Dim Sum

How Many Calories in Lo Mai Kai?

Steamed glutinous rice with chicken, mushroom and a little sausage. Looks innocent, eats heavy.

380kcal / 1 bowl
One bowl of lo mai kai (the steamed glutinous rice with chicken, mushroom and a bit of lap cheong) is about 380 calories. The rice is the story here. Glutinous rice is dense and it is usually mixed with oil and the fatty juices from the chicken and sausage, so a small bowl carries more calories than it looks.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 bowl (250g)AmountPer 100g
Calories380 kcal152 kcal
Protein14 g6 g
Carbs56 g22 g
Fat11 g4 g

Where the calories come from

Glutinous rice170g
270 kcal
Chicken pieces45g
70 kcal
Lap cheong and mushroom20g
30 kcal
Oil and soy15g
10 kcal

The real talk

Lo mai kai is the sneaky one bro. It looks like a small bowl of rice with a few bits of chicken. Harmless. But glutinous rice is heavy, and the whole thing is steamed in oil, soy and the fat that renders out of the chicken and lap cheong. One bowl is around 380 calories, and it is mostly carbs and fat with only a little protein.

It is not a bad food. It is just calorie-dense for the volume, which is the opposite of what you want when you are trying to stay full on fewer calories. If you love it, have it, but treat one bowl as a proper portion of your meal, not a side dish you add on top of three baskets of dumplings.

How the portions compare

190 kcal
Half bowl
380 kcal
1 bowl
480 kcal
Large bowl

How to eat it lighter

Common questions

Why is lo mai kai so high in calories?
Glutinous rice is dense and calorie-heavy, and lo mai kai is steamed with oil, soy sauce and the fat from the chicken and lap cheong. A small bowl ends up around 380 calories, mostly carbs and fat.
Is lo mai kai healthy?
It is fine in moderation but it is not a light food. The protein from the chicken is modest while the carbs and fat are high. Treat one bowl as your rice for the meal rather than a small side.
How much protein is in lo mai kai?
About 14g per bowl, mostly from the chicken. For the calories involved that is not a lot of protein, which is why it is better thought of as a carb dish than a protein one.

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Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

New to all this? Read how I went from 128kg to 86kg without cutting rice →

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