Pizzas or hamburgers have always been pioneers in the ranking of fast food or junk food, but since a few years ago, in developed countries kebab is also in fashion.

Doner kebab in Turkish, shawarma in Arabic or gyros in Greek is a spicy meat meal often eaten on a pitta bread with salad and sauce. It may taste delicious, but it is not exactly a healthy product.

It is also possible to consume this meat in a kind of “wraps”, and it is called e dürüm.

In this article you can find some data about this food and you will be able to know its nutritional properties and the risks of eating kebab too often.

Poor nutrition in industrialized societies

The World Health Organization (WHO) has long warned of the poor eating habits of some people and the growth of junk food restaurants, claiming that this has become a public health problem that has, in many cases, not only aesthetic consequences for people but also poses a health risk. Obesity is a disease that is affecting industrialized societies, and its main cause is poor diet , rich in bad fats and excessive calories, and a sedentary lifestyle.

In many cases, these bad habits start in adolescence. Almost every young person has gone out to drink alcohol and ended the night with a kebab. Junk food has become normalized, and the laws are too tolerant of these foods. In fact, a British study recently found that the industrial baked goods of some chains like Starbucks were time bombs for our health, and the coffees of some establishments like Costa Coffee or KFC contained more sugar than a can of CocaCola. Nothing good for our health, so governments should do something to change this situation.

1000 to 2000 calories per kebab

Kebabs are highly popular nowadays, and this was confirmed by the fast food company justeat.com, because according to a survey of their customers “they are a cheap, delicious and very satiating delicacy”. Kebabs are a traditional Turkish dish, which can be found throughout the Middle East and neighbouring countries. Their appearance is inviting, with the thin slices of lamb, chicken or beef cooked on a vertical spit that rolls up, and they are commonly served in garlic or hot sauce in Europe, although in Greece they can be served with yoghurt or teriyaki sauce. Döner means spin in Turkish, gyros and shawarma mean the same in their respective languages.

Doner kebab is not at all healthy, at least not the one consumed in the West , and according to a study conducted by Geoffrey Theobald, kebab can contain up to 1000-2000 calories per unit. If accompanied by potatoes and a Coca-Cola, there would still be many more. The author of this research affirms that “these data are really worrying” and, furthermore, concludes that “at a nutritional level this food does not provide anything good for our organism”.

This study has been conducted with 494 samples of kebabs in 76 municipalities, and the author claims that the levels of salt, calories and saturated fat that have been reported are simply outrageous.

What is in kebab meat?

Maybe kebab meat has a great taste thanks to the spices it contains, but the meat we often eat as lamb, beef or chicken, actually usually contains viscera of these animals and other types of meat. This is what was found in a British study of Commercial Standards that was published in the English newspaper Daily Mail, as the results revealed that kebabs do not always contain the meat indicated on the suppliers’ label. In fact, 15% of the meat was not all lamb as on the label, but contained veal.

Even worse, in 6 of the cases studied, they found pork, which is against the Muslim religion. In addition, individuals in South Asia do not consume beef either because they consider cows to be a sacred animal. It seems that these problems arise from the manufacturers, so the outlets would seem to have no fault with the content of kebab meat.

Why aren’t they healthy? Risks

Kebabs are a very unhealthy food, and the same study found that they contain extremely high levels of salt . The results suggest that one contains 14.7 grams of salt, more than double the daily amount of 6 g. In terms of fat content, it is also very high, 117.2 g, which is well above the recommended daily amount of 95 g for men and 70 g for women.

As Geoffrey Theobald tells the Daily Mail: “We cannot consider kebab as part of a healthy diet, because the health consequences are negative. “While some people may think it’s a sensible and lightweight option, kebabs are high in calories and encourage overweight when consumed frequently and the person has an inactive lifestyle. With regard to counterfeit meat, Theobald explains: “It is totally unacceptable that people who have certain beliefs are consuming foods that go against their principles.

More nutritious foods

Logically, kebab is not among the most nutritious and healthy foods we can eat. If you want to know which foods feel best to our body, you can read our article: “What are the 14 most nutritious foods that exist?”