The dinner tables that bring families together during the holidays are also the symbol of the holidays. Stating that a balanced diet is important for a healthy and happy holiday, experts warn patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. According to experts, attention should be paid to the consumption of fatty meats with higher saturated fat and cholesterol content. Lean or low-fat meats should be preferred, consumed in limited quantities and should not be overdone. Stating that meat should be cooked by boiling and grilling instead of frying, experts recommend consuming it with vegetables.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Nutrition and Diet Specialist Özden Örkçü made recommendations for cardiovascular, high blood pressure and diabetes patients in the upcoming Eid al-Adha.
What should be considered when consuming sacrificial meat?
Özden Örkçü pointed out that the consumption of sugar and sugary foods as well as meat consumption increases during the Feast of Sacrifice and said, "Especially people with obesity (obesity), high blood pressure, cardiovascular, stomach and diabetes (diabetes) should pay more attention to their nutrition."
Fresh meat is difficult to digest
Stating that meats are foods that are difficult to digest, Özden Örkçü said, "The hardness in the meat of freshly slaughtered animals causes difficulty in both cooking and digestion. For this reason, especially people with gastrointestinal diseases should not consume sacrificial meat immediately, it is better for health to consume it by cooking it by boiling or grilling after waiting in the refrigerator for a few days."
Low-fat meats should be consumed in limited amounts
Özden Örkçü also emphasized what people with blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease should pay attention to when consuming meat, "Since fatty meats have a higher saturated fat and cholesterol content; people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes (diabetes) and high blood pressure should prefer lean or low-fat meats during Eid al-Adha, consume in limited quantities and should not overdo it."
Avoid frying
Stating that the cooking methods of sacrificial meat are also important, Özden Örkçü gave the following information:
"During Eid al-Adha, attention should be paid to cooking methods as well as the amount of meat consumption. Methods such as boiling and grilling should be preferred for cooking meat, and fried meats should be avoided. Cooking and frying at very high temperatures for a long time should not be preferred as it may cause the formation of various "carcinogenic substances". Cooking or consuming meat with vegetables, rather than alone, is a healthy method in terms of providing nutritional diversity.
Too high heat increases nutrient loss
High temperatures suddenly solidify the proteins on the surface and the heat cannot reach the inside of the meat. For this reason, the internal temperature of the meat should be at least 70 ºC-75 ºC. Very high heat causes the outer surface of the meat to burn and water loss to be high, increasing the loss of nutrients.
Meat should not be consumed raw
Meat should never be consumed raw or undercooked, and it should be kept in mind that some zoonotic diseases are transmitted by eating raw or undercooked meat.
To prevent the spread of infection, especially children should wash their hands properly with soap after using the toilet, before eating, and after contact with farm animals and raw foods. Personal hygiene rules should not be neglected during the slaughtering, skinning, carcass dismemberment, transportation, preservation, cooking and consumption of meat."
How should sacrificial meat be stored?
Stating that the preservation and storage of slaughtered meat is also very important for human health, Özden Örkçü said, "Sacrificial meat should be cut into small pieces, not in large pieces, but in small pieces for one meal, wrapped in a refrigerator bag or greaseproof paper and stored in the freezer or deep freezer of the refrigerator. Meat prepared in this way can be stored in the freezer at -2 degrees for a few weeks and in the deep freezer at -18 degrees for a longer period of time."
It should be thawed in the refrigerator, not at room temperature
"Meats are potentially risky foods that can easily spoil," warned Özden Örkçü, "Thawing meat again after freezing creates a breeding environment for some "microorganisms" and this threatens our health. Thawed meat should be cooked immediately and should not be frozen again. Meat should be thawed in the lower compartment of the refrigerator, not left uncovered at room temperature. Meat stored in the deep freezer can be placed on top of the crisper section of the refrigerator and allowed to thaw. Methods such as thawing on the heater, stove, waiting at room temperature, which are applied for the purpose of quick thawing of meat, bring dangerous consequences for human health, "he said.
