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Eid comes with joy and merriment bringing along hope
to get new clothes, shoes, bangles and the list just goes on.
Eid-ul-adha brings something more with it the 'qurbani' or animal
sacrifice. This is a ritual which is a sunnah and is performed by every
well to do Muslim. Everyone, especially the kids are always excited
about the 'qurbani'. Eid-ul-adha is the time of savoring variety of meat
dishes. During this time many people fall ill due to excessive eating of
meat. It is therefore necessary to consume meat in a balanced way.
According to scientific studies, meat is an important source of protein
and therefore meat should be a part of our diet. But we should not
completely depend on meat for the intake of protein. Pulses, vegetables
and fruits are also good sources of protein. During Eid-ul-adha, the use
of meat increases, therefore its proper usage and proper preservation
methods should be known.
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Meat, weather of daily routine or of eid, can soon spoil. To prevent the
meat from spoiling, you should use it with in 3 hours or it should be
preserved. For preserving something for a long duration, it is
dehydrated.
The water content in meat is 75 percent whereas cereals and pulses
contain 10 to 15 percent water. Water is the best breeding place for
germs so it is necessary to remove water from the meat. For this
purpose, you can sun dry the meat, dry it on the stove or freeze it. If
the hygiene standards are maintained during these three methods, then
meat can be preserved for a longer period of time.
For example, while drying meat in the sun, make sure that it is safe
from flies, insects or dust. Cover the meat with a thin or net cloth so
that it is free from unhygienic things. Then keep the meat in the
blazing sun for 2 21/2 hours. With this the protein will make a layer in
the meat, the water will dry and the meat will remain safe.
Germs do not breed on acid based substances therefore before drying the
meat in the sun, sprinkle salt, lemon juice or vinegar on it. If the
sun's heat is not enough then chop the meat in small pieces, sprinkle
salt over it and heat it in the oven for a while. But freezing is a
better option for preserving meat for longer duration. This is because
the growth of germs ceases in a frozen state. The meat that is dried by
squeezing lemon juice is best for people with iron deficiency.
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According to nutritionists, meat that is frozen can be kept and used
within 3 to 4 months. And if the freezer door does not open often and
there is no problem of load shedding, then the meat can be kept for
around 6 months. Once the meat comes out of the freezer and the ice
starts to melt, the germs will start to thrive on it. So this meat
should be used as soon as possible. Meat once taken out of the freezer
should not be kept in it again.
Use small plastic bags, for preserving meat and avoid using newspaper
sheet as the ink used on it contains lead which is highly dangerous for
health. Butter paper can also used for this purpose.
Difference between stale and fresh meat
Stale meat can be recognized by its foul smell and discoloration. Dark
red meat turns into green. The meat of a sick animal is not considered
good for human health. The body of such an animal starts to produce
poison which keeps piling in the liver. If consumed, the poison can be
transferred to the human body and can spread diseases like food
poisoning, diarrhea, etc.
Soon after the animal is slaughtered, the 'kaleji' is usually cooked and
eaten. Therefore before cooking, carefully see the color and look for
any hole present.
The color of fresh meat should be pink or bright red and should be soft
and tender to the touch. Such meat does not loose water easily. On the
other hand, pale, red or dark red meat is not considered to be very
good. Such meat can soon be spoilt.
Meat is high in fats and when the level of fats increases in the diet,
it surely becomes bad for health. Healthy people or growing children can
use 70 gram meat in their diet but it can cause problems for sick people
especially those suffering with high blood pressure and heart problems.
Well, they can eat meat by first cooking it in soybean oil, sunflower or
corn oil. Make sure you increase the use of vegetables and fruits along
with this.
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During eid if you have eaten meat continuously for two days then use
vegetables and fruits so that your diet remains balanced. Overeating
meat can cause the following problems:
• Meat used in excess makes the mind dull.
• It can cause joint problems. People already suffering from this can
have an increase in their problem.
• Meat of thick fiber can cause the gums to swell.
• It can cause liver problems.
• Daily use of meat can cause high blood pressure.
• It causes obesity.
• Excess of protein in the body can cause liver and kidney problems
• Cow's meat is the basic cause of heart disease.
Informing you about all this does not mean that you stop eating meat.
Instead you should use it in a balanced way so that it does not cause
any problems to your health. So eat healthy and have a great eid! |