Beginning your day with a cup of tea/coffee and biscuits in India is an everyday ritual that almost every house follows. The humble drink along with cookies and biscuits comes in handy as a no-fuss starter and also as a convenient evening time snack. While keeping a check on the number of cups of tea/coffee you drink daily, have you ever thought about how many biscuits you consume in a day? Asks dietician Avni Kaul.
Read about the information by the eminent gastrointestinal dietitian and leading nutritionist, Avni Kaul, that talks about the dark side of biscuits and the ways they impact the digestive and immune systems.
Contains palm oil
Palm oil is cent percent fat that when eaten on a daily basis might increase certain heart disease risk factors. Also, reusing palm oil lowers its antioxidant capacity and exposes you to several heart diseases. It is one of the cheapest and one of the unhealthiest oils and the majority of biscuits are made using it.
Made of all-purpose flour
Everyone knows that biscuits and cookies are made of all-purpose flour, which is unhealthy for your gut. The white flour lacks micro and macronutrients that lead to weight gain, an increase in blood sugar, inflammation, cardiovascular issues, and indigestion.
Mindless eating
As per one of the studies published in 2013 at Connecticut College, consuming biscuits activates similar pleasure in the brain as cocaine and morphine and this is the reason human minds never settle for one and form the habit of unconscious overeating.
High preservatives
Store purchased biscuits and cookies include Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Studies suggest that they both are harmful for human blood. Besides this, biscuits also have Sodium Benzoate, which is associated with certain types of DNA damage.
Excessive sodium content
An average sweet biscuit has 0.4g of salt per 25g packet, which when eaten in excess, could boost the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, or heart failure. Excessive sodium consumption also leads to water retention which manifests itself through bloating, puffiness, and weight gain.
Conclusion
Though all the above-mentioned points talk about the dark side of biscuits, another reality is that eating anything in moderation is the key that applies to the consumption of biscuits. It is suggested to eat homemade biscuits, as one can keep a check on the quality and quantity of the ingredients
Avni Kaul is Founder of Nutriactivania with Masters Degree in Food and Nutrition from University of Delhi and is also a Certified Diabetes Educator from Project Hope and International Diabetes Federation. She is a Leicester Mammas Ambassador trained in Lactation Counselling with NHS United Kingdom. Mammas support pregnant and new mothers and their families. Specializations of Avni Kaul Include Infant and Young Child Feeding Practises, Pre and Post natal diets, Fat loss, Muscle Gain and Holistic Health and Nutrition