{
  "id": 12604173,
  "title": "How the UAE is changing the recipe for better health",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/how-the-uae-is-changing-the-recipe-for-better-health",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-07T10:18:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/health/how-the-uae-is-changing-the-recipe-for-better-health-1.500701637"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai: The United Arab Emirates is implementing new guidelines aimed at gradually lowering the sodium, sugar, and fat content in a selection of packaged foods commonly found in supermarkets. These changes impact both locally produced and imported items such as bread, sweetened milk drinks, flavoured yoghurt, and salty snacks, among others. Health professionals emphasize that this population-wide approach is significant, as it shifts the focus from individual habits to altering the food supply itself. UAE residents are advised that regulation is just one part of the recipe for better health. Health expert Dr. Mohammed Zaqout, from Prime Hospital, describes this initiative as a crucial preventive public-health measure. The strength of this UAE strategy lies in its ability to address dietary risk factors at a population level, reducing exposure to excessive nutrients without requiring every consumer to possess detailed nutritional knowledge. However, Dr. Zaqout warns that food regulation cannot replace healthy habits. \"Regulation alone is not enough. Portion control and overall dietary habits remain equally important,\" he stated. Healthcare entrepreneur Gurvinder Jit Singh emphasizes that the policy presents an opportunity to integrate preventive healthcare into everyday life. He recommends small substitutions like opting for water instead of sugary drinks, choosing fresh fruit over sweet snacks, and selecting grilled or baked foods over fried options. The goal is not to eliminate favorite foods entirely, but to establish a healthier overall eating pattern. Consumers are advised to make simple substitutions such as choosing unsalted nuts and seeds over salted varieties, using herbs, spices, and lemon for flavor, and opting for lower-sodium bread, crackers, and cheese when available. For sugar, replacing soft drinks and sweetened beverages with water, sparkling water, or unsweetened herbal teas, and using plain yoghurt with fresh fruit instead of heavily sweetened yoghurt, are suggested. Healthier fats can be obtained from grilled, baked, or air-fried foods, lean poultry, fish, beans, and other legumes, as well as olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds. Nutritionist Raghda Adi from Medcare Hospital Sharjah emphasizes that healthy eating is about balance, variety, and mindfulness, rather than avoiding all foods containing sugar, salt, or fat. She highlights the importance of teaching children a positive relationship with food and involving families and schools in promoting healthier habits through balanced home-cooked meals, sensible portions, regular meal times, and adequate water intake. Schools can reinforce these behaviors by offering healthier cafeteria options, limiting sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks, and educating children on understanding food labels. The overall objective is to focus on prevention rather than treatment.",
  "summary": "Dubai: The UAE is changing what goes into some of the everyday foods found on supermarket shelves, with new rules designed to gradually reduce levels of sodium, total sugars, and fats in selected packaged products. The measures apply to locally manufactured and imported packaged foods such as bread, sweetened milk drinks, flavoured yoghurt and laban, salty snacks, and processed cheese, among…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}