'Dim sum' may cause obesity, heart disease

Hong Kong's national dish of dim sum, literally translated as "dot hearts", may be heart-stoppingly unhealthy. The Hong Kong Government has issued a severe health warning about the traditional brunch dish.

Dumplings, pork ribs and squid with garlic, shared with family and friends, are so high in fat and sodium that they may cause severe cardiovascular illnesses and obesity.

This finding comes from a study of the tiny, mouth-watering snacks, which date back to the Sung Dynasty (960-1279). Dim sum is a culinary staple throughout China, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and is popular in Chinese restaurants in the West.

Dr Ho Yuk-yin, a consultant from the Food and Environmental Health Department, said that some dishes were up to one-third fat. "Pan-fried and deep-fried items, such as pan-fried bean curd sheet roll, are high in total fat."

He warned that it was not only fried dim sum, but also steamed dishes such as minced beef balls, which dim sum connoisseurs believed to be less fatty, that posed a health risk.

The Hong Kong Government suggests that when dim sum proves irresistible, people should opt for the more healthy noodle and rice dishes.

Researchers analysed 75 popular dim sum snacks, and warned that diehard fans should eat half a plate of boiled vegetables and balance their diet with high-calcium foods such as dairy products.

But the news has failed to deter dim sum fans. Yeap Chun Hock, 63, from Penang in Malaysia said: "I have been taking dim sum every day for the past 20 years and have not had any heart trouble."

She added that drinking a lot of Chinese tea washed away the fat and oil.

Ivan Lim, a 30-year-old business development manager who enjoys having dim sum with his family in noisy tea houses said: "There's a wide variety of dim sum dishes, which can provide us a balanced meal if we know how to choose correctly."

Jackie Chin, a college student from Kuala Lumpur, believes that because the snacks are shared, the health risks cannot be so severe. "Sharing a dish with others will not leave me feeling too full after breakfast," she said. "And because of the variety, I would not order too much of one kind."

- INDEPENDENT