Chinese New Year Diet Killers

Thinking that you could finally begin your diet regime after the yuletide season? Not quite so, especially with the Chinese New Year celebrations just round the corner. In this season of family feasts and pervasive snacks, it is common to overindulge in festive goodies like pineapple tarts, love letters and bak kwa (barbequed pork slices).

Just as you might want to think twice about tucking into those delicious goodies sitting invitingly on the coffee table, you might want to know how most of these tiny, innocent looking snacks are actually packed high in fat, cholesterol and empty calories.

So before you look into the colourful tin container, check out this list containing a nutritional breakdown of some popular Chinese New Year snacks, courtesy of the Health Promotion Board:

Energy (Kcal) Protein Total Fat Saturated Fat Carbohydrate

Calorie counter

So just how much calories are you piling on from a day of snacking? Here is a guide to some of your favourite New Year treats.

Pineapple tarts

A familiar sight at every house, these bite-size treats are small buttery pastries generously topped with pineapple jam.

2 pieces of pineapple tarts (40g) contain 165 calories

Bak Kwa (barbequed pork)

Another traditional favourite, these sweet pieces of barbequed pork are a hot-seller every Chinese New Year.

1 piece of Bak Kwa (57g) contains 230 calories.

Love letters

Made primarily from eggs, sugar and flour, these sweet treats can be found in every household during Chinese New Year

3 pieces of love letters (40g) contains 170 calories.

Kueh Lapis

The yummy kueh lapis is a common snack during the festive season and involves painstakingly baking each layer of cake before completion.

1 slice of kueh lapis (50g) contains 240 calories.

Shrimp rolls

These little fried rolls are filled with savoury fillings made from dried prawns and chilli.

10 pieces of shrimp rolls (45g) contain 230 calories.

Kueh bangkit

This sweet tapioca rice flour cookie melts in your mouth not in your hands.

5 pieces of kueh bangkit (20g) contain 75 calories.

Kueh bulu

This sweet mini sponge cake is a favourite among children for its fluffy texture.

3 pieces of kueh bulu (30g) contain 100 calories.

Peanut puff

Deep fried pastries in the shape of curry puffs, these peanut puffs contain ground peanuts and sugar.

3 pieces (20g) contains 120 calories.