India is a land of cultural diversity which gives us the opportunity of enjoying so many festivals throughout the year. With Christmas and New Year’s Eve are just around the corner, we can already smell all the sweet delicacies being prepared everywhere. After all, what much is left in a festival if it’s not mostly about the variety of food each festival has to offer. It is a time, during which we often get carried away by the temptation of consuming much more food than what we usually do. No matter what age group we belong to, it is not easy to resist the urge of eating cakes, sweets, and chocolates during festivals. Is it?
People keep on eating without thinking much of the consequences. Sweets are the most favourite part of any festivity and to resist them is next to impossible. But no matter how tempting it gets, devouring on sweets and spicy food needs to be controlled, especially for the kids. They have very active taste buds, and often their preferred foods are the ones that are unhealthy for them. With the festivals often come health issues that appear due to our negligence on what to eat and what not to eat. People, especially kids, are the first ones to fall ill due to festive celebrations.
Gorging on cakes, chocolates, and wine during the festival season can harm our body in so many ways. But, what exactly are the ways in which it can harm our bodies? Let us know:
Overeating can lead to gastritis and constipation
Foods prepared during festivals are often too sweet or spicy and are prepared with ingredients that are either unhealthy or over nutritious. Excess intake of such foods can lead to health problems like gastritis and constipation. So, it is wise to stay away from food prepared with a high amount of sugar and maida because these things areunhealthy if not taken sensibly or in the appropriate quantity. Sweets are generally made with these ingredients. So we should limit our consumption of sweets to avoid gastritis and constipation.
Weight gain
The most annoying after-effect of overeating is weight gain. Even if it is for just a couple of days during the festival, people come to gain kilos due to overeating. It is because of the excessive use of oil, sugar and maida in preparation of festival foods. When it is so easy to gain weight through overeating, it is equally difficult to lose those stubborn kilos and get back into shape.
Cavity
Sweets prepared in the shops contain a lot of artificial sweeteners. Excessive consumption of such sweets can affect the gums and teeth negatively. The sugar content and artificial sweeteners in sweets are the reason for bacterial growth in teeth which causes cavities and gum problems.
Risk of Diabetes
If you are above 40 and you have a history of Diabetes in your family, it is safe to stay far, far away from sweets and other foods that are made of ingredients that are known to cause diabetes. Even if it is for a few days, it can harm you in a permanent way. Sweets are known to be a factor that affects the production of insulin in your body that causes Diabetes later on.
Increase in cholesterol levels
Overconsumption of sweets and foods are not advisable during festivals because they can increase the cholesterol levels of the body. It is dangerous for human bodies and it is also one of the main reasons for heart diseases in people.
Apart from the health issues mentioned above, binge eating can also be the reason for various problems. Doctors opine that we should stay away from packaged food as much as possible because most of the outdoor food is prepared with unhealthy ingredients. Parents should also educate children about healthy food habits and how overeating can make them dull & clumsy.
The writer is Dr Ravi Gaur MD (Pathology), COO at Oncquest Laboratories Limited