Be aware of excessive intake of Meat during Eid-ul-Adha

Eid-ul-Adha is an important and memorable event which Muslims of the world celebrated in the month of Zill Hajj. This eid is marked by the slaughter of sacrificial animals, so it is understood that people tend to include more red meat for most of their meals, which they probably would not ear in a month and thereby jeopardize their health.

Ideally, only 20 percent of our calories must come from fat while 50 percent from carbohydrates and 30 percent from proteins. Red meat is rich in fat and proteins. When you are having three meals that predominantly have meat preparations, the digestive system gets overloaded. An average meal takes about six-hour to digest. But in the case of meat-rich meals, it takes about 8-12 hours to be digested. During eid gatherings, when people are having meat preparations for every meal, there is not enough time for the previous meal to get digested. This makes the stomach distended, causes acid reflux, bloating, pain and constipation.

Overconsumption of meat can cause the following possible damage on the body:

  • Deep-fried meat preparation makes it more difficult to digest as there is fat from oil and from the meat to assimilate, leading to acid reflux, heartburn and bloating. Delayed digestion reduces blood circulation to the brain leading to fatigue and a foggy mind.
  • It is recommended that meat of the slaughtered animal be left for at least four-six hour and then cooked. Cooking immediately leads to indigestion as some time is required for biological changes in the meat to set in after the halal process.
  • Excessive red meat intake, more than 100 gms for more than two meals per day increases uric acid levels in the blood, liver enzymes, flaring inflammation-causing gout attack, kidney stones and arthritic joint pain.
  • Going over-limit on high meat dishes along with sugary deserts, high carb and high salt intake during eid, especially in this summer, poses a high risk of heart attacks and strokes. This kind of unhealthy excessive eating with reduced water intake increases the risk of blood clot formation in our blood vessels.

Healthy ways to celebrate EID:

  • Increase intake of fruits & vegetables: Apart from offering us fibre and antioxidants, they keep the bowel healthy and the colonic bacteria in good form.
  • Adopt healthy cooking methods for meat preparations: Boiling, baking, grilling and slow cooking methods help us digest meat easily.
  • Use natural marinades: Marinate meat in natural meat tenderizers such as papaya, pineapple, yoghurt and turmeric not only makes the meat soft but also requires less digestive enzymes in our stomach to digest.
  • Intermittent fasting: Give a break of up to four-six hours between lunch and dinner prevents indigestion. Avoid very late night heavy meals.

Be aware of what you eat on EID:

Fried Liver:                                                                           Barbeque Beef:                 

1 serving = 100gms (4-5 small pieces)                         1 serving =246 gms

Calories: 585.7 kcal                                                           Calories: 517 kcal

Cholesterol: 1716.6 mg                                                   Cholesterol: 130 mg

Sodium: 511 mg                                                                 Sodium: 639 mg

Protein: 53.8                                                                       Protein: 40 gms

 

Brain Masala:                                                                      Mutton fried:

1 serving = 148gms                                                           1 serving = 134 gms

Calories: 215 kcal                                                              Calories: 284 kcal

Cholesterol: 3024 mg                                                       Cholesterol: 87 mg

Sodium: 198 mg                                                                 Sodium: 277 mg

Protein: 19 gms                                                                  Protein: 23 gms