Nutritional profiles of Middle Eastern dishes and composition

Abstract

The study examined 27 traditional Middle Eastern/Kuwaiti dishes, primarily meat, chicken, and fish-based, to assess their taste and nutritional content. The evaluation included protein, moisture, carbohydrates, ash, fat, energy, dietary fiber, 11 vitamins, 8 minerals, and 3 sugars. Certain dishes displayed high levels of protein, fat, energy, water, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. For instance, Marag laham and Majbous dajaj stood out for their high protein, fat, and energy content. Additionally, Marag laham and Marag dajaj exhibited high water content of 63.55% and 69.42% respectively for the meat and chicken section, while Majbous laham and Majbous dajaj had elevated carbohydrate levels due to the rice (27.52%). Notably, Turkey and Arabic meat shawarma had the highest fat energy with Arabic meat shawerma energy calculated at 400.91 kcal due to its total fat content (31.74%). The study concludes that using standard recipes for common meals can facilitate the collection of global and regional food composition data, which can be integrated into global food composition databases for diverse ethnic communities. Overall, the research highlights the importance of considering both taste and nutrition when making food choices and supports making informed dietary decisions based on comprehensive nutritional information