Going on a low-carb diet is all the rage now for those who want to shed a few kilos or just maintain a healthy weight.

Sadly, some weight-watchers have suppressed their taste buds and sacrificed hawker food, believing that local delights only serve to raise their weight figure on the scales. And for others, only soup-based dishes seem to allow them to enjoy a guilt-free meal at the hawker centres. However, if you plan your meals well, you can savour good hawker food, while still maintaining your low-carb diet.

Of course, low carb food does not always mean that it is a low-calorie or low-fat food. The calorie count and fat amount are also important considerations when on a weight-loss programme. For example, a bowl of Bak Kut Teh has 0 carbohydrate content, but has 348 calories and 25g of fat; and a plate of tauhu goreng has only 48.7g of carbohydrates but a whopping calorie count of 730. (Singapore Food Facts, 2001, Ministry of Health) That does not mean that you can never have your fill of these foods, but that you would need to plan your meals well to ensure you do not exceed the daily dietary requirements for a low-carb diet.

The average daily carbohydrate intake is recommended to be in the range of 300g and 350g, with an average daily calorie intake in the range of 2000 and 2500 and the total fat in food limited to 30% of total calorie intake (Ministry of Health; Health Promotion Board).

Based on many weight-loss diets, a low-carb diet that would lead to moderate weight loss should include between 50 to 100 grams of carbohydrates, with a calorie count not exceeding 1000 and a fat content that is not more than 30% of the calorie count for the day.

We outline three meal plans that you can try out if you are planning to lose some weight, while tucking in Singapore’s multi-cultural delights.

Meal Plan 1

Start your day with a clear broth of meat and vegetables. As with all soups, Bee Hoon Soto is low in calories while leaving you feeling satisfied. And opt for bee hoon instead of mee for a reduction of more than three times the carbohydrates. For lunch, enjoy a claypot delight of tofu with noodles, and even treat yourself to some satay. Each stick of satay only contains 2g of carbohydrate, and coupled with a sensible amount of peanut sauce to dip in, it becomes a satisfying accompaniment to your main lunch meal. End the day with Yong Tauhu, the common healthy choice among Singaporeans. Just remember to have it without the red sauce as it is not too kind to your waist line.

*Summative figures calculated using data in ‘Singapore Food Facts’, 19999, Ministry of Health

**The nutrient information for each food is provided based on average serving size, unless otherwise stated.

***Figures have been rounded off to the nearest decimal place.

Meal Plan 2

Have an energetic Indian breakfast of Idli, the soft, round steamed rice cakes , and go for Bee Hoon Fish Slice Soup for lunch, both of which together packs in a good 80g of carbohydrates by mid-day. For dinner, take it easy with a Popiah roll, a paper-thin rice skin filled with beansprouts, turnip, shrimp and even some peanuts for the satiating crunch.

*Summative figures calculated using data in ‘Singapore Food Facts’, 1999, Ministry of Health

**The nutrient information for each food is provided based on average serving size, unless otherwise stated.

***Figures have been rounded off to the nearest decimal place.

Meal Plan 3

Go with the popular choice of Chee Cheong Fun, a gluten-free steamed rice roll, for breakfast. It comes with different choices for fillings, with char siew filling scoring one of the lowest in terms of carbohydrate content. It would do you good to be more measured in the addition of the soya sauce though, as you would not want to pile on sodium in your low-carbo diet. During lunchtime, head down to the Rice Porridge stall. Although white rice is commonly avoided by those on a weight-loss diet, the congee is surprisingly is a low-carb option, compared to other alternatives like fried rice or claypot rice. For dinner, go for two pieces of Chapati with dhal curry. Although the carbohydrate content seems to be high at 61.9g, rest assured that this is good carbo, as chapatis are essentially breads made from wholegrain flour, which has a high glycaemic index.

*Summative figures calculated using data in ‘Singapore Food Facts’, 1999, Ministry of Health

**The nutrient information for each food is provided based on average serving size.

***Figures have been rounded off to the nearest decimal place.

There is indeed no need to stop relishing the food you grew up with if you plan to lose weight. Just be sensible in what you choose and eat all in moderation.