Banh Tieu (Vietnamese hollow donut) is a familiar, easy-to-find, and popular breakfast dish. However, many people are concerned about how many calories are in one Banh Tieu and whether eating it causes weight gain. To provide clear answers, you need to understand the amount of energy Banh Tieu provides, its nutritional composition, and how to eat it reasonably. The article below, compiled by the expert team at Nha Khoa My Auris, will help you grasp the necessary information, thereby making suitable choices for your diet and weight management goals.
How Many Calories in Banh Tieu?
How many calories are in Banh Tieu? According to analysis from nutrition experts, Banh Tieu is a familiar dish made primarily from all-purpose flour, sugar, and sesame seeds. When prepared, the cake is deep-fried in hot cooking oil, which is why the calorie content in this dish is quite high. On average, a medium-sized Banh Tieu, with a diameter of about 3/4 a palm, can provide approximately 132 calories to the body.
Today, Banh Tieu with diverse flavors has become popular, and with that comes varying calorie content:
A pandan Banh Tieu provides about 155 calories.
Banh Tieu with sticky rice has a significant calorie count, up to 413 calories.
Banh Tieu with mung bean filling contains about 210 calories.
For those who love its distinctive taste, a durian Banh Tieu can contain up to 417 calories.
Especially, rich cheese-filled Banh Tieu is no less, providing 312 calories.
Banh Tieu is a familiar dish made primarily from all-purpose flour, sugar, and sesame seeds.
Nutritional Composition of Banh Tieu
A typical Banh Tieu is made from white flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and white sesame seeds. After kneading the dough and letting it rise, the cake is deep-fried until golden and puffed hollow.
Although simple, these ingredients create a significant amount of calories and fat:
White flour: contains a high starch content, which is the main energy source in Banh Tieu. About 70% of the cake’s energy comes from starch.
Sugar and salt: though making up a small proportion, sugar contributes to increasing total calories and can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar if consumed excessively.
Frying oil: is a factor that increases the amount of saturated fat in the cake. The deep-frying process causes Banh Tieu to absorb oil, creating a rich, fragrant taste but also doubling the calories compared to steamed cakes.
Sesame seeds: enhance the flavor but do not significantly affect the overall energy.
Does Eating Banh Tieu Make You Fat?
A traditional Banh Tieu contains about 200 to 300 calories, mainly from starch, sugar, and frying oil. With a weight of about 80 – 100g per piece, if you are following a weight-control diet, consuming just 1 – 2 Banh Tieu pieces per day can quickly push you over your daily energy needs (approximately 1800 – 2200 calories depending on gender and activity level). This leads to weight gain, especially if you eat other breakfast items or snacks throughout the day.
The real reason you gain weight easily when eating Banh Tieu:
Frying oil is the component that makes Banh Tieu a dish rich in fat. During frying, the cake absorbs a large amount of oil, significantly increasing its calorie count.
Moreover, Banh Tieu is often made from white flour, which lacks fiber like whole wheat flour, leading to feeling hungry quickly after eating. This encourages you to eat more snacks, causing the total energy intake to exceed the limit.
You should only eat a maximum of 1 Banh Tieu per day.
How to Eat Banh Tieu Without Fearing Weight Gain
You should only eat a maximum of 1 Banh Tieu per day. To prevent Banh Tieu from causing fat accumulation, you should eat it in the morning or before 12 PM. This is when the body is active and easily burns energy. Avoid eating Banh Tieu in the evening or before bed, as metabolism slows down then, and unspent calories will accumulate as fat.
Instead of buying pre-fried Banh Tieu from a vendor, you can make Banh Tieu at home using an air fryer or by baking it in the oven. This method significantly reduces the amount of cooking oil and unhealthy fats. When making it yourself, you can also reduce the amount of sugar, replace regular flour with whole wheat flour to increase fiber, and lower the glycemic index.
After eating Banh Tieu, you should do light exercise such as walking for 20 – 30 minutes or simple exercises at home. The goal is to help your body consume the calories just ingested, limiting fat accumulation under the skin. This method is particularly effective if you regularly consume Banh Tieu in the morning.
Many people have a habit of eating Banh Tieu with milk, sweetened soy milk, or other snacks like fried banana cake, or fried sticky rice. However, if your goal is weight management, you should limit combining fried, sugary, or starchy foods in the same meal. Instead, combine Banh Tieu with steamed vegetables, low-oil salad, or unsweetened green tea to create balance.
You should only eat Banh Tieu as a snack during the day, not continuously for many days. If you are trying to lose weight or need to control blood sugar levels, consult a nutritionist for appropriate adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions About Banh Tieu and Calories
What is Banh Tieu made of? Is it suitable for vegetarians?
Banh Tieu is made from basic ingredients such as flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cooking oil, and white sesame seeds. These ingredients do not contain meat, eggs, or dairy, so most traditional Banh Tieu are purely plant-based and suitable for vegetarians. However, it’s important to note that some places might add butter, milk, or eggs to enhance richness, so strict vegetarians should inquire with the seller or make it at home to ensure suitability.
Are there any Banh Tieu variations specifically for dieters?
Currently, dieters can find some adjusted versions of Banh Tieu aimed at reducing calorie content. For example:
Baked Banh Tieu without oil instead of deep-fried
Using whole wheat flour or oats instead of refined flour
No added sugar or only a small amount
Using black sesame seeds and olive oil instead of regular frying oils
Making Banh Tieu yourself is an ideal choice if you are on a calorie-controlled diet. With simple ingredients and an easy method, you can adjust portions, fat content, and avoid unwanted excess calories.
Can Banh Tieu replace a main meal?
Despite having high carbohydrate and fat content, it lacks protein, vitamins, and fiber essential for a main meal. Eating Banh Tieu alone can make you feel hungry quickly again, and also cause a sudden spike in blood sugar if not combined with other foods.
The recommended solution is to only use Banh Tieu as a small part of a snack or eat it with supplementary foods such as:
Boiled eggs
Unsweetened yogurt
Steamed vegetables
Fresh fruit
Such combinations help balance nutrition, preventing uncontrolled weight gain from consuming too much fast food or oily fried dishes.
