EidAl-Adha is one of the most important celebrations in the Islamic calendar. Every year, this holiday brings together families and friends to commemorate Ibrahim’s sacrifice.
The ceremony is accompanied by sumptuous feasts where lamb meat is in the spotlight, prepared in a thousand and one ways to delight the taste buds.
However, behind this festive atmosphere and these hearty meals, lie health issues to which it is crucial to pay attention. Lamb meat, although an excellent source of protein and essential nutrients, can also become a formidable enemy for our health if consumed without moderation.
Traditional dishes, often high in fat and cholesterol, can pose significant risks, especially for those suffering from cardiovascular disease or high cholesterol.
Oumaima Nia, dietitian and nutritionist, although she discusses the nutritional benefits of lamb meat, highlights the precautions to take to avoid the harmful consequences of excessive consumption. It also covers practical advice for maintaining a healthy dietary balance during this festive period, allowing everyone to fully enjoy the delights of EidAl-Adha without compromising their health.
Lamb meat, especially consumed during Eid Al-Adha, is an excellent source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B9, necessary for maintaining muscle mass and preventing diseases such as anemia. , explains Ms. Nia, in an interview with MAP, specifying that a 100g portion of lamb meat contains approximately 24.5g of protein, 1.88g of iron, 4.46g of zinc and 2.55g of vitamin B9.
It also contains beneficial lipids that participate in energy storage and hormone synthesis, she continues, adding that this same portion also contains 97 mg of cholesterol, a high level that can promote cardiovascular disease.
“Excessive consumption of lamb meat can lead to an accumulation of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the arteries, thus contributing to atherosclerosis and increasing the risk of heart disease,” notes the specialist.
On the day of Eid, the main dish is often “bouleffaf”, composed mainly of liver and other offal, although rich in protein, iron, zinc and phosphorus, these offal also contain a high cholesterol content, reaching 410mg per 100g, says Ms. Nia, reminding people suffering from cardiovascular diseases or high cholesterol that it is strongly recommended to limit the consumption of these foods, “for example, a person weighing 60 kg should only consume 50g of meat or 15g of liver”.
It indicates, in this sense, that people suffering from gout should avoid offal because of their richness in uric acid and that pregnant women should avoid offal because of their high content of vitamin A, potentially harmful for the development of the gout. fetus. And as nutritional advice to minimize the negative effects of eating meat during Eid AlAdha, the nutritionist advises starting with a salad of raw vegetables; The dietary fiber contained in raw vegetables helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels and promotes digestive health, while helping to regulate blood sugar levels.
She also recommends diversifying protein sources by avoiding eating meat at every meal, but opting for alternatives like fish or chicken. According to the specialist, you should limit yourself to 3 meals per day, thus allowing time for digestion and avoiding digestive discomfort or the development of gastritis.
And to add that we should favor healthy cooking methods, avoiding cooking meat with oil or butter, but rather cooking in the oven, steaming, tajine or grilling (avoiding char meat to prevent the formation of carcinogenic compounds). And to conclude, Ms. Nia emphasizes that regular physical activity, in particular 30 minutes of walking a day, helps to maintain a good balance of health.
By Safaa Abou El Houda (MAP
