Experts: Dim Sum Loaded With Fat, Sodium

HONG KONG – Beef balls, egg tarts and barbecue pork puffs. They’re classic Hong Kong treats, but health officials warned diners Wednesday that like many morsels on “dim sum” restaurant menus, the snacks are loaded with sodium and fat.

A new government study urged people to avoid fried foods that can cause obesity and heart disease. People should order more steamed buns, noodles and rice dishes at Hong Kong’s famous dim sum eateries – big, noisy restaurants popular for brunch or lunch with family, friends or clients.

But officials cautioned that just because food is steamed, doesn’t mean it’s low in fat. Items like steamed beancurd rolls and minced beef balls were high in fat, according to the study by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.

“Foods high in total fat are energy dense and excessive intake may increase the risk of obesity,” said Dr. Ho Yuk-yin, a department consultant.

Items with the most saturated fat per serving included baked barbecued pork puffs, with 4.4 grams; steamed pork ribs, with 5 grams; coconut milk yellow bean pudding, with 3.2 grams; and egg tarts, with 1.8 grams.

Dishes low in fat included steamed rice rolls with shrimp, with 1.6 grams; steamed chicken buns, with 3.1 grams; and steamed vegetable dumplings, with 1.5 grams, the study said.

Items high in sodium per serving were marinated jelly fish, with 780 milligrams; steamed chicken with fish stomach and steamed curry squid, both with 640 milligrams, the study said.

Dishes low in sodium included sweetened water chestnut cake, with 12 milligrams, and mixed bean sweet soup, with 7.6 milligrams, the study said.

Officials urged restaurants to change recipes to make items less fatty and salty.

“This can be achieved by reducing the amount of cooking oil, trimming visible fat, reducing the use of high-sodium condiments,” Ho said.