How healthy are kebabs?

WE ALL love a good kebab, but so often our kebab-induced food babies come with a big side of food regret. So are kebabs healthy at all? We asked a nutritionist.

Kebabs — they’re almost health food.

KEBABS are bloody delicious.

But a cheeky late night or lunchtime kebab is often accompanied with a mountain of food regret. We’ve always assumed kebabs are super unhealthy, but hoping to convince ourselves otherwise, we asked nutritionist and dietitian Susie Burrell for the lowdown.

And the good news is, Burrell says kebabs are “actually not that bad”.

“They’re not deep fried. The meat’s not too bad. You get some salad in there. I think there are worse options,” she said. Score!

News_Image_File: Om nom nom.

Burrell says the key to keeping your kebab healthy is to skip the cheese and extra creamy sauces.

“When you have cheese, sour cream, garlic sauce … that’s when it goes a bit haywire. So skip those and you can ask them for less meat, although that’s probably not going to happen at 2am,’’ she says.

She says the main problem with kebabs is the portion size — they’re basically two serves of food.

“A kebab is around 500-600 calories. And often you’re having a kebab after you’ve already eaten dinner. But in terms of the composition it’s not awful. Nutritionally it’s not too bad.”

News_Image_File: Ask for extra salad and less meat to make your kebab healthier.

Burrell says asking for a ‘baby kebab’ — some kebab shops sell small or kids’ sizes kebabs — or sharing one with a friend (cute) is a good option.

“Kebabs or a grilled chicken burger or a plain hamburger are OK late night food options. Pizza is one of the worst. So are fried chips and fast food burgers, because they’re so easy to overeat,” she says.

I know what I’m having for dinner tonight.