8 Healthy Chinese New Year Goodies You Can Indulge in Guilt-Free
Key Takeaways:
Many traditional Chinese New Year goodies are bursting at the seams with added sugar, sodium, saturated fat, trans-fat, and calories.
To kickstart the Year of the Dragon on a healthy note, choose healthy Chinese New Year goodies that are low on the above. Examples include kueh bangkit, dried cuttlefish, and roasted seaweed sheets.
That said, even the healthiest Chinese New Year goodies still contain calories, added sugar, etc., no matter how minimal. So, do moderate your consumption regardless.
If you’re like most Singaporeans, your “plan of attack” during Chinese New Year home visits will look like this. Exchange mandarin oranges and festive greetings: 新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè), 恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái), etc.
Then, the feasting on traditional CNY goodies begins.
A slice of deliciously sticky, caramelized bak kwa disappears down your throat. Three perfectly sweet-and-jammy pineapple tarts follow, reduced to mere crumbs in the blink of an eye. And your “hit list” is far from complete. There’s still:
The perennial favorite, dried shrimp rolls
Airy love letters and
Buttery kueh lapis
Here’s the not-so-good news.
Your stomach may sigh in pleasure. But your body will scream from the onslaught of fat-promoting calories. Blood-glucose-spiking sugar. Not to mention, sodium and saturated fat, which are known to negatively impact blood pressure and cholesterol levels, respectively.
So, why head into the Year of the Dragon in such an unhealthy way? Why not choose to indulge in healthy Chinese New Year goodies instead?
Healthy Chinese New Year Goodies?
Before you scoff, know that “healthy Chinese New Year goodies” is not an oxymoron. In general, healthy CNY snacks will be low on four things.
Low in added sugar
A high consumption of added sugar is associated with significantly higher risks of 45 adverse health outcomes, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, gout, and early death — according to a 2023 review published in The BMJ.
This is why you should limit your sugar consumption to no more than 10% of your daily energy intake. For most adults, that is about 50 grams of sugar daily.
For reference, just one slice of bak kwa (added sugar content: 32 grams!) will push you dangerously close to your daily added sugar consumption limit. So, the verdict is in for this CNY staple: not healthy!
Low in sodium
Sodium is a flavor enhancer; it makes nearly all foods taste better.
But all the “mmms” and “ahhhs” you let out as you savor your heavily-salted food may come at a price. Research shows that an overconsumption of sodium in the diet could lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
It may also increase urinary calcium excretion, putting you at risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis.
So, how much sodium should you have?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming less than 2,000 mg of sodium (or less than a teaspoon of salt) daily.
Here’s an unfortunate truth.
When the Health Promotion Board (HPB) conducted the National Nutrition Survey in 2022, it found that a jaw-dropping nine in 10 Singapore residents exceeded the recommended intake of 2,000 mg of sodium.
Most Singaporeans already eat too much sodium. Like, way too much, at 3,620 mg daily, a concerning 1,620 mg over the recommended daily limit.
So, imagine adding the sodium content of traditional CNY goodies on top of that — FYI, you’ll find a whopping 160 mg of sodium lurking in one slice of kueh lapis — it’s like adding fuel to the fire.
Low in saturated and trans fats
A large body of research found that saturated fat intake increases heart disease factors, including LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. This is why the American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat consumption to a maximum of 5% to 6% of your daily energy intake.
So, this works out to about 13 grams of saturated fat for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Trans fat, on the other hand, is arguably worse for your health than saturated fat. It’s widely considered the worst type of fat you can eat because it has the double whammy effect of raising your “bad” cholesterol and lowering “good” cholesterol.
The WHO offers this chilling statistic: industrially produced trans-fat contributes to more than 278,000 deaths annually worldwide.
They recommend limiting trans-fat consumption to less than 1% of total calorie intake. Or less than 2.2 grams daily for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Given all that, you might appreciate knowing the saturated fat content of ten seemingly harmless-looking shrimp rolls. Ten grams!
And while we don’t have exact figures for how much trans-fat they contain, know that they’re likely worth paying attention to. After all, deep-fried foods often contain trans-fat because of the high temperatures at which they’re cooked.
Healthy CNY snacks
OK. So, what are some examples of healthy Chinese New Year goodies that are low in added sugar, sodium, and saturated and trans-fat?
You’ll find eight below (yes, we deliberately picked a “huat” number):
#1: Kueh Bangkit
Wikimedia Commons
These melt-in-your-mouth coconut cookies are lower in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium than most traditional CNY goodies, at 0.3 grams, 0.9 grams, and 2.6 mg per piece, respectively. They’re also relatively low in calories at 15 per pop.
