Healthier Version? Dim Sum in Hong Kong Contain Lower Sodium, Study Finds

Dim sum from the local market now have less salt or contain lower sodium, according to a study released  by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department last Tuesday, July 12.

The CFS administered the content analysis at the Food Research Laboratory using 120 non-prepackaged food samples inclusive of 12 types of dim sum and four kinds of sauces from various Chinese restaurants and shops.

The lowest sodium content found in the samples was 3.0 milligrams/100 grams, while the average sodium content was 330 milligrams/100 grams. The sodium content of most of the dim sum tested decreased when in comparison to the results of the CFS' previous study. Steamed plain rice roll (66mg/100g), steamed rice roll with beef (160mg/100g), and steamed rice roll with barbecue pork (180mg/100g) are the types of dim sum with the lowest sodium content.

However, other non-prepackaged samples reached a sodium content of 680mg/100g. The CFS found that shrimp siu mai has the highest average sodium content of 590 mg/100g, followed by spring roll with shrimp with 480mg/100g and steamed minced beef ball with 440mg/100g.

"With reference to the study results, the sodium intake per person will reach 32 percent of the daily intake upper limit recommended by the World Health Organization (i.e., 2,000mg of sodium) if two persons consume one dish of shrimp siu mai and one dish of spring roll with shrimp in a Chinese restaurant," the CFS spokesman said in the press release.

The CFS reminded the public that salt is essential for our bodies, but high sodium consumption may cause high blood pressure leading to serious complications like heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.