Many Hong Kong people choose to eat a light meal of sandwich or hamburger when they are too busy to take a break for a proper meal. Anyway, a sandwich or hamburger is also perfect for a light and refreshing summer meal. However, some types of bread contain high level of fat, sugar and salt; over-consumption can be bad for our health.

Bread is a good source of carbohydrate, which provides energy for our bodies. Yet dietitian, Carmela Lee, says, “Many Hong Kong-style breads, such as ‘cocktail buns’ and ‘pineapple buns’, have a high fat content because a large amount of margarine and shortening are often added to give them a softer crumb. 100 grams of cocktail bun, for example, contains 19 grams of fat and 400 kcal of energy.” Carmela also says, “The crispy toppings of ‘pineapple buns’ are also high in sugar content. 100 grams of ‘pineapple bun’ contains 10 grams of sugar, whereas the same serving size of a plain ‘piggy bun’ only contains 5.2 grams of sugar. Diabetics and people who are undergoing a weight reduction programme should be careful with their food choices.”

Fat, Sodium, Sugar and Calorie Content of Various Types of Bread

Types of Bread (per 100 g)	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Sugar (g)	Energy (kcal)
Croissant	21	347	11.26	406
“Mexican bun”	14	33	11	360
“Cocktail bun”	19	240	16	400
“Pineapple bun”	11	30	10	350
Buttered “row-bread”	8.6	48	10	310
Plain “piggy bun”	7.9	28	5.2	290
Raisin bun	7.2	34	12	310
White bread	6.3	30	4.3	280
Whole wheat bread	5.2	58	4.1	260
Baguette	1.83	513	2.56	289
Pita	1.2	536	1.3	275

Source: Food Research Laboratory, Centre for Food Safety
The Nutrient Data Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture