More luck, more wealth is what many of us want with the New Year. Not more health problems. So it is prudent to watch one's consumption of the goodies - many of them high in fat - or the doctor will get wealthy at your expense.
The key is moderation. Fat is not evil - as many women like to think. It is only unhealthy if you take too much of it, and especially if you consume too much of the 'bad' fat.
Yes, not all types of fat are made equal. Saturated fat is less healthy than unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). Saturated fat can increase the level of LDL cholesterol (dubbed 'bad' cholesterol) in the body, which increases the risk of heart disease.
Usually solid or waxy at room temperature, major sources of saturated fat include: 1) Animal fat like lard, fatty meat and red meat, skin of poultry 2) High-fat dairy products like full cream milk, butter, ghee 3) Foods prepared with palm-based vegetable oil 4) Dishes containing coconut milk or coconut cream
Fat is necessary in our diet. Besides being an energy source, it is a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, protects vital organs and provides essential fatty acids which cannot be made in the body, like omega 3.
Of course, while we need fat, too much of it harms our health. One of the main problems is that fat is a concentrated source of energy. Each gram of fat gives 9 calories, more than double what each gram of protein or carbohydrates gives (4 calories). And that is a key reason why even foods marked "low-fat" may be bad for one's diet.
A diet high in fat is likely to cause one to consume excess calories. According to the Health Promotion Board, the recommended total fat intake is between 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the total energy intake. Based on a 2000 kcal diet, the total fat allowance is about 55g to 65g per day.
So while it is all right to treat yourself to the New Year goodies - after all, it comes but once a year - do watch how much you eat. To give you an idea how insidious the damage can be, just note: five pineapple tarts will already give you about 20 g of fat (of which 11.5 g is saturated fat) - nearly 30 per cent of the average Singaporean male's daily allowance.
Men
Women
Energy (kcal/day)
2100
1700
Total fat (g/day)
70
56
Saturated fat (g/day)
21 or less
17 or less
Sugar (g/day)
52 or less
42 or less
Sodium (mg/day)
Less than 2000 (equivalent to 1tsp of salt)
Information above provided by the Health Promotion Board
Here are some of the common snacks you will find during Chinese New Year and and their nutritional content:
