Maida is used extensively across the Indian subcontinent to make many traditional dishes and recipes. For example, pooris, naans, samosas, biscuits and so much more! It’s high time that we understand that no matter how appealing these dishes look, maida does more harm than good. The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives with which you could try making these dishes. So, to the question, is maida good for health? The answer is no, and we will tell you why!
Why Maida Is Not Good For Health?
Maida is the most refined form of wheat flour. The whole process of making maida is such that it loses many essential nutrients. Maida contains bleach and chemicals because of which it is soft and has a typical white color. The bleaching agent that is used is heavily toxic and harmful for your health. While maida is being prepared, almost 97% of fiber from the wheat is lost, and thus the maida flour is left with poor nutrition value.
Maida Side Effects
1. Digestive Problems
Consuming maida is harmful to your digestive health. A lot of food made from this refined white flour can harm the digestive system and lead to some severe issues. Since maida has low fiber content, it becomes difficult for your body to digest it, and hence it slowly congests the system. It also slows down metabolism and leads to constipation in many cases.
2. Risk of Diabetes
One of the most terrible side effects of maida is that it can cause a sharp and sudden insulin response. It has a high glycaemic index which may cause inflammation and might develop type 2 diabetes. Because of this high GI, maida releases sugar into the blood and spikes the blood sugar levels. Susceptible people to diabetes or people with diabetes should avoid maida as much as they can. Only whole grains and high fiber foods are the best in this condition, and no pasta, pizza, or junks whatsoever!
3. Danger of Obesity
By now, you must know that most of your favourite junk foods like pasta, pizza, cakes, and samosas are made using maida. When nutritionists and health experts ask you to avoid junk food, it is for the same reason. Maida affects the metabolic rate, slows down the metabolism, makes digestion difficult, and keeps you hungry for a long time. This results in weight gain, and eventually, with time, this could also lead to obesity.
4. Heart Problems
Another significant for why maida Is not good for health?, that consuming maida can increase bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in the body. This can lead to many heart-related problems, and it also increases the chances of a stroke. Heart patients are often advised not to consume refined flour to minimize the risk of any cardiovascular disease.
5. Harmful to the Gut
Maida is also known as ‘glue to the gut.’ This is because once the maida reaches the digestive system, it turns to glue and acts like a sticky agent that may clog the system. In addition to that, maida also doesn’t promote the growth of good bacteria and further disrupts the digestion process. Therefore, it is recommended to eat foods packed with fiber as they may help in cleaning the gut.
6. May Weaken Immunity
We already know that maida is harmful to the intestines, but another side effect that it may have is that maida could potentially stress the adrenals. This could happen only if you overeat foods made with maida, and this can weaken the body’s immunity to great extents.
7. Increased Risk of Chronic Disease
This is a severe side effect of the over-consumption of maida. It can lead to an increased risk of chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, increased cholesterol levels, and increased blood pressure. It may also lead to health issues like headaches and body pain in some cases.
8. Low in Nutrition
By using maida, you may create many exciting recipes that taste great, but it isn’t very pleasant when it comes to their nutritional value! Maida only contains empty calories and nothing in the name of essential nutrients. They make you feel undernourished and do not help the body in any way.
Alternatives to Maida Flour
Here are the top five alternatives to maida that you can choose any day and make satisfying recipes with it!
- Soy flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Ragi
- Almond flour
- Millets like bajra and jowar
Indeed, food products made using refined white flour are widely consumed and readily available. The task is to keep yourself away from such food items and prevent maida from becoming a part of your dirt. These are not only high-calorie and low-nutrient foods but also quite damaging for the body. It’s time to understand the maida side effects and choose healthier options for better living.
