SIBU: Kurma, or dates, have long been a staple food during Ramadan, known for their natural sweetness and nutritional value.
These fruits hold cultural and religious significance, often being the first food consumed to break the day’s fast.
However, recently, a new food trend has emerged, flooding online platforms, called ‘Kurma Butter’.
Preparation is straightforward: simply remove the fruit seeds and add a small amount of butter. Then, it’s ready to serve.
Many individuals attest that incorporating these ingredients enhances the taste and makes it more appealing.
While it is a recommended food, according to ‘Sunnah’, moderation is advised to avoid overconsumption.
According to a post on Public Health Malaysia’s official Facebook page recently, it is crucial to regulate the combination of both ingredients to prevent any adverse effects.
“Dates offer various nutrients, essential minerals, and fibre. However, when combined with ingredients like butter and consumed excessively, they pose more harm than good.”
Public Health Malaysia (PHM) points out that butter is an animal fat high in saturated fat content.
“It is calorie-dense, with one date butter serving equivalent to a spoonful of rice. The animal fat present in butter contains elevated levels of saturated and trans fats.”
PHM underscores that this could contribute to heart disease risk and elevate levels of harmful cholesterol in the body.
Meanwhile, on online media platforms, not only is ‘Kurma Butter’ gaining attention, but there’s also a growing public curiosity about experimenting with various ingredients to mix with kurma and create both amusing and intriguing recipes.