To celebrate traditional festivals, Hong Kong people often patronise Chinese restaurants with the elderly or order festive food to share with their relatives and friends. With the Lunar New Year around the corner, Dr Tony Yung Ka-chun, Senior Lecturer of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, shared with Chinese restaurants tips for making healthy Chinese dishes and festive food.

Less Salt and More Vegetables for Health

“Cantonese and Shanghai cuisine usually adopt low-fat cooking methods, such as steaming and blanching in broth, making them healthier than other Chinese cuisine. However, the salt content of Chinese cuisine is high in general,” said Tony. He suggested that Chinese restaurants use natural ingredients such as ginger, spring onion and garlic to enhance the flavour of dishes and reduce the use of salt and other seasonings.

As for soups, many Cantonese-style soups contain vegetables and meat which are nutritious after boiling. It is therefore advisable to eat the soup ingredients when drinking the soup. Tony recommended Chinese restaurants to provide healthy sauces to customers to encourage them to eat the soup ingredients, so as to increase vegetable intake. Tony also reminded Chinese restaurants to prepare soups with meat containing less fat, such as skinless chicken and fresh fish, to reduce the fat content of the soups.

Moreover, Hong Kong people are becoming more health-conscious. Tony advised Chinese restaurants to grasp this trend and use vegetable-based dishes as add-on promotional items to attract customers. This not only encourages customers to eat more vegetables, but also increases their spending in the restaurant.

Reduce Portion Size to Balance Enjoyment and Health

The fat, salt and sugar content of Chinese festive food such as festive cakes and fried sesame balls are usually high. Tony believed that Chinese restaurants could help customers eat more healthily by slightly adjusting the food portion. “Members of the public do not eat festive food frequently. Restaurants can serve the festive food in smaller portions to help customers enjoy tasty food without overeating.”