The pleasure of nasi padang which is served warmly, coupled with the savory seasonings and distinctive green sauce will make anyone eager to eat it. However, behind the pleasure, nasi padang is always associated with foods high in fat and cholesterol and contains lots of purines which can increase blood uric acid levels. Similar statements were also made by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia (FK UI), Prof. Ari Fahrial Syam, MD, MMB, FACP (@dokterari). According to him, it is necessary to pay attention to nasi padang because most of it is in the form of offal and seafood which are high in cholesterol. In addition, rendang and gulai in nasi padang that are often heated repeatedly can result in increasing levels of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) of these foods. Prof. Ari also added that despite high cholesterol, there are several ways to stay healthy while eating nasi padang:

1. Also consume vegetables.
In every food dish at the Padang restaurant, raw vegetables such as cucumber and cassava leaves are always served. The fiber contained in both vegetables can help reduce cholesterol intake in the small intestine.

2. Limit the food.
Try to only consume 1 side dish to limit the salt intake that is too high.

3. Close with fruit.
Fiber in fruit can complement the fiber that has been obtained from vegetable consumption. Besides that fruit can also contain antioxidants to neutralize toxins in our body.

4. Choose healthy drinks.
After consuming nasi padang, you should avoid sweet drinks. It is better to consume warm water or drink tea with no sugar that are always given free when visiting the food court.

As long as following these four methods, you don’t need to be afraid to eat nasi padang.
Healthy greetings.

Source: https: //www.jawapos .com / health-issues / 25/12/2018 / fear-cholesterol-eat-rice-padang-stay-healthy-4-way-this? amp = 1
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