions of this Chinese New Year food, you can get more than 1000 calories.
However, as a raw fish salad, Yee Sang is a food rich in omega-3s from fish, as well as vitamins and minerals from fresh vegetables. It also contains fiber which is good for digestion.
7. Onde-Onde
This market snack also turns out to be a favorite when celebrating Chinese New Year. The calorie content of onde-onde is around 336 per 100 grams.
Even though it is sometimes served in small form, the use of sugar and oil means that individual consumption needs to be limited, especially if you are on a diet.
8. Nastar
Not only popular during the Eid holiday, nastar cake is also one of the mainstay cakes during Chinese New Year. The deliciousness of pineapple cake can make you forget yourself and not feel like you have eaten it in pieces.
In fact, two pieces of nastar contain 165 calories, 8 grams of fat and 12 grams of sugar. That’s quite a lot of calories, isn’t it, if you eat more than four pieces.
9. Sago cake
In some areas, sago cake is known as risen cake. This food is made from tapioca flour, sago, sugar and coconut milk. Apart from Chinese New Year, this cake is also popular before Eid, Christmas or other holidays.
Even though the calorie content of risen cake is not as big as nastar, you still have to limit your intake. Eating two slices of sago cake contributes 50 calories, 14 grams of fat and 2 grams of sugar. If cheese is added, the calories of this Chinese New Year food can be greater.
10. Bakkwa
Bakkwa is not only popular during the Chinese New Year holiday, but is also popular throughout the year. This jerky is made from pork marinated in soy sauce, sugar, and honey.
The mixture of flavors makes the bakkwa so delicious that anyone will be addicted to eating it.
However, you need to be aware of the calories in pork jerky, because one piece of bakkwa contains 230 calories, 7.8 grams of fat, and 25 grams of sugar.
11. Sumpia
The calorie content of the mini version of sumpia or spring rolls per 25 grams is 120 calories. The size is small, so it is suitable as a snack with the family on big holidays, including Chinese New Year.
However, its savory taste can make you forget how many pieces of choppia you have eaten. If you eat 5 pieces of chopsticks, that means 600 calories enter your body, you know!
Apart from sumpia, during Chinese New Year you also often find Semarang spring roll snacks. The content of Semarang spring rolls is no less high, namely around 100 – 200 kcal per fruit.
Providing fiber from vegetables, spring rolls can also be a source of protein from chicken or shrimp filling. However, pay attention to processing methods that can increase the fat content, OK?
12. Spikoe
Spikoe or what is now known as Surabaya layer cake is a baked cake consisting of 3 layers of cake.
Usually, the cake layers are yellow and brown. Each layer is filled with filling, such as strawberry jam.
The calorie content of spikoe per piece or around 50 grams is 26 calories and 17 grams of fat. Enjoying a few slices of this cake plus other typical Chinese New Year foods can increase your body’s calorie intake.
13. Bakpao
Bakpao is a typical Chinese New Year food that is usually filled with various flavors, ranging from chicken, mushrooms, and chocolate, to green beans.
Because it is made from wheat flour, the calories in buns are quite large. The number of calories in 100 grams of buns reaches 130 kcal.
Bakpao provides carbohydrates, depending on the contents, can also be a source of protein. However, you still need to pay attention to the sugar and fat content.
14. Dim sum
Another typical Chinese New Year food whose calories you need to be aware of is Dimsum. 100 grams of dim sum contains 40-100 kcal.
However, the calorie content depends on the type. The calories in fried dim sum can also be greater than steamed dim sum.
In 1 piece of fried dim sum (50 grams), it contains 116 calories and 160 mg of sodium. If you consume one portion of dim sum, the calories of 4 pieces of dim sum can contribute around 464 calories.
To make it more nutritious, you can choose steamed dim sum filled with vegetables and chicken to make it richer in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
15. Peking Duck
Peking Duck is also a typical food that is usually eaten as a big meal at Chinese New Year celebrations.
The calorie content of duck is well known, per 100 grams it contains 178 kcal. Even though it is high in protein, Peking Duck also contains fat, especially in the skin.
So that the saturated fat content can be maintained, make sure you consume Peking duck wisely.
16. Angsio Tofu
If you want to eat healthy snacks, you might choose the tofu angsio menu. This is a typical Chinese New Year food containing tofu and other stir-fried vegetables.
Tofu is a good source of vegetable protein, low in fat and cholesterol. Coupled with vegetables, Angsio Tofu is a healthy choice that is rich in nutrients.
However, make sure you don’t eat too much. Because one portion of tofu langsio contains up to 120 calories.
If you eat with rice and other side dishes, of course, the calorie content will be higher.
17. Black Pepper Beef
Not only during Chinese New Year but whenever you consume black pepper beef, it’s best not to overdo it. The calories in this food are quite high, namely around 175 calories per 100 grams.
However, the black pepper beef diet is a source of high-quality protein, which also provides iron and zinc. Meanwhile, the fat content depends on the cut of meat used.
Even if you only consume small amounts, the list of foods above contains calories that you need to pay attention to your intake. Especially if you are on a diet program.
