With the call to break the fast, Ramadan tables in many Arab countries turn into a battlefield for fried dishes swimming in oil, from sambousek and qatayef to chicken and potatoes. But behind this delicious crunch hides a looming danger that fills hospital emergency rooms just hours after iftar with cases of severe vomiting, acid reflux, heart palpitations, and stomach pain. Doctors and specialists in Egypt have revealed the dietary trap threatening fasting individuals and the disaster of reused cooking oil. Dr. Mervat El-Sayed, an emergency medicine consultant and director of the African Center for Women's Health, warns of a digestive shock that occurs in the body after a long fast. She explains that the sudden intake of saturated fats leads to temporary paralysis of the stomach and a severe slowdown in food emptying, accompanied by an increase in acid secretion. It also causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, leading to agonizing heartburn, in addition to straining the pancreas and liver in processing heavy oils. Dr. Mervat also dropped a bombshell about repeatedly used oil, confirming that exposing oil to high temperatures multiple times produces harmful compounds like acrylamide and oxidants, which not only cause acute gastritis but can, in the long run, become causes of cardiovascular disease. She debunks the myth that fried foods provide quick energy, stating it's a false energy followed by laziness and physical collapse. Meanwhile, Dr. Rizwah Ahmed Shahin, a lecturer in nutrition at Ain Shams University, explains the catastrophic impact of trans fats and high sugars, which raise 'bad' cholesterol and lower 'good' cholesterol, paving the way for arteriosclerosis and heart attacks. She also notes that excessive sugar in qatayef disrupts the intestinal bacterial balance, causing gas, bloating, and impaired absorption of vital nutrients.
