Eat, drink and be merry, with a little care

“It’s never enough for me when it comes to beef,” said Iqbal, who works for a private firm at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka.

“The gravy with whole spices drives me crazy,” Iqbal went on, “I just love beef in all forms - kebab, nehari, tikia, you name it!”

The second biggest religious festival of the Muslims is around the corner. Eid-ul-Azha is the favourite for foodies.

Plans and preparations for Eid are at the peak. Cattle markets are getting quite a buzz and people are busy buying the best beast to sacrifice on the holy occasion. Newspapers and magazines have already published their special editions with yummy recipes of beef and mutton.

Since people are more health conscious these days, the chance of overeating is slim. Of course, there is always that glutton who lives to eat, rather than eats to live!

Nutritionist and dietician SN Shampa of Samorita Hospital said there are no restrictions for an active and fit young person to consume beef during the Eid.

“After all, it is a festival. It is okay to be carefree sometimes.” She added.

But there are strict restrictions on fat or red meat for patients suffering from cardiac or kidney diseases, high level of uric acid and people with obesity.

Experts say, patients with cardiac and kidney diseases are prohibited from eating red meat, especially marbled meat containing intramuscular fats.

“Patient with high levels of uric acid must not eat brain or marrow,” suggested SN Shampa over the phone.

“But beef is very helpful for the patients with a low level of haemoglobin from 7-10 g/DL,” she added.

The dietician said, cardiac patients can consume 50 to 100 grams of fatless meat with less spice and oil. Notably, 100 grams of beef, the solid meat of the leg, contains only 2.6 per cent calories estimated to be 114 kilo calories.

“It is better to avoid marbled meats and meats with bone as they contain more fats,” Shampa added.

Experts worldwide on various news portals and health websites suggest taking it in the boiled or charcoaled form and avoiding taking it in oily or fried form as this increases the intakes of calories in a day. For instance, kebabs are an excellent choice of food on Eid.

Many people think fizzy soda drinks help digesting food fast. But fizzy aerated drinks have added sugar that affects our body.

Taking various salads of papaya, cucumber and carrots can help digest animal protein, says the nutritionist.

“Mix a little vinegar or lemon with your water after your meal. It will help digesting the food,” she added.

Drinking plenty of water and taking a little care can make the festival even more enjoyable, without the side effects of overeating and having rich food.

An active human body is naturally prepared for animal protein intake. Excessive protein can increase obesity. And moreover, we should not forget Eid-ul-Azha is more about sacrificing rather than gluttony.