What does a kebab have exactly? Properties and risks

Pizzas or hamburgers have always been pioneers in the ranking of fast food or junk food, but for a few years now, kebabs have also been in fashion in developed countries.

Döner kebab in Turkish, shawarma in Arabic or gyros in Greek is a meat meal with spices It is often eaten in a pitta bread with salad and sauce. Its flavor may be delicious, but it is not exactly a healthy product.

It is also possible to consume this meat in a kind of "pancakes" (wraps), and it is called e dürüm.

In this article you can find some information about this food and you will be able to know its nutritional properties and the risks of eating kebab too often.

Poor nutrition in industrialized societies

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been warning about the bad eating habits of some people and the growth of junk food restaurants for some time, and affirming that this has become a public health problem that has, in many cases, not only aesthetic consequences for people but also poses a risk to health. The obesity

is a disease that is affecting industrialized societies, and its main cause is poor diet, rich in bad fats and excessive calories, and a sedentary lifestyle.

In many cases, these bad habits already start in adolescence. Almost any young person has gone out to clubs to drink alcohol and ended the night with a kebab. Junk food has become normalized, and the laws are too lenient towards these foods. In fact, a British study recently found that the industrial pastries in some chains such as Starbucks were bombs of clockwork for our health, and the coffees of some establishments such as Costa Coffee or KFC contained more sugar than a can of Coca Cola. Nothing good for our health, so governments should do something to change this situation.

1,000 to 2,000 calories per kebab

Kebabs are highly popular these days, and this was confirmed by the fast food company justeat.com, because according to a survey of its customers "they are a cheap, delicious and very satiating”. Kebabs are a traditional Turkish dish, which can be found throughout the Middle East and neighboring countries. Its appearance invites you to eat it, with thin slices of lamb, chicken or beef that is cooked on a vertical spit that goes rolling, and which is commonly served in garlic sauce or chutney in Europe, although in Greece they may be served with yogurt sauce or sauce teriyaki. Döner means spin in Turkish, gyros and shawarma mean the same thing in their respective languages.

the doner kebab is not healthy at all, at least the one consumed in the west, and according to a study led by Geoffrey Theobald, the kebab can contain up to 1000-2000 calories per unit. Accompanied by potatoes and a CocaCola, there would still be many more. The author of this research affirms that "these data are really worrying" and, furthermore, concludes that "on a nutritional level this food does not contribute anything good for our body."

This study has been carried out with 494 samples of kebabs in 76 municipalities, and the author affirms that the levels of salt, calories and saturated fat that have been reported are simply scandalous.

What does kebab meat contain?

The kebab meat may have a great flavor thanks to the spices it contains, but The meat that we often consume, such as lamb, beef or chicken, actually usually contains the entrails of these animals. and other types of meat. This is what a British study of Trade Standards found that was published in the English newspaper Daily Mail, since The results revealed that kebabs do not always contain the meat that is indicated on the label of the kebabs. providers. In fact, 15% of the cases the meat was not all lamb as on the label, but rather contained veal.

Worse still, they even found pork in 6 of the cases studied, something that goes against the Muslim religion. In addition, South Asian individuals also do not consume beef because they consider cows a sacred animal. Apparently, these problems arise from the manufacturers, so the points of sale seem to be not to blame for the content of the kebab meat.

Why are they not healthy? risks

Kebabs are a very unhealthy food, and the same study found that they contain extremely high levels of salt.. The results suggest that one contains 14.7 grams of salt, more than double the daily amount of 6 g. As for the fat content, it is also very high at 117.2g, which is well above the recommended daily allowance of 95g for men and 70g for women.

As Geoffrey Theobald tells the Daily Mail: "We cannot consider kebabs as part of a healthy diet, because the consequences for health are negative." “While some people may think it's a sensible light option, kebabs contain a lot of calories and favor overweight when consumed frequently and the person has a low lifestyle asset". Regarding fake meat, Theobald explains: “It is totally unacceptable that people who have certain beliefs are consuming food that goes against their principles.”

more nutritious foods

Logically, the kebab is not among the most nutritious and healthy foods that we can consume. If you want to know which are the foods that best feel to our body, you can read our article: “What are the 14 most nutritious foods that exist?”