Low-fat Chinese New Year goodies to snack on

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, we are all probably excited to spend it with our loved ones over some yummy traditional Chinese New Year snacks.

But no matter how delicious pineapple tarts or buttery Kueh Lapis are, it's hard to enjoy these snacks guilt-free.

To help you maintain your diet and still have a joyful festive celebration with your family, here are the healthiest and low-fat alternatives you can snack on instead!

Low-calorie CNY snacks

1. Baked fish strips with seaweed

Baked fish strips with seaweed is a good alternative to regular chips or junk food. However while it may be healthier than most snacks, these baked fish strips could leave you feeling extra thirsty, so make sure to have it with a tall glass of water to keep yourself hydrated.

It’s also filled with protein which makes it a healthy treat to enjoy for Chinese New Year.

Crispy bakes fish strips are said to contain around 194.1 calories and 2.2 grams of fat usually. 

2. Banana chips

As long as you are mindful of how much you eat, you can snack on them during your family reunion.

100 grams worth of banana chips contains an average of 510 calories. 

3. Dried cuttlefish

Dried cuttlefish are high on protein, and it’s a convenient snack to take out and nibble on during family reunions. It’s also an easy snack to share with your relatives and pass around as you catch up with them during Chinese New Year.

If you’re more into munching on seafood, you may enjoy dried cuttlefish more than anything and still keep up with your healthy lifestyle.

A serving of 10 pieces of dried cuttlefish contains 57 calories and zero fat. 

4. Kueh bangkit cookies

What’s Chinese New Year without sharing some Kueh Bangkit Cookies with your loved ones. You’re probably glad to know that these light cookies that melt right in your mouth are healthy enough to snack on without you having any regrets after that.

While they still have heavy ingredients of coconut, flour, milk and eggs, these festive delights are very low on calories so don’t worry about munching on a few. 

Kueh Bangkit Cookies usually contain just 46 calories and 2 grams of fat.

5. Mandarin oranges

With a fresh and quick snack that is a traditional symbol of good fortune, mandarin oranges are the perfect Chines New Year treat to have to maintain your healthy diet.

This small round fruit is enough to satisfy your Lunar New Year snacking with no worries for it is high in Vitamin C and low in calories. This citrus fruit can help boost your immune system and are good sources of soluble fibre to keep you full for the rest of the reunion.

According to WebMD website, one mandarin orange contains 47 calories and zero fat. 

6. Peanuts

Peanuts are a general healthy snack you can have with or without the festivities. While they may be high on fat, they are said to be a good source of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E, magnesium and biotin – which is important during pregnancy.

They are also a great source for protein, although do be careful and ensure that none of your relatives is allergic to this little snack. If you or someone you know has diabetes, peanuts can be a good alternative snack for they are low in carbs. 

100 grams worth of peanuts usually has about 567 calories.

7. Sunflower seeds

If you’ve been craving for some melon seeds but are too afraid of the consequences, you can try instead nibbling on some sunflower seeds. These are a much better and healthier alternative for they are known to be the world’s healthiest seeds.

While they may not be exactly that tasteful as melon seeds, they are still high with vitamin E, magnesium and protein. It’s even known to help prevent chronic diseases, making it one of the perfect healthy low-calorie snacks for weight loss to eat for you to start a prosperous new year.

These healthy seeds normally contain 163 calories.

8. Yu sheng

A serving of Yu Sheng is believed to bring a prosperous year ahead and can be the healthiest thing you can have during the Lunar New Year as long as you prepare it right.

Preparing it with less oil and easing down on the plum sauce could reduce its calories. Even lessening the number of flour crisps could decrease the amount of fat it contains.

Since this particular snack doesn’t have a strict recipe to follow, you can mix it up with more fresh vegetables like lettuce or purple cabbage to easily make this traditional treat guilt-free.

One serving of Yu Sheng usually contains 560 calories and less when prepared with healthier ingredients. 

This article was first published in theAsianparent.