Dr. Vivek Sharma
Fast food is popular because its convenient, its cheap, and it tastes good. But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu.
* Eric Schlosser
Fast food refers to food that can be served ready to eat. The term fast food and junk food are often used interchangeably. Most of the junk foods are fast foods as they are prepared and served fast, but not all fast foods are junk foods, especially when they are prepared with nutritious contents.
Indian parents and grand parents often raise their eyebrows when their kids nag them for burger, pizza, pasta and frankies. However the same parents do not mind feeding their kids with same Indian unhealthy snacks, time and again – be it high on fats or cholesterol.
In India transfats known as vanaspati are used extensively by makers of snacks.
Hydrogenated oils are oils that are often healthy in their natural state, but are quickly turned into poisons through the manufacturing and the processing they undergo. Hydrogenated oil used in Indian cooking is rich in transfats. Transfat contents in Indian fast food are far higher than western foods. Transfats contents in Bhatura, Parantha and Pooris is 9.5%, 7.8% and 7.6% respectively as compared to 4.2% in regular french fries. Hydrogenated oils should be avoided at all costs.
Popular Indian Fast Foods and their health hazards
India has a rich heritage of foods and recipes. Some popular Indian fast food and their bad consequences include :
* Pakora – It increases bad cholestrol and decreases good cholestrol and makes one obese.
* Samosa – It has 25gms of fat, the same as that of a large slab of butter.
* Chole Bature – If you were to eat two bhaturas and the chole which is soaked in oil you would be pouring in almost 1200 calories and 50gm of fat. Acidity and heart burn are common side effects. Saturated fat ingested in such large quantities clogs arteries as well as leads to diabetes and blood pressure.
* Kachori – Causes acidity and obesity.
* Bhujia – The chemical preservatives used for storing bhujia has the capacity to increase cholesterol.
* Patties – Full of potato and that too deeply fried, this only increases the unwanted starch and carbohydrates in your body.
* Vada – Many people think that medu vada and sabudana vada are healthy items. These items are deeply fried in an ocean of oil.
* Pani Puri (Gol Gappas) – These pani puri are not healthy if prepared in stored oil.
* Jalebi – They are deeply fried either in stored oil or oil that has been used repeatedly.
* Chakli, Gujia – Heavily fried with all source of starchy and fatty items.
Excessive fast food consumption and adverse health consequences
Consumption of diet high in sugar, saturated fat, salt and calorie content in children can lead to early development of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and impaired glucose tolerance. The concerns with fast food consumption in developing countries also include poor hygiene during preparation storage and handling leading to microbiological contamination. Diets rich in free sugars can lead to increased risk of dental caries. Junk foods often contain colors that are inedible, carcinogenic and harmful to the body. Food coloring may result in hyperactivity and lapses of concentration in children. One of the consequences of ready availability of cheap food outside the home is devaluation of cooking skills.
Promoting Healthy Food Habits in Children :
* While eating away from home, avoid opting for dishes with rich creamy layers and lots of spices.
* Limit the portion size of the food ordered. Regular size meal may be opted against ‘mega meal offer’ or ‘combo meal offer’.
* Prefer grilled fresh sandwiches to fried ones. Similarly, when choosing the meat or poultry select baked, broiled, grilled items rather than fried ones.
* Child should be offered with a plate filled with plenty of brightly colored vegetables, fruits and sprouts.
* Ice-cream, chocolates and other heavy desserts can be replaced by low fat fresh yogurt.
* Fresh lime juice, coconut water and fresh fruit juices should be preferred to sodas and soft drinks as beverages.
* Avoid giving chocolate bars as gifts or reward to the children for their good habits or academic achievements.
* Replace naan with tandoori roti as low fat option breads in Indian menu.
* Dishes can be stir fried rather than deep fry to decrease the fat content.
* Dough used for preparing poori/pakoras should be thick and avoid using ghee or oil for making the dough as this might increase oil absorption.
Fast foods are always harmful to the health and deteriorate the health condition if taken on regular basis without providing any health benefits.
(The writer is a consultant paediatrician based in Jaipur can be contacted at drvivek_sharma@rediffmail.com)
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