Northern Zongzi vs. Southern Zongzi, guess which one has more fat? Nutritionist: Eat less oil, higher fiber, whole grain rice dumplings instead, and keep in mind the four dietary principles

The Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, and the aroma of rice dumplings is wafting through the streets. Do you like southern rice dumplings? Or northern rice dumplings? Guess, which one has more fat, the one from the south or the one from the north? Nutritionists recommend that to avoid eating too much fat and calories from meat dumplings, you might as well try eating improved dumplings that are low in oil and high in fiber, namely multi-grain dumplings, and keep in mind the 4 principles of diet matching, so that you can eat dumplings without gaining weight!

Guess, which one has more fat, the one from the south or the one from the north? (Photo courtesy of Cathay Healthcare)

The southern zongzi has a lower fat content, about 30% less fat than the northern zongzi.

Whether it is southern zongzi or northern zongzi, everyone has their own favorites! But the fat and calories eaten are a little different. Cathay Pacific Health Management nutritionist Hu Shuting said that depending on the filling and preparation method of the rice dumpling, a traditional meat rice dumpling weighing 175 grams has a calorie content of approximately 350-500 calories. The glutinous rice in northern zongzi is fried until half-cooked and then wrapped in zong leaves. In southern zongzi, raw glutinous rice is wrapped and then boiled in water. Therefore, southern zongzi contains about 30% less fat than northern zongzi.

It can be said that the fat calories in southern and northern zongzi are still not low. In order to enjoy eating zongzi without burdening yourself, it is recommended to eat improved multi-grain zongzi. Not only is it smaller in size, but it also uses whole grains rich in dietary fiber (such as black glutinous rice, brown rice, coix seed, snow lotus seeds, oats, etc.) instead of glutinous rice to make up for the weakness of traditional rice dumplings, which have low dietary fiber content. Using lean meat instead of pork belly, not stir-frying the glutinous rice, and not adding lard or shallots can reduce the calories by about 20-40% compared to traditional northern and southern rice dumplings.

4 dietary principles to eat Zongzi for health

Eating rice dumplings also requires a balanced diet. If you cannot make them yourself or buy improved multi-grain rice dumplings, you will also need to adjust the food and amount of cooking oil for the day due to the characteristics of traditional rice dumplings, which are high in sugar, oil and low in fiber. Nutritionist Hu Shuting provides the following four dietary principles to ensure that you can eat zongzi while taking care of your health:

Cathay Pacific Health Management nutritionist Hu Shuting said that southern rice dumplings have a lower oil content and about 30% less fat than northern rice dumplings. (Photo courtesy of Cathay Healthcare)

Whole grains rich in dietary fiber (such as black glutinous rice, brown rice, coix seeds, snow lotus seeds, oats, etc.) replace glutinous rice to make up for the weakness of traditional rice dumplings that have low dietary fiber content. (Photo courtesy of Cathay Healthcare)

1. Reduce the amount of food:

First of all, you should reduce your rice intake. The main ingredient of zongzi is glutinous rice, which belongs to the whole grain category. It is recommended to limit the consumption to one zongzi a day, and eat half a bowl to one bowl of rice on the same day.

2. Reduce the amount of cooking oil:

In order to reduce the amount of cooking oil, both traditional northern and southern rice dumplings are filled with fried fillings. In order to balance the daily fat intake, it is recommended to cook other meals by steaming, baking, braising or blanching.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables:

When eating rice dumplings, don’t forget to pair them with appropriate amounts of vegetables and fruits to increase dietary fiber. It is recommended to consume 1.5-2.5 bowls of cooked vegetables (or 3-5 bowls of lettuce) and about 1.5 to 3 bowls of fruit every day.

4. Reduce dipping sauce:

Patients with chronic diseases should be especially careful when eating rice dumplings and pay attention to the sodium content of the dipping sauces. A packet of ketchup in a fast food restaurant contains 196 and 405 mg of sodium in sweet and spicy sauce and soy sauce paste, which accounts for about 10-20% of the 2400 mg daily sodium intake of a healthy adult, and can easily cause high blood pressure. To avoid consuming too much sodium, it is recommended not to dip it in sauce or to use a moderate amount of sauce.

Nutritionist Hu Shuting finally reminded that glutinous rice is a food with a high glycemic index, which can easily cause blood sugar to rise rapidly and is difficult to digest. People with diabetes or gastrointestinal discomfort are advised to take small sips and pay attention to the amount consumed so that they can eat deliciously and healthily.