Kabsa dish causes impotence: Doctor

A Saudi doctor has warned against excessive eating of the popular Arabic dish Kabsa, saying this will cause impotence in men.

Dr Ahmed Al Saqa, a consultant at Al Nour Hospital in the western Saudi town of Makkah, said there is a general belief among the public that eating much fatty and cholesterol-rich food would improve men’s sexual ability.

“Many people believe that eating much Kabsa and other food rich in cholesterol and fat will allow them to have a better sexual life. This is totally wrong... It's compltely the opposite,” he told the London-based Saudi Arabic language daily Al Hayat.

“After eating such kind of foods, more blood in the body will flow into the stomach and this will cause laziness and fatigue, which in turn will block blood from reaching the genitals. As a result, this will affect man’s erection ability just after having Kabsa or other fatty food and this could be worse in the long term.”

Saqa said Saudi Arabia has a high rate of male impotence because of bad eating habits, adding that this has given rise to diabetes.

“Saudi Arabia has one of the highest diabetes rates as nearly 30 per cent of its people are diabetic. Other common diseases are high blood pressure, heart problems, prostate diseases and obesity. All these problems are mainly a result of the bad eating habits in the Kingdom, excessive smoking and lack of exercise.”

Kabsa is one of the most popular dishes in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. It is made of rice mixed with fat or oil, chicken or meat, and much spice.

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