Visakhapatnam: Before you hit any food outlet again for your favourite snack, spare a moment to read about a research study carried out by the Andhra University Nutrition department that reveals the fat and moisture content in five different categories of junk foods like deep fried items, bakery items, chips, sweets.
Eighteen junk food samples were collected from popular junk food stops at Maddilapalem, Andhra University Outgate, Jagadamba, Sir-ipuram and Waltair junction for the research conducted by Andhra University Foods, Nut-rition and Dietetics de-partment student Nooka Raju under the gui-dance of department head Dr B.V. Sandeep and Dr. R. Rajeswari.
The samples were dried in an oven and moisture content was also estimated. Total fat was estimated using Soxhlet method of fat extraction.
It was revealed that pakodi has the highest fat content, followed by samosa, vada, bonda, bajji, punukulu and karappusa. Pakodi is the most favourite food item of all age groups in the city. Consumpt-ion of one plate of pakodi may provide 26 gm of visible fat directly that can be detrimental to health.
Fat content found in vada (2 medium sized) was 19.58 gm, bonda 20.96 gm, bajji 13.2gm, punukulu (six small) 6.38gm, samosa (one large) 25.32 gm and karappusa 21.8gm. In bakery category, fat present in pizza is highest, followed by veg roll and veg puff.
As obesity is emerging as major public health disorder among the city adolescents, nutritionists believe that there should be a most effective tool of changing the food habits without affecting their sentiments.
Nutrition counselling regarding the impo-rtance of balanced diet, harmful effects of junk foods will help to curb the junk food addiction and improving their nutritional status.
There is a need to focus on nutrition counselling to facilitate the intake of healthy junk foods like fermented foods, wheat noodles by adding lots of vegetables, sprouted pulses, sprouted tikki, vegetable samosa and cutlets, wheat and multigrain bread.
