Is Lumpia Healthy? (3 Tips for Weight Loss) 

If you are a fan of rolls such as egg rolls and spring rolls, there is a very high possibility that you have come across the delicacy that is lumpia. 

Lumpia is a popular appetizer or snack that is commonly eaten in the Philippines and Indonesia.

While very similar in appearance to an egg roll, lumpia is considered a spring roll because the wrapping used is much thinner than egg rolls and the wrapping paper does not contain eggs.

The most common filling used for lumpia is pork. But there are many variations for the filling and it is not limited to being savory, it can also be sweet. 

Lumpia is delicious and makes for a very hearty snack or appetizer, but the question is, is it healthy? 

Lumpia is not healthy due to the way it is cooked as it is deep fried. One lumpia roll has 2 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbohydrates with only 2 grams of protein which makes for a poor balance of nutrients. 

While 2 grams of fat might seem low, usually people will eat more than one lumpia since it is small and considered a snack.

With how small it is, it is very easy to rack up your intake of fats and carbohydrates if you are not cautious with how many you are eating. 

If you are craving lumpia but still want to stay on track for weight loss, here are three tips to keep in mind to make sure you will not hinder your progress. 

1. Knowing how many calories are in lumpia. 

2. Opting for healthier options. 

3. Eating in moderation and remembering to exercise. 

These three tips I am about to talk about will help you satisfy your cravings while staying on track for weight loss. 

Tip 1: Knowing How Many Calories Are In Lumpia

One lumpia will have you looking at around 55 calories, with 8 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein. 

The calories for only one lumpia is not bad at all! 55 calories is considered on the lower end, but at the same time you have to keep in mind that people do not usually eat only one lumpia and I am sure you do not want to only eat one either. 

The most important factor when it comes to weight loss of calories.

No matter what you do, how many calories you eat is going to be the dictating factor of whether you lose weight or not. 

In order to lose weight, you will need to be consistently in a caloric deficit.

What does being in a caloric deficit mean?

It means that the total amount of calories you eat in a day is less than your TDEE, or Total Daily Energy Expenditure. 

Your TDEE refers to how many calories your body needs in a day in order to maintain its current weight.

It is important to figure out your TDEE because everyone’s TDEE is different. 

Your own TDEE is based on a number of different factors such as your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level.

How TDEE is typically calculated is by taking your BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate and then multiplying it by your activity measurement.

BMR is the amount of calories your body needs to keep its core functions functioning, meaning that this is the amount of calories your body will burn if you remain at rest for an entire day.

This might sound very complicated to figure out, but have no worries because there are an abundance of online TDEE calculators at your disposal.

All you need to do is to plug in your own statuses such as gender, age, height, weight, and activity level and it will give you a very close estimate of what your TDEE is. 

Now that you have figured out your TDEE, all you need to do now to be in a caloric deficit is to eat less than your TDEE.

The more drastically you drop your calories, the faster you are going to lose weight. 

Now, I do not recommend an aggressive approach when it comes to weight loss.

Yes, dropping your calories quickly will make you lose weight fast but doing so will also stall your progress very quickly.

When you hit a weight loss plateau, the only way you will be able to continue to lose weight is to drop your calories even more which is extremely unhealthy and can slow your metabolism. 

The ideal way to lose weight and to make sure it is maintainable is by dropping your calories slowly and losing 1-2 pound a week.

This way, your weight loss will be more sustainable in the long run. 

I recommend not dropping your calories anywhere below 1,200 for females and 1,500 for males. 

So now that you know about calories and how to be in a caloric deficit, to make sure that you are still under your calories while eating lumpia, decide how many lumpias you are going to eat, multiply 55 by that number and then count the total into your total caloric intake for the day. 

As long as you still remain under your TDEE after counting in the lumpia and everything else you have consumed for the day, you will still be on track for weight loss. 

Tip 2: Opting for healthier options. 

Another way to stay on track with weight loss is going for healthier options if they are available.

Although deep fried pork lumpia is the most common one found, there are variations of lumpia that are healthier for you. 

One of the variations is “fresh” lumpia.

Fresh lumpia is lumpia that uses a slightly ticker and chewier wrapping that is not deep fried, which is one of the unhealthiest parts of lumpia.

Another one is to get baked lumpia rather than fried. 

Baked lumpia is made by brushing olive oil on top and baking it in the oven as opposed to frying it in oil.

This helps negate the fat content, making it healthier when compared to its original. 

The filling also contributes to how healthy the lumpia is. Look for fillings that are less fatty than pork.

Fillings such as seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 

By being aware of ingredients and the method of cooking, you will be able to make healthier choices which is better for your weight loss journey in the long run. 

Tip 3: Eating in moderation and remembering to exercise. 

Moderation is very important when it comes to eating foods that are considered snacks such as lumpia.

To really satisfy your craving for lumpia, you are going to want to eat more than one which is okay as long as you keep that amount contained. 

Do not let the low number of 55 calories trick you into thinking you can eat a good amount of lumpias in one sitting.

If you eat four, you are already over 200 calories which is a pretty significant amount of calories. 

So when eating lumpia, make sure to keep count of how many you are consuming and make sure to keep a cap on that number.

I suggest not eating more than four if you want to stay on track and keep the calories on lumpia relatively low. 

Another important part of losing weight is exercise.

Making sure you are exercising at least 2-3 times a week will definitely help keep you in a caloric deficit and soften the possible effects of foods such as lumpia on your diet. 

One of the best exercises you can do is strength training.

Strength training is what helps you build and maintain muscles and muscles are extremely beneficial for you long term. 

The more muscles you have, the faster your metabolism because your body will need more energy to maintain itself.

This is due to the fact that muscle is denser than fat. So, the more muscles you have, the faster your metabolism, and the more calories you can eat to still lose weight! 

Not only does it help your metabolism, muscles are extremely beneficial for your overall health and body composition such as improving your posture and decreasing the amount of fat your body holds onto. 

Now that we know the importance of muscles, we need to make sure we stay on track with our workouts.

Consistency and longevity are the two key factors when building muscle so there will be some commitment involved.

You can either go to the gym or build one for yourself.

It really just comes down to 3 pieces of equipment that you need to do most workouts.

These three are the workout bench, dumbbells, and gym flooring.

Check out our recommended gear page to see our best picks for these pieces of equipment here. 

https://www.aspirefitnesswalnut.com/home-workout-equipment

If a home gym is not for you then getting a membership somewhere works too.

As long as you are starting your muscle building journey, we’re happy! (1) 

Stick with it for the long run and you’ll see how amazing the results can be. 

There you go! 

Three basic but very helpful tips to keep in mind when you are craving lumpia but trying to lose weight at the same time. 

We all have cravings once in a while and it is totally okay and healthy to satisfy these cravings.

As long as you are not satisfying your cravings too often, you will continue to be on a good path for weight loss. 

Remember, lumpia might be small but never forget to keep track and count your calories!

At the end of the day, being in a caloric deficit is the deciding factor for weight loss. 

Now go and treat yourself to a delicious and healthy serving of lumpia and enjoy it! 

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