Hyderabad: Caterers in Hyderabad maybe banking on the yellow metal to add commercial value to the food. Nutrition experts, on the other hand, said the precious metal may not add value to the constitutional well being.
This debate was kick started after a viral video showed Hyderabad’s obsession with gold on a platter of rice. The video showed that powder of gold is placed atop steaming rice, giving a gooey layer of molten gold smeared across the rice. The video, in turn, has enticed more customers opting for this golden opulence.
When it comes to its health aspects, nutrition experts have a different take. “Our digestive system won’t be able to digest metals. Our body needs only certain metals like iron, zinc, etc. Precious metals are not absorbed 100 per cent,” noted Dr Sujatha Stephen, a nutritionist.
The gold may end up as a toxin in the body and get retained in the liver that purifies our system. “As it is, gold would do no harm. However, one must be cautious that this gold must not be adulterated,” warned Dr K S Somashekhar Rao, a gastroenterologist. He added that consumption of lead or any other heavy metal cause damages to kidney and liver.
The caterer, who hit the market with this novel ideal, said that the gold was supplied by guests. The dish in itself would have no additional taste with the gold particles glittering.
