Wazzup Pilipinas!
Filipinos’ love affair with street foods is due in many ways to its interesting taste and, more importantly, its affordability. But snacking on your favorite street fare may have far reaching health issues than we care to admit.
The Philippines is known for its rich and wide range food staples. Many are available just around the corner. However, those who frequent sidewalk vendors for their street foods are at an increased risk of having high cholesterol levels—more particularly those who crave for chicken livers.
Chicken livers offer nutrients that are beneficial for anemic individuals: they are rich in protein, iron and vitamin B12, as well as folate which is important in promoting fertility and preventing birth defects.
Despite the essential nutrients present in chicken liver, Amado Nazal, medical director of Pharex Health Corp, noted that consuming more servings of chicken liver than what is ideal could threaten a person’s health, putting them at risk of high cholesterol and developing cardiovascular diseases.
According to the American Heart Association, a healthy person needs only 300 milligrams of cholesterol every day while less than 200 milligrams are required for those who already have high cholesterol levels. However, chicken liver already contains 479 milligrams of cholesterol in a three-ounce serving—that’s about two to three skewered chicken livers—not including your other sources of cholesterol within the day.