UM Surabaya Lecturer: Prevent Cholesterol from Rising during Eid with These 5 Ways

• 21 Apr
• 2023

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UM Surabaya Lecturer: Prevent Cholesterol from Rising during Eid with These 5 Ways

• Article
• By Uswah Sahal
• Health
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Eid is the right time to spend time with family, and don't forget to share the various special Eid dishes, because it's not complete if you spend Eid without eating.

Ira Purnamasari Lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FIK) UM Surabaya explained things to watch out for regarding food eaten during Eid which can cause cholesterol levels to rise if we are not careful.

Ira explained, cholesterol is a yellowish fat that humans need within certain limits. However, if there is a large amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood, it will accumulate in the walls of the arteries which, if left unchecked, will thicken and harden over time, thus blocking the flow of blood to the heart and brain, causing a person to suffer from coronary heart disease and stroke.

"So it is important for us to know how to prevent cholesterol from rising during Eid," said Ira Friday (21/4/23)

According to him, the first is to limit foods that are high in fat. After fasting for 1 month, usually a person will experience an increase in appetite in the morning and afternoon during Eid.

"One of the tips is to choose foods with low fat, such as rendang made from lean cuts of meat. Avoid the liver and offal. Also limit processed meats such as sausages because they are made from processed fatty meats, and also meatballs with high-fat gravy," added Ira again.

Second, limit consumption of pastries. Usually in the manufacture of pastries, one of the ingredients used is butter (made from animal fat) which contains high saturated fat. Apart from butter, cheese is also often added in making pastries. Cheese itself is a dairy product that has the highest saturated fat content when compared to other dairy products.

"As explained by the Indonesian Ministry of Health's P2PTM, in 100 grams of cheese contains 20.3 grams of total fat and 100 mg of cholesterol. And 100 grams of butter contains 81.6 grams of total fat and 250 mg of cholesterol," he added.

Third, limit the consumption of fried foods. Chatting and chatting with family is the best while eating fried foods. Usually one is not enough, a person will consume more of this delicious food.

Ira said, eating fried foods poses many health risks to the body, fried foods contain bad fats which can be detrimental to health if consumed in excess.

Fourth, consumption of fruits and vegetables high in fiber. Compensate by eating high-fiber vegetables when eating Eid dishes. Vegetables such as carrots, beans, and broccoli contain fiber, where carrots contain fiber, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin which can reduce cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract.

"Besides vegetables, there are also apples and pears which can reduce cholesterol absorption into the bloodstream," he said.

Lastly, stay active and exercise regularly. By continuing to move and exercise, the body will experience a decrease in bad cholesterol (LDL) and an increase in good cholesterol (HDL). In addition, by exercising, one can avoid obesity.