New Delhi : The Health Ministry has urged all central institutions, including AIIMS Nagpur, to install ‘oil and sugar boards’ aimed at educating people on the health risks of consuming excessive junk food. This initiative brings popular treats like jalebi and samosas under scrutiny, as these deep-fried and sugar-laden snacks are known to have long-term health consequences.
Dr Sanjat Chiwane, director, cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon, said, Samosa and jalebi are two foods that pose significant health risks when consumed regularly, primarily due to their high content of trans fats and refined sugars, two components that have been conclusively linked to cardiovascular disease by cardiologists worldwide.
Samosas are deep-fried snacks often prepared using hydrogenated oils or oils that are reused multiple times, which significantly increases the presence of harmful trans fats. Trans fats are known to increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, commonly referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’, while simultaneously decreasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the ‘good cholesterol’ that helps clear arterial plaques.
Jalebis are loaded with sugar, which can be equally harmful, emphasised Dr Chiwane. He said, Jalebi, a deep-fried dessert soaked in concentrated sugar syrup, is an example of a food extremely high in simple sugars with an exceptionally high glycemic load. Consuming such high levels of sugar causes rapid spikes in blood glucose and insulin, promoting insulin resistance over time — a key driver of type 2 diabetes.
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