Enjoy the festive season but watch the diet - Healthcare professional

Festive seasons like Aidilfitri are a time for families and friends to get together and enjoy scrumptious helpings at the table but they are certainly no excuse for one to eat excessively.

A. Kanimolli, a Nutrition and Dietetics lecturer at International Medical University, Malaysia, said health should be utmost in everyone's mind when they indulge in all the delicacies set before them.

"Don't take health for granted and it should be taken care of for continued well being," he told Bernama recently.

Anticipating the usual varieties of food prepared during Aidilfitri particularly at 'open house' events, he cautioned against gorging on food.

"Eat slowly and savour the food. A person who rushes his meal will have to consume more food in order to feel full, compared to someone who eats slowly.

"Ideally, take food that has less gravy, because it contains high calorie and fat. The kuah rendang, sambal ikan bilis, kuah laksa and lontong have a lot of salt and saturated fats," he said, adding, even biscuit or chips contain 40 to 60 calories.

Kanimolli also warned that consuming high carbohydrate foods at irregular hours could cause the blood sugar level of diabetic individuals to become erratic and result in health complications.

He said healthy individuals would experience sudden weight increase after consuming excessive high calorie food.

"When one is fat or obese, the risk of getting diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart disease is greater," he said.

He said the calorie requirement of each individual was different and depended on the body size, gender, age, disease susceptibility and other physical aspects.

Meanwhile, Kanimolli said open house hosts should provide their guests with plain water, aside from the usual refreshments.

"They can serve food that contain less fat such as apam kukus, kuih pulut panggang as an alternative to curry puff or doughnut.

"Peanuts and chips should not be in the picture, and of course fresh fruits as dessert is ideal," he said.