UNS — BTS Meal, new menu, a collaboration between US fast food restaurant chain and South Korea boyband was released in Indonesia on Wednesday (9/6/2021). On its first day, people were willing to wait for hours and create viral social media content. High interest attracted non-K-Pop lovers, such as content makers, to join the craze and review the new menu. A TikTok user, Sisca Kohl, even purchased 40 packages of BTS Meal and uploaded her ‘achievement’ in her account.
Despite the craze from the boyband fanbase, ARMY, this menu still falls under junk food criteria which should not be consumed overly. The Nutritionist of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta Hospital, Banun Ma’rifah Fathsidni, S. Gz., shared the full explanation with uns.ac.id. She emphasized that BTS Meal consumption should be limited. It has nine chicken nuggets, french fries, carbonated beverage, sweet chili sauce, and cajun sauce containing high natrium and calories. It makes BTS Meal fall into the junk food category that has a risk of increasing blood pressure and blood sugar, increasing the risk of hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, risk of heart disease, and diabetes mellitus.
“Thus, it is better to consume only one package per day to prevent the overconsumption of natrium and calory,” Banun said on Friday (11/6/2021).
She added that the low fibers in the meal package have a risk of unbalanced nutritional intake. She suggested people have a balanced diet and pay attention to the fiber, vitamin, and mineral intake from vegetables and fruits. Carbo from potato and flour also has the risk of increasing blood sugar, especially for people with diabetes mellitus. Potato has a high glycemic index (boiled potato = 78), which measures the speed of food processing into glucose source in the body. A high glycemic index shows an increased risk of blood sugar increase.
“If we consume one BTS Meal, the nutrition we lack in a day is vitamins, minerals, and fibers. This nutrition is from high fibers vegetables and fruits such as green vegetables, and fresh fruits with high kalium,” Banun added.
Specifically, Banun mentioned the nutritional values in BTS Meal; medium french fries have 320 kcal, fat 15 gr, and natrium 260 mg; nine pieces of chicken nuggets have around 375 kcal, fat 22.5 gr, and natrium 750 mg. According to the Ministry of Health Decree (Permenkes) Number 28 of 2019 on individual nutritional intake, an adult female (19-29 years old) is suggested to have an individual intake of 2,250 kcal, 360 gr carbohydrate, 60 gr protein, 65 gr fat, and 1,500 mg natrium.
“To put it simple, the nutritional intake of each individual in a package (Nuggets, French Fries, Cola medium size) is around 845 kcal, 37.5 gr fats (58% dietary recommendation), and 1,050 mg natrium (70% dietary recommendation). This number is quite high for one-time eating,” Banun explained. She added that 70% of natrium intake from the suggested daily need would increase the risk of hypertension. She explained that the nutritional value had not included the natrium in the sauce, which probably fully fulfills the suggested daily consumption per individual.
“Manu studies have found the relationship between junk food and obesity in children. Consumption of foods with high natrium increases children’s appetite, but the increased appetite also increases the consumption of foods with high fats and calories. In addition, several studies showed that the high fast food consumption and sweet beverages increase the possibility for the child to have obesity,” she explained.
On the calory of sauces in BTS Meal, Banun explained that cajun sauce contains honey, egg, and egg yolk, which might have higher calories than sweet chili sauce. In addition, an egg contains fats and cholesterol and has a high calory. “One chicken egg has around 75 calories,” she said.
Alternative Foods
Banun explained that there are sources of carbohydrates, protein, and fats that could replace fast foods. Carbohydrates can be obtained from tubers, wheat, and other grains such as cassava, sweet potatoes, black potatoes, corn, oatmeal, flour-processed foods with low added sugar. For proteins, people could consume animal-based proteins from beef, chickens, lamb, freshwater fishes, and seawater fishes with high unsaturated fats such as salmon, tuna, and other seafood. Proteins can also be sourced from plant-based proteins such as soybeans, tofu, and tempeh containing isoflavone as an antioxidant.
Banun reminded that despite the craze, people should pay attention to their healthy lifestyle. She stated that it could be started with paying attention to dietary habits, applying balanced diets, consuming enough vegetables and fruits, consuming diverse foods, and improving physical activities through exercises, especially amid the pandemic.
“In the pandemic, we realized how important health is, (how important) healthy body is,” she concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti