Are Dumplings Healthy? (6 Tips For Weight Loss)

Canva - Steamed Korean dumplings Mandu with chicken meat and vegetables in bamboo steamer, horizontal, copy space.jpg

Dumplings are the staple food that is present all around Asia.

Each country has their own type of dumplings which creates a wide variety of different flavors, textures, and styles. Although dumplings are delicious, are they healthy?

Dumplings are usually very healthy as they hold lots of whole ingredients which can offer a large variety of different micronutrients. However, there is a poor balance of macronutrients as most of the calories will be coming from carbs and fats. This means that dumplings are not ideal for managing a healthy weight but can still be eaten if the portion is controlled properly.

In this article we will discuss how you can eat your dumplings and still stay in shape.

We summed it down to five tips so let’s get into the 6 major tips you need to take in order to be healthy while eating dumplings.

Understand The Different Style of Dumplings & Their Calories
Understand How Many Dumplings You Can Have In a Single Serving
Eat Steamed or Boiled & Avoid The Fried Stuff
Understand Your Daily Caloric Needs
Make Sure To Exercise Regularly & Build Muscle
Keep Your Activity Level High To Utilize the Carbs You Get From Dumplings

Now that we know about the 6 tips to stay healthy while eating dumplings,

let’s take a look at a deeper look into each of these categories.

1. Understand The Different Style of Dumplings & Their Calories

Dumplings come in many shapes and sizes.

Each culture has a dumpling that is specific to them and even has their own methods of cooking and styling the dumpling.

I’ve found the 5 most popular dumpling dishes and have researched their calorie counts and nutrition facts.

Let’s take a look at which dumplings are the best to eat and which ones we should definitely stay away from.

5. Mandu (Korean Dumplings)

Mandu is a traditional Korean dumpling that I’ve eaten all my life and still eat occasionally to this day.

It’s usually a steamed dumpling but can definitely come fried and crispy as well.

The way my family eats Mandu, however, is to boil it which, in my opinion, is great because it’s usually in a heart soup.

What usually goes inside a Mandu dish is cabbage and pork with some chives and garlic.

It’s delicious and is loved by Koreans everywhere.

The main characteristic of Mandu is the fact that they are bigger than most dumplings.

Traditional Chinese or Cantonese dumplings are smaller in size and often are steamed with a thicker wrapping.

Korean dumplings are way softer and kind of melt in your mouth compared to having a thick and chewy bite.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts for a typical Mandu dish and see what goes inside of it.

For every 5 grams of fat, there are 5 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein.

Not bad at all as it is relatively low in calories.

However, this is for a single dumpling so these numbers must be multiplied by however many you consume.

The problem with this dish is the high fat content.

Eating five or six of these can result in twenty five to thirty grams of fat in one sitting.

Our recommendation is to eat these in moderation and focus on the lower calorie dumplings that we’re about to show you.

4. Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)

Xiao Long Bao definitely has to be my favorite dumpling on this list as it’s such a fun food to eat and offers flavors that you can’t really get from other foods.

These are so good when they’re either handmade or eaten at one of my favorite restaurants, Din Tai Fung.

Xiao Long Bao is so popular that there is a correct method of eating it and is frowned upon to eat it without knowing the secret method.

It’s probably not so secret at this point due to its popularity but it just goes to show how important Xiao Long Bao is to the Asian community.

The inside is filled with soup and is filled with steamed pork marinated in a variety of different sauces and ingredients.

This is best eaten with sliced ginger lying in a bed of soy sauce and black vinegar.

If you haven’t had these dumplings yet, make sure you go get some awesome Xiao Long Bao pieces into your life.

Let’s take a look at the calories of a single Xiao Long Bao dumpling.

For every 3 grams of fat, there are 7 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein.

Last time we had an issue with the fats and this time we have an issue with the carbs.

Remember this is the macronutrient ratio for a single dumpling which means we have to multiply these macros by the amount of dumplings you will probably consume.

7 grams of carbs per dumpling will definitely add up so make sure that you have some high protein options while eating your favorite dumplings.

Just be mindful of how many you eat when you go to your favorite Xiao Long Bao restaurant and you’ll be good to go.

3. Shumai Dumplings (Pork & Shrimp Dumpling)

Shumai is definitely my favorite Dim Sum dish and has been with me since I was introduced to Dim Sum when I was a kid.

There’s something so special about the flavors you get from this dish and the unique textures you get from the mixture of shrimp, wrapper, pork, and mushrooms.

What’s great about Shumai is the low calories that it contains for how much you get in a single dumpling.

These can be pretty filling which is great when you’re focusing on dieting.

It’s packed with protein with all the shrimp and pork in there so it’s actually not bad when you want to focus on eating healthier at Dim Sum.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and see what goes inside a typical Shumai dish.

For every 2.5 grams of fat, there are 5 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein.

This is not bad at all! There’s a lot of balance in this meal as the ratios really make sense.

There’s low fat, moderate carbs and moderate protein. You can’t really go overboard on a specific macro here because it’s balance allows all three to be filled accordingly.

For example, fats have 9 kcals per 1 gram, carbs have 4 kcals per 1 gram, and proteins have 4 kcals per 1 gram.

This means that fats have double the calories that carbs and proteins have so it should be at a lower number by far.

Carbs and proteins should be eaten close to a 1:1 ratio so this food kind of meets all those requirements.

Our tip here is to focus on the Shumai when you’re out eatin Dim Sum.

2. Har Gow (Shrimp Rice Dumpling)

Next to Shumai, Har Gow has to be one of the most popular Dim Sum dishes and is a must get for many diners in the Dim Sum world.

For me, it comes in at a close second to Shumai and I’m not alone with this belief.

Har Gow is a super simple dish as it features a single steamed piece of shrimp wrapped around a clear rice paper shell.

This combination offers a savory bite and a texture that almost pops in your mouth with every bite you take.

It’s a really interesting dish and you can’t find anything like it outside of Dim Sum.

It amazes me how simple this dish is and how delicious these two simple ingredients can be.

These are best enjoyed with either soy sauce or the spicy mustard that they provide for you at the restaurant.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and see what goes inside a typical Har Gow dish.

For every 1.5 grams of fat, there are 6 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein. This is a dish that’s best eaten in moderation.

Although the calories are low, there is a ton of carbs per serving as you can see that the wrapper makes 80% of the dumpling.

It’s really hard to get a lot of protein from this dish because this shrimp is usually small and is not substantial.

Our tip here is to make sure you pair this with the higher protein meals when eating.

The benefit to this dish is that it lacks fat so it can still be eaten a lot. Just make sure that there’s that balance that we talked about in the shumai section.

1. Wonton

Wontons have the most popular Asian dish in the entire world.

It’s what the entire world thinks Asian food is as many media sources have portrayed Asian characters eating wonton after wonton.

It’s a popular food for a reason which is because it’s delicious and is a staple food that originates from China.

Wontons usually feature a very thin wrapper that covers a meatball made of pork almost as if it were vacuum sealed.

It’s very interesting as the wrapper is thin but offers a great bite to the meal.

Wontons are usually enjoyed in a noodle dish and are usually boiled or steamed then placed into the Wonton Noodle Soup.

Although I’m Korean, I’ve been eating Wonton noodle soups at my favorite Hong Kong cafes ever since I was a kid.

It’s a special dish to all Asians and is really the foundation of where all dumplings take inspiration from.

Let’s take a look at a typical Wonton dish and see what the calories are.

For every 1 gram of fat, there are 4 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.

These dumplings are only 30 calories each which means that you can eat a ton of these and still have calories to spare.

They’re similar to Har Gow as they are low in calories but the calories come from mainly carbs.

To combat this, focus on the leaner meats: just like how we mentioned for all of the other higher carb dumplings on this list.

Balance in your diet can go a very long way so make sure to keep your meals on track.

Those are the 5 most popular dumpling dishes that I could think of.

They’re also the best dumplings as none of them are fried and are typically lower in fats compared to some of the other options you can find out there.

Use this article as a reference for whenever you need to refresh on the calorie counts of all of your favorite dumplings.

2. Understand How Many Dumplings You Can Have In a Single Serving

We talked a lot about balance in the last section of this article and we’re going to have to mention it again.

Balance is so key when it comes to dieting and, when all of your calories come from carbs and fats that the American diet loves to promote, you’ll be faced with a lot of complications and weight gain.

The reason for this is because higher fat and higher carb options usually contain more calories which means that there is a higher potential to overeat on the calories.

They are also the two least satiating macronutrients so you won’t get that full feeling you do when you eat your protein (unless those carbs come from fruits and vegetables).

If you see in the article above, dumplings lack protein which makes them another food that has a high potential to overeat on both fats and carbs.

We mentioned that Shumai and Wontons have the least amount of calories, so eating those would be a great place to start if you want to eat more dumplings and still stay within your calorie range.

When you eat your dumplings you have to ask yourself how many calories you can consume in this certain meal.

In order to know how many calories you can consume in a meal, however, you must know your total daily caloric need which we will go over in the next sections of this article.

Basically the takeaway from this section is to plan ahead.

Always be mindful of how many calories you can consume in one sitting and think about the balance of carbs, fats, and proteins.

You want to aim for 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fats in your diet.

3. Eat Steamed or Boiled & Avoid The Fried Stuff

If you notice in our list of dumplings, you can see that none of those dumplings come fried and crispy.

They are all steamed or boiled options which can be the difference between eating healthy or unhealthy dumplings. Let me explain.

We talked about macronutrient ratios and the potential to have all of your calories coming from carbs and fats.

Fats are the highest macronutrient available and, when overeaten, causes weight gain and weight gain quickly.

Frying your dumplings can add an extra 2-3 grams of fat per dumpling which would not be beneficial in a balanced diet.

It’s bad enough that these dumplings lack protein which means that adding excess fat to your meal is just overkill.

I understand that there is a time and place for fried gyoza and potstickers, but, when dieting, steamed or boiled are fine as they not only taste great but also keep your calories in check.

It would be nearly impossible to get your fats in the right range for the day if you ate 5-6 fried dumplings.

You would be very limited to the foods you can consume and will most likely overeat.

This is totally fine to do once in a while on cheat days or refeed days but should never be aimed at your majority weekday meals.

Enjoy your dumplings steamed or boiled and stick to the list above.

They’re still packed with flavor and awesome textures so you can still get everything you need and more.

4. Understand Your Daily Caloric Needs

Let’s get into the details on how you can figure a caloric ratio that suits your fitness goals.

There’s basically three states that you can take your body which comes from a certain ratio of calories.

This is a concept called energy balance and it is the only factor that dictates how many calories you need to consume in order to maintain, gain, or lose body fat.

There are two methods to find your daily caloric needs, however, they are inaccurate and need some adjustments to be specific towards your goals and your lifestyle.

Trial and error is the only way we can discover how many calories we need to eat in a day but these two methods are a good start.

Whether your goal is to gain weight, maintain your weight, or lose weight, you can just fill out the information asked of you from an online TDEE calculator.

It will give you a rough estimate on your weight so make sure you adjust accordingly.

The second method is to multiply your weight by a certain number.

I like these numbers for the different goals that you can place for yourself: bodyweight x 20 for gaining weight, bodyweight x 16 for maintaining weight, and bodyweight x 12 for losing weight. These are all very rough but, once again, they give you a good place to start.

Once you’ve figured out those numbers, then you want to split up your calories into the macronutrient ratios we’ve mentioned above.

35% carbs, 40% protein, and 25% fats.

It’s a lot of numbers and it's a lot of tracking so I recommend you download an app that allows you to track all of your food until you get a good understanding of the calories from many of the foods you eat.

I’ve been tracking for years now so I know on the top of my head that chicken breast probably has a macronutrient ratio of 3 grams of fat and 27-30 grams of protein.

The same goes for dumplings which means you can just look at this article and get a rough understanding of the macros that come from dumplings.

It’s complicated but it works. It’s essentially what I do for my clients when they come for me to get in shape and it comes down to look at all the components of what you eat.

If you want a more extensive guide to this concept, then make sure to check out the article “How To Actually Get a Six Pack After 30”

I’m sorry if this was pretty daunting but putting your food into numbers is the best way to track your progress and see some results over time.

Fat loss is a fast process and only occurs when you are eating at a deficit of calories.

So keep in mind how many calories you need to eat in a day and eat those calories till you get to the weight you desire.

5. Make Sure To Exercise Regularly & Build Muscle

What does muscle have to do with staying lean while eating dumplings?

This is probably what you’re asking me right now but I’ll quickly explain why I put this subheading into the article.

Muscle burns calories at rest which means the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn while just being you.

This means that you can eat more and still stay in shape! This sounds great to me and is basically the reason why I workout so much.

Muscle is the one way we can manipulate our metabolism to increase. I wish that green detox tea could do the same but it, unfortunately, is a sham.

Building muscle requires you to lift weights or partake in resistance training which can be very intimidating for anyone new to exercising.

This is why I always recommend working out in a private gym or investing in your own equipment.

All you need really is a couple dumbbells, a workout bench, and a workout mat.

Here are my recommendations for the few pieces of equipment needed to get in shape.

If you want a simple workout plan, then click on the link above this sentence where we list a routine that anyone can do in the safety of their own home.

I understand that exercising is a hard thing to get into, but staying healthy means taking care of your body and putting in an effort to better yourself.

Working out is a time and money investment but it’s the best investment you can make as it is prolonging your life and establishing opportunities to a world of great health benefits.

6. Keep Your Activity Level High To Utilize the Carbs You Get From Dumplings

The last part of the equation that will allow you to live a healthy life is the amount of movement in your day.

NASM, the organization where I’ve learned nutrition from, states that our activity level determines 15-30% of our ability to control our metabolism. (1)

Basically it states that we are in control of how many calories we burn in a day, we just need to move more!

Eating dumplings means that you will get a lot of carbs which is not a bad thing.

Carbs are a direct source of energy for us and, when eating the correct amount, allows our bodies to thrive and move at 100%

Carbs fuel our workouts so make sure you utilize them for your lifts and main exercises.

Carbs get a bad rep because of the potential to cause weight gain which comes from overeating carbs by a lot.

The average American can eat close to 200% of their recommended carbs which is no wonder why carbs cause weight gain.

All of those excess carbs that weren’t used to fuel a great workout have to go somewhere!

When energy is not used, it gets stored. So, when carbs are not used, they have a tremendous potential to get stored as fat.

Fats also have a high potential to turn into fats while protein has a lower potential.

It’s very easy to overeat on the carbs as they are delicious and offer so many different types of awesome foods.

I’m not saying to cut those foods out completely, just focus on complex carbs for the majority of your meals and simple carbs for the fun minority.

Complex carbs tend to have lower calories while simple carb options are paired with high fats as well.

It’s like comparing a sweet potato to a Cinnabon.

A sweet potato contains carbs and fiber while a Cinnabon has carbs and a ton of fat.

One has 120 calories the other has 1,000. This is why we want to stick to whole foods.

So, to sum up this section of the article, make sure to stay consistent with your workouts and utilize the energy you get from foods such as dumplings.

Make sure your days are filled with activity and build that muscle over time!

There It Is!

Dumplings are an amazing food and can be a great way to add both flavor and nutrients to our diet.

To sum up what we went over in this article, we want to stick to the five dumplings listed above, avoid eating the fried stuff, stick to our calorie range and increase movement to utilize carbs.

It can be daunting to get into fitness but it can also be extremely rewarding as well.

If you like this article then please feel free to check out our other posts where we talk about healthy Asian foods and fitness tips that will help you reach your goals.