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Choose Less Fried Rice and Fried Noodles

It is well known that deep-fried foods are high in fat and we should eat less. However, did you know that stir-fried grains and cereal foods, such as fried rice and fried noodles also contain a lot of 'hidden fat'?

This is because in local restaurants, fried rice and fried noodles are cooked in large steel woks which require a lot of oil for cooking. Although the dish might not seem greasy, most of the oil is actually absorbed into the grains during cooking.


Examples for comparison Fried rice in Yangzhou-style (with egg and shrimp) Steamed rice with stir-fried egg and shrimp
Energy 1200 kcal1 750 kcal1
Fat 49g2 13g2
(equivalent to oil) (about 10 teaspoons) (about 2.5 teaspoons)

Source: Centre for Food Safety
1 1 kcal = 1000 calories = 4.2 kJ
2 4.5g of Fat is equivalent to around 1 teaspoon of oil


Both of the above dishes have rice, egg and shrimp as main ingredients; the major difference between the dishes is the cooking method (one is stir-fried and the other is steamed). A serve of fried rice in Yangzhou-style contains about 10 teaspoons of oil, which is 4-times the amount in steamed rice with stir-fried egg and shrimp. For an adult who requires approximately 2000kcal per day, the recommended fat intake should be limited to 60g per day – a serve of fried rice in Yangzhou-style which contains 49g of fat has almost reached the daily fat requirement of an adult! Consider the following low-fat choices to prevent over-consumption of energy and fat:

  • Rice in soup
  • Steamed rice with steamed/baked /quick stir-fried dishes with less oil
  • Noodle in soup
  • Lo-mein

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