Healthy eating suggestions for Eid al-Adha

Dietician Öztürk, who works at Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital, made statements to AA correspondent regarding the health effects of excessive meat consumption during Eid al-Adha.

Öztürk emphasized that the most common nutritional mistake during the holiday is to immediately cook and consume the meat of the sacrificed animal.

Öztürk, who pointed out that the frequency and amount of meat consumption increases during Eid al-Adha, warned, "Especially consuming large amounts of meat, especially fatty parts, causes digestive difficulties and increases the risk of diseases such as blood pressure and cholesterol. Individuals at risk of cardiovascular diseases need to be more careful."

Öztürk underlined that sacrificial meat should be consumed in accordance with the rules and stated that the meat should be kept for at least 12 hours to loosen the stiffness in the muscles.

Öztürk, pointing out that the method of cooking meat is also important for health, shared the information, "I recommend cooking meat with its own fat but lean parts by boiling or grilling, not roasting. There is no need to add extra solid fat, suet, or tail fat. Red meat is already a food with a high enough cholesterol content. The meat's own fat is enough for it to cook."

Underlining the need to maintain a balanced diet during Eid al-Adha, Öztürk noted the following:

"We should definitely not skip our breakfast habit during the holiday, but we should make it light. We should not consume eggs on the morning of the holiday because they are high in cholesterol. We should generally prefer meat for lunch. Instead of foods with a high glycemic index such as pasta and rice pilaf, we should prefer bulgur pilaf, salad with plenty of lemon or vegetables with olive oil. We should consume at least as much salad as the amount of meat we eat. Instead of white bread, we can prefer bread made from brown flour, whole grain or whole wheat flour."

Öztürk stated that the internal temperature of the meat should be 70 degrees for it to be cooked healthily, and emphasized that when it is cooked quickly and on high heat, the outside of the meat becomes hard and the inside is not fully cooked, and that the meat should be cooked slowly and on low heat, and that if it is being cooked on a barbecue, it should not be kept too close to the fire.

Öztürk pointed out that they generally do not recommend consuming offal, and said that both meat and offal should not be eaten at the same meal. Öztürk recommended avoiding meat consumption for a few days after consuming offal.

Öztürk, who stated that the consumption of desserts has also increased during the holidays, said, "We usually serve full plates of pastry desserts with thick syrup as treats during the holidays. We should change these treat habits. Milk desserts should be our preference. Fruit desserts or even the fruit itself can be an alternative treat. Portion size is important to us. We can offer our treats in small portions for tasting."

Öztürk stated that in order to increase mobility during holiday visits, they recommend walking to places within walking distance or parking the vehicle at a more distant location and completing some of the journey on foot.

Öztürk also underlined the importance of water consumption and noted that consuming 1.5-2 liters of water during the day and eating slowly and chewing food well are beneficial for digestion.