New Year: Dietician warns against excessive sugar, fries

WITH New Year celebration still in the air, an expert in nutrition and dietetics, University College Hospital, U.C.H, Ibadan, Mrs Morenike Ronke Oshilaja, has urged everyone to ensure moderation in the intake of food and assorted drinks, noting that excessive intake of food, especially sugary or fried foods could trigger unpalatable health conditions.

According to her, “New year is a period of merrying, dining and wining with one another, but in this season, we must ensure moderation in our diets, especially for patients on dietary-related conditions like diabetes, hypertension, kidney problems and obesity.

“This set of people should not be tempted to compromise the prescribed eating standards but maintain discipline in adhering to them. Diabetic patients should not be tempted to consume sugary foods and juice. They should take a lot of water and vegetables. They can take fruit salad or the one without salad cream or mayonnaise.”

Mrs Oshilaja further encouraged people, especially adults, to take more of vegetables and less of fried foods.

“Do not eat too much. Too much of everything is bad and could be dangerous to your health. Eat quality food and not just junks.

“For your salad, I recommend fruit salad, or take it without the cream. You can also reduce your fries. Instead of frying your chicken, you can roast them. Take the oven-dried ones or cook them but ensure the skin is removed.

“For your pepper soup treat, instead of cat fish, you can resort to scaly fish or tilapia and croaker. These contain less cholesterol. Significantly, take healthy oil. Oil that has low cholesterol should be consumed but avoid those high in cholesterol,” she said.

The dietician called on everyone to take a minimum of three litres of water per day, even as the dry season approaches.