A nutritionist has claimed that the much-loved kebab isn't as unhealthy as commonly thought - suggesting ways to enhance its nutritional value.
This insight comes as a whopping 75,000 Amazon employees crowned kebabs their top food choice, with a staggering number preferring it over beans on toast. More than half of those kebab enthusiasts indulge in the dish at least weekly, and a notable one in six enjoy it daily. These findings emerged from Amazon's Chatterbox series, which coincides with the launch of the Euro Food Cup today, featuring Germany's currywurst versus Scotland's haggis.
Nutrition expert Rob Hobson said: "I think there are many reasons why the kebab topped the poll with Amazon employees. People find them extremely tasty and they work for all different occasions.
"With the Euros coming up, they are definitely a go-to snack after you've been to the pub to watch the match, had a few beers and then pop into the kebab shop. And although they're Turkish, kebabs are just part of British culture now, there are so many kebab shops on the high street and they're just really accessible.
"They can be a lot healthier than you think and can be seen as a 'good' takeaway, you just have to make the right choices. To start with, it's eastern Mediterranean food, which essentially is healthy - lots of grains, it should be lean cuts of meat, it's lots of vegetables, that kind of thing.
"I think the problem is when you buy them off the High Street, often the meats are very high in fat and that can increase your cholesterol levels, which isn't good for your heart. They tend to contain a lot of salt because of the spices they use, the sauces, the marinade etc which is bad for your blood pressure.
"And then add in a side of chips and the pitta and that's a lot of calories. But it's so easy to pick the healthier option. Go for a chicken shish, which is cubes of chicken on the grill, rather than the doner meat. Have a wholemeal flat bread or wrap so you've got a bit more fibre. Look for the sauces that are maybe tomato-based, like salsa, which you could have on there instead and instead of a heavy mayonnaise sauce, ask for a yoghurt sauce.
"And always get a good selection of vegetables and salad to go with it hot green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cabbage, cucumber etc. You could also opt for a side of rice or couscous rather than chips and even forgo the wrap or pitta altogether. The traditional Turkish kebab is actually very healthy and nutritious it doesn't have to be that 'dirty doner' at the end of the night."
Rob explained: "Kebabs have definitely become associated as a food people have when they're drunk to soak up all the alcohol after a heavy night and being healthy is the last thing on people's minds. It's very hard to make those choices when you've had a drink. I think you're very hungry and you're gonna crave really salty food.
"So it is in the context that you eat it. As well. Yeah. So maybe if you're going in to eat it and you're not drunk, it is a different situation. If you were in Turkey or going to a Turkish restaurant, you could probably sit down and have a Turkish meal that was very healthy. But as a takeaway without alcohol being involved, it's one of the better choices."
He also praised beans on toast, saying: "I think it's seen as the ultimate English comfort food. We were all brought up with it and we resonate that with us being young and kind of that cosiness and that familiarity of when we were younger. Even though it's like an ultra-processed food, I would say it was like a healthier ultra-processed food.
"I don't really see baked beans as being particularly unhealthy. They contain loads of fibre which is lacking in many people's diets and fibre's linked to reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. They are essentially beans that you're eating. The only downside is they might contain a lot of salt and you could opt for the lower salt sugar brands if you wanted or you could just make the meal healthier by choosing whole grain toast, watching the amount of butter that you put on your bread that that kind of thing.
"If you're going to have it with cheese it's alright once in a while, but I wouldn't recommend putting cheese on every time you have it if you are a regular beans on toast eater as you'll be increasing the saturated fat intake and overall calories. There are other ways to jazz the dish up if you want to, like adding extra tomatoes or putting chilli powder on. But on a whole it's a good dish to eat, has health benefits and it's also cheap and filling."