Wellness & Fitness

It’s Not Just a Piece of Juicy Steak

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Some of the meats increase risk of getting cancer. FILE PHOTOS | NMG

A look into Kenya’s dining industry and supermarket alleys shows new food trends. From preserved Chinese tea eggs, to raw beef or fish (tartare) served in a fine-dining restaurant and charred turnips, Kenyan diners have moved away from common meals. The most appealing foods are those with attractive descriptions and rare additions, but are they healthy?

On a Friday, the boys or girls will gather in a fine restaurant and start with platters of different meats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef and then they wash down the meal with glasses of liquor—some activated with charcoal.

High on chocolate

For dessert, it is chocolate cakes, chocolate pudding, chocolate chips, shaved or grated chocolate, whipped cream and sugar.

Since the retailers offer so many options while high-end chefs bring finesse to what you used to love by adding more spices or heating it more sufficiently, do you know what you are eating?

Despite regulations and inspections, food fraud exists and some recipes expose people to lifestyle diseases.

Angela Wali, a nutritionist, warned that for instance desserts like ‘‘Death by Chocolate’’ are not healthy.

‘‘Even going by the name you can tell that it’s not a good thing. There ought to be limits on the intake of chocolate because it is high in sugar and predisposes you to diabetes. When you eat something in excess it definitely has repercussions,’’ she said.

Ms Wali said technological advancements have also made it possible to purchase canned foods online and some of them may not be safe. “If the can in any way looks like it is bursting out, then the product is not good for consumption,” she warned.

Food poisoning is also becoming common as some of the foods we eat contain bacteria, viruses, excess pesticides and other toxins.

“First check the expiry date of the food and then the manufacturer, if you have doubts don’t buy it,’’ she said.

Chef John Muriithi said there is nothing in menus that is unhealthy. It is just how much you eat.

‘‘For instance, tasty foods in most menus have butter. But if you eat too much of it then arguably it can be unhealthy. The main thing is to have a balanced diet and moderate your food intake,’’ he said.

Research suggests that burnt or charred meat may increase the risk of cancer and the liquid put in foods for them to have a smoky flavour is dangerous. Some restaurants cook meats with wood —on the open embers-filled flame, smoke and ash.

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Chocolate eaten in excess predisposes someone to diabetes. PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH

To enrich it with flavour, some chefs add acid to the food while it is on cast iron pans, which reacts with the metal.

Eating raw meat also comes with its risks. But seasoned chefs say raw beef can be eaten so long as the poisonous bacteria on the surface is cut off. For instance, when making caparccio— a dish of raw meat or thinly sliced fish , Muriithi said the meat is seared to kill bacteria that is usually on the top.

The chef, who used to make one of the best steaks in town, said diners should not be afraid of enjoying their meat.

‘‘The fluid in the beef is just liquid coming out of the flesh and although it has no nutritional value, it is not harmful. It is to make the meat juicy,’’ he said.

However, he warned that certain people may have meat allergies and therefore should not eat it.

As Kenyans’ palates become sophisticated and many seek new delicacies, nutritionists say that for fish, it is important that the product be as fresh as possible. Go to a local fish market if you can.

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Most foods eaten in moderation are not harmful. file photo | nmg

It helps to know the ingredients of what you are buying. Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) requires that all ingredients should be translated into English. Only a fortnight ago, Kebs was battling allegations on existence of plastic rice in the country. Kebs maintains that any food that comes through the border must be inspected.

The standards body is banking on new equipment it acquired with assistance of the European Union to curb entry of unsafe foods. The new testing kits have the ability to analyse multiple toxic compounds including arsenic, mercury, harmful food additives and varied disease-causing microorganisms in farmed products like rice.

“I would like to assure you that the results from our labs are accurate and are reliable,” said Evans Ongwae, the Kebs managing director.