With just over two weeks until the Mid-Autumn Festival, the mooncake market is already buzzing, both online and in retail stores.
In addition to traditional mooncakes, a line of “healthy” products is gaining significant attention, being marketed as “sugar-free, eat without fear of gaining weight.”
Many types of mooncakes advertised as “healthy” are sold for around 100,000 VND each.
The current debate surrounding this product line is whether they are truly as beneficial as advertised. Replacing ingredients in the mooncake recipe, such as using whole wheat flour instead of white flour, substituting syrup with honey, and using olive oil instead of vegetable oil, not only alters the traditional flavor of mooncakes but also raises concerns about the shelf life of these ingredients, which are often shorter; preservatives must be added to extend their longevity.
According to Dr. Nguyễn Trọng Hưng (National Institute of Nutrition), each small mooncake contains about 700 – 1,000 calories. This number increases for larger mooncakes due to the dough primarily being made from white flour and sugar.
A typical mooncake weighing about 170g contains around 100g of dough (1g of starch can produce 4 calories). Thus, on average, a mooncake with 100g of dough (not including the filling) can provide 400 – 500 calories. The fillings are often quite diverse, potentially contributing a calorie content comparable to that of the dough.
For the “healthy” mooncake line, a 150g mooncake is advertised to contain 200-400 calories, depending on the ingredients used. This calorie count is lower than that of traditional mooncakes. However, results from the National Food Safety Inspection Institute show different numbers compared to the advertised information.
Sharing insights about the reality of the mooncake “that you can eat without fearing weight gain,” trainer Dương Văn Thắng (HD Kickfit Fitness Center, Hanoi) emphasizes: “If you eat more than your body’s needs, even low-calorie mooncakes can lead to weight gain. We cannot determine whether a mooncake is good or bad solely based on its ingredients.”
Essentially, the “healthy” mooncakes on the market are made from starch, various nuts, honey, and sugar substitutes. All these ingredients have calorie content that is not significantly lower than traditional ingredients.
This trainer also notes that most nutrition guidelines recommend consuming in moderation, eating less, and not overindulging, meaning the advice focuses on portion control, rather than which foods should or should not be consumed.
“Consumers should access information and use products wisely, avoiding following trends that could inadvertently make them victims.”