#2: Dried cuttlefish
Wikimedia Commons
A satiating, high-protein snack that typically contains zero added sugar.
A 25-gram serving of Ken Ken Crispy Rolled Cuttlefish contains 71.25 calories, 11.15 grams of protein, and 0.88 grams of fat. While it is healthier than your usual sugary, buttery, traditional CNY goodies, you’ll still want to watch its sodium content; a 25-gram serving contains 307.5 mg of sodium.
#3: Dried fruits
These are a very rich source of heart-healthy dietary fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants.
Raisins, for example, are high in potassium, contributing to the maintenance of normal blood pressure. A 2008 study published in Lipids in Health and Disease found that adding raisins to the diet exerted distinct beneficial effects on participants’ cardiovascular disease risk.
However, overconsuming dried fruits can discount all the positives because they’re high in natural sugar and calories. So, watch your portions!
#4: Mandarin oranges
At your last house visit for the day? Don’t let those Mandarin oranges go to waste. They’re rich in dietary fiber and health-promoting nutrients, including:
Vitamin C: A vital nutrient for health. Your body needs vitamin C to produce collagen, absorb iron, support optimal immune function, neutralize harmful reactive oxygen species, and more.
Folate: Also known as vitamin B9. Essential in red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function.
Beta-carotene: An antioxidant that your body converts to vitamin A, which supports eye, skin, and immune health.
And unlike dried fruits, you won’t have to worry about “accidentally” overindulging in Mandarin oranges — their high water content makes them incredibly satiating.
#5: Nuts
As a substitute for traditional CNY goodies brimming with added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium, nuts are a great choice as they’re rich in heart-healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Just take a look at this 2023 review published in Food Reviews International.
The researchers found that healthy individuals and those with elevated lipid levels who consumed 50 to 100 grams of nuts five times weekly significantly reduced their LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.
Need another reason to go nuts for nuts during CNY? Their auspicious significance; case in point:
Peanuts (花生): Signifies “abundance”.
Walnuts (核桃): Signify “harmony” and “reunion”.
Pistachios (开心果): Signifies “happiness”.
Almonds (杏仁): Signifies a “bright future ahead”.
#6: Watermelon seeds
These are low in calories and nutrient-dense. More specifically, they’re a good source of:
“Good” fats: Watermelon seeds are rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help lower your “bad” cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease risk.
Magnesium: Your body needs magnesium to maintain nerve and muscle function, plus immune, heart, and bone health.
Zinc: Necessary for your senses of taste and smell, cell regrowth and division, along with normal functioning of your body’s digestive and nervous systems.
#7: Roasted seaweed sheets
Looking for something crunchy without the associated trans-fat content brought about by high cooking temperatures?
Then look no further than roasted seaweed sheets.
These crispy delights are packed with nutrients, including magnesium, iron, and potassium. And because they’re roasted, not fried, they’re generally lower in fat and calorie content than your usual traditional CNY goodies.
Just be sure to look out for low-sodium versions.
#8: Sugar-free drinks
If you’re thirsty from all the catching up with your family and friends, skip the sugary drinks and alcohol. Instead, go for sugar-free drinks, such as no-sugar-added teas (e.g., green tea, oolong tea, and Chinese tea), lemon water, and diet sodas.
A few more tips for the festive period
Now that you have a handy list of healthy Chinese New Year goodies let’s cover three more tips that’ll help you stay healthy during the festive season:
Don’t starve yourself in preparation for the CNY feasting: Hunger may increase your cravings for high-fat, high-sugar traditional Chinese New Year goodies, making you more prone to overeating (e.g., continuously shoving handfuls of nuts into your mouth instead of stopping at one or two). To bolster your chances of making wise nutritional choices, eat a nutritious, well-balanced meal before visiting friends and family members.
Moderate your consumption regardless: The dose makes the poison. Healthy as they may be, healthy Chinese New Year goodies still contain calories, added sugar, etc., no matter how minimal. It all adds up.
Make time to exercise: This helps you burn off the calories and increases your body’s sensitivity to blood-sugar-lowering insulin. Have a packed, morning-to-night visiting schedule? Some ideas that could help you “sneak” some much-needed exercise include carrying your nieces or nephews around the house, taking the stairs instead of the lift, and offering to walk the family dog if your relatives have one.
To sum it up, you can enjoy the CNY festivities without compromising on your health.
On that note, the CNY period is not just angbaos, cozy reunion dinners, and mouth-watering snacks — it’s also about charting a course for the New Year ahead.
And if you’d like to take control of your health in the Year of the Dragon, check out NOVI’s fully customizable Health Screening packages. Receive valuable, clear post-screening advice to help you start and end the year healthier than ever.