In just a few more days, we will be celebrating Chinese New Year, and just like any other festive celebration, food will always be a huge part of it. All of us are aware that the calorie count of the food during CNY can be a bit high.
So let’s see what the caloric count of CNY foods is. To put things into perspective, let’s see how long you need to walk in order to burn them off.
Here’s how long you need to walk if you eat a specific type of CNY food, based on a guide provided by the Straits Times. The calorie count is based on a 55kg woman walking at a moderate pace.
1. Yee Sang (561 kcal per serving)
Source: pamper
Usually consisting of strips of raw fish, mixed with shredded vegetables, condiments and drizzled with a variety of sauces, this celebratory food is very popular among the Chinese community in Malaysia and Singapore.
In order to burn it off, you need to walk for two hours and 52 minutes. That’s a lot, but we can consider this a meal so it’s reasonable.
2. Pineapple Tart (93 kcal per piece)
Source: my kitchen
The buttery smell coupled with the tangy pineapple filling is always a delightful experience during CNY. However, do not binge on these as you might cause your blood sugar level to reach an all-time high.
In order to burn it off, you need to walk for 28 minutes.
3. Mandarin Orange (39 kcal per orange)
Source: fresh plaza
Most probably the healthiest CNY snack on the list. Mandarin oranges contain high levels of vitamins and nutrients. They are very low in fat too. But, don’t overeat as you might get a sore throat later.
In order to burn it off, you need to walk for 12 minutes.
4. Bak Kwa (370 kcal per slice)
Source: peng guan
Whenever it is almost Chinese New Year, you will see stalls popping up selling these everywhere. Eating these slices of sticky, chewy and sweet barbecued pork jerky can be heavenly, but bak kwa sneakily has the biggest calorie count. Also, you will definitely not makan one slice je. So watch out OK?
In order to burn off just one slice, you need to walk for a whopping one hour and 53 minutes.
5. Love Letter/ Kuih Kapit (56 kcal per piece)
Source: malaysian foodie
Another staple for CNY; this thin, crispy, crumbly and light snack is not actually light on the calorie count. So be wary when eating them, you might terlajak and eat a lot!
In order to burn it off, you need to walk for 17 minutes.
So now that you know how long you need to walk in order to burn off those calories you are going to accumulate this Chinese New Year, approach the feast carefully and enjoy the food in a moderate fashion. But most importantly, enjoy the moments shared with your loved ones.
Happy Chinese New Year from all of us at WOB!
Also read: PSA: You Are Not Allowed to Bring M’sian Bak Kwa into Singapore, Here’s Why
