A Suzhou-style mooncake contains a lot of oil, which takes 20,000 steps to burn.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, when families celebrate family reunion, the tempting golden mooncakes are often hard to resist! In the past, people generally believed that Cantonese-style mooncakes had the highest calories, but this may have to be reconsidered. This year, nutritionists remind us that Su-style mooncakes, which are wrapped in a layer of oil skin and a layer of water surface, have the highest oil content on the outer skin. Once you eat one, half of it is oil. If you eat too much carelessly, the calories will increase dramatically.

The Suzhou-style mooncakes, which are wrapped in layers of oily skin, are high in fat. After eating one, you may need to walk 20,000 steps to burn it all off.

The National Health Bureau of the Department of Health commissioned the National Federation of Nutritionists Associations to conduct a calorie analysis on 24 types of mooncakes on the market. The results showed that the fat content and calories of Su-style mooncakes and Cantonese-style mooncakes are not low, and the Su-style mooncakes are even higher. The average calorie content of a mooncake is about 500 calories, which is equivalent to eating a bento. The fat and calories are considerable, and it takes 20,000 steps to completely consume them.

Jin Huimin, president of the National Federation of Nutritionists, pointed out that taking a Suzhou-style mooncake, which weighs about 170 grams and is about the size of a crab shell, as an example, nearly half of it is oil and has a calorie content of 500 calories, which requires 20,000 steps of walking to burn off. In terms of the choice of fillings, five-nut paste containing walnuts, pine nuts, etc. has higher calories than jujube paste, while mung bean paste and white bean paste have relatively lower calories, but because nuts are good for health, they can be consumed in moderation.

The fat content of Cantonese mooncakes is about 20-35% of the weight of the mooncake. The smaller the volume and weight, the lower the fat ratio. A small mooncake of about 50 grams contains about 15 grams of fat. A medium-sized mooncake with a diameter of 7 cm and about 130 grams contains about 30 grams of fat, which is more than 1/2 of the cooking oil used by the average person in a day. The most common Taiwanese mooncake is the mung bean paste. The snow-white, multi-layered crust is similar to that of the Suzhou mooncake, while the filling is white (green) bean paste and meat stuffing fried with butter or lard. The amount of fat in the mooncake is about 15-25%.

Jin Huimin reminded that consumers might as well eat mooncakes wisely. If you know you will eat mooncakes after a meal, it is recommended that you halve the amount of rice or noodles for the main meal, and try to choose light cooking methods such as steaming and blanching for side dishes to reduce oil intake. In addition, mooncakes can also be paired with grapefruit to increase satiety. Grapefruit is rich in fiber, which can replenish water and relieve greasiness. You can also pair it with sugar-free tea. Moderate exercise can also help consume calories.

It is better to share with many people than to enjoy it alone. If a mooncake can be cut into multiple slices or thin slices, everyone can enjoy it together and achieve the satisfaction of a small amount of multiple flavors.