If you swap out the usual filling in gourami dim sum for chicken liver, the final dish has less fat—this was checked in a lab.

We analyzed the available evidence on whether swapping chicken liver for the usual filling in gourami dim sum lowers fat content, and what we’ve found so far leans toward yes. Twenty studies or assertions support the idea that this substitution results in a final dish with less fat, based on lab measurements [1]. No studies or assertions in our review contradicted this finding. The evidence comes from lab analyses that compared the fat content of traditional gourami dim sum with versions where chicken liver replaced the original filling. These tests measured the actual fat levels in the prepared dishes, not just estimated them. While we don’t know the exact amount of fat reduction, the consistent pattern across all 20 assessments suggests this substitution tends to lower fat. It’s important to note that we don’t know how much the fat drops, or whether other nutritional factors like cholesterol or sodium change. We also don’t know if this holds true across all recipes or cooking methods, since the evidence doesn’t specify those details. For someone looking to reduce fat in their dim sum, this substitution may be worth trying based on what we’ve seen so far. But because the evidence doesn’t cover all possible variations, results could vary depending on how the dish is made.