Fasting radically alters the diet. Meals are limited to the morning and evening, causing the body's metabolism to slow. Some may experience discomfort during the day. However, good health can be maintained by consuming adequate nutrients during meals. Below are some tips for observing a healthy and safe fast during Ramadan.
During meal times in Ramadan, Muslim families will typically gather round to enjoy a rich spread. After all, there is no better way to mark the start or end of fasting than with your favourite savoury foods. Or is there?
“When deciding what to eat during Ramadan, remember that Iftar and Suhoor help sustain your fast the following day, so consuming the right food is important,
What foods should you have during Iftar and Suhoor?
For Suhoor (pre-dawn meal)
Suhoor needs to be wholesome to provide enough energy to last during the long hours of fasting. Suhoor should include the following foods:
Fruits and vegetables
Rich in fibre, fruits and vegetables are essentials during fasting as they increase the feeling of fullness and help prevent constipation. They also contain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are vital for good health.
Rice and alternatives
High-fibre carbohydrate foods like brown rice and wholemeal bread take longer to digest, helping to sustain energy levels longer.
Meat and alternatives
Skinless chicken, fish and low-fat dairy products are a great source of protein while limiting your fat intake. Furthermore, they help repair and build body tissue, and build up your immune system.
Consuming high-calcium dairy products also helps maintain strong bones. Those that are lactose intolerant can choose lactose-free milk or calcium-fortified soybean milk.
For Iftar (dinner)
Iftar is the time you replenish energy levels so every effort should be made to consume foods from all major food groups: fruit and vegetables, rice and alternatives, as well as meat and alternatives (which include dairy).
Fruit and vegetables
Health Promotion Board (HPB) recommends 2 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit per day. “Make sure you have 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of veggie at each of your two meals,” says Ms Tan.
Traditionally during Ramadan, dates are eaten at the start of Iftar to symbolise the breaking of the fast. Besides being an excellent source of energy, dates are also rich in potassium – helping muscles and nerves to function well. But don’t consume too much as dates are high in sugar!
Rice and alternatives
Wholemeal bread, brown rice or wholegrain noodles are complex carbohydrates that provide the body with energy, fibre and minerals. Compared to sugary foods and desserts that burn quickly, they provide more stable and sustainable energy levels.
Meats and alternatives
Incorporate protein rich sources such as lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, eggs, legumes and low-fat dairy products.
To keep your meals healthy, limit the use of oil and opt for steaming, grilling, baking or shallow frying instead. When choosing oils, you should also pick those that are high in unsaturated fats such as canola oil and soybean oil.
Use this Ramadan to cultivate good dietary habits. By the time the fasting month ends, you will feel healthier.
Consider the following:
*Divide your food into three meals. Saher is the morning meal when the fast starts, iftar is the evening snack when the fast is broken and then dinner.
*Include complex carbohydrate foods rich in fibre, such as those found in grains and seeds. For example, whole wheat roti, brown rice, daal, beans, bajara, bran, fruits and vegetables should be eaten, particularly during saher. Fibre-rich foods help increase the feeling of fullness, promote good blood glucose levels and help with regularity. Fasting during the day can also increase stomach acid content and cause feelings of pain or discomfort. High-fibre foods during dinner can help neutralise this acid and alleviate pain. (Remember to increase fluids with fibre intake to prevent excessive gas).
*During iftar, dates and juice are traditionally consumed. Include three dates and 4 oz (120 mL) of juice to help normalise possible low sugar (hypoglycemia) and provide the much needed “instant” energy along with hydration. If you have diabetes, please consult with your healthcare provider for medication or diet adjustments and learn more about Fasting and Diabetes.
*Bake or grill foods instead of frying them, and if frying, decrease the amount of oil used. Try and measure the oil in spoonfuls instead of just pouring it from the bottle.
*Choose lower fat and lean cuts of meat. Skin chicken and remove any visible fat before cooking.
*Eat slowly and chew food well. Because you have not eaten all day, there will be a tendency to want to eat a large quantity of food quickly. Remember that it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full – put small portions on your plate first.
*Walking in the evening for at least 30 minutes is an ideal routine activity. Walking will not only help your metabolism, but also help your mind stay clear. However, if you've eaten a big meal, blood needs to move to your digestive system rather than to your muscles, so a brisk walk straight after a heavy meal is not a good idea. Wait 1-2 hours after your meal before engaging in any strenuous activity. Best to keep your meals light.
*Drink as much fluid (preferably water) as possible. It is advisable to consume at least 8-12 cups between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time for the next day.
Avoid:
*Fried and fatty foods such as french fries, sweets, fried samosa, pakoras, parathas, greasy curries and biriyani. High-fat foods are high in calories and are nutrient deficient which will lead to an imbalanced diet, thereby increasing sluggishness and fatigue during Ramadan.
*Salt and salted food, such as achars pickles, papadums, sauces, nuts, chips and olives. Dehydration is a risk due to limited fluid intake during the day, and high salt foods can further increase this risk by drawing fluids out of your body.
*Foods containing too much sugar such as sweet glucose energy drinks and mithai. These are sources of empty calories with very little nutritional value. While they may provide you with instant energy, they will not sustain you through the day and night.
*Overeating especially at saher can cause further metabolic imbalance, like highs and lows in your blood sugar and dehydration.
*Too much tea or caffeine at saher. Both of these are diuretics when consumed in large quantities and the body can lose valuable minerals, salts and fluids that you need during the day.
*Sleeping immediately after iftar and saher meals, since your body will require time to digest the food. Wait for 2–3 hrs before sleeping.
Here are some tips on healthy fasting:
1. Don't skip Suhoor (pre-dawn meal)
As the saying goes, ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. And during Ramadan, it becomes even more important!
Although skipping Suhoor to have uninterrupted sleep may sound appealing, you shouldn’t.
Ms Tan explains, “Skipping Suhoor prolongs the fasting period as your body will need to rely on the previous meal to provide you with all the nutrients and energy until Iftar (dinner). Due to the longer hours of fasting, you are more likely to feel dehydrated and tired during the day. Furthermore, skipping Suhoor also encourages overeating during Iftar, which can cause unhealthy weight gain.”
2. Don't overeat during Iftar (dinner)
Just as it is not advisable to skip Suhoor, overeating when it is time to break the fast can harm your body.
Iftar should be a well-balanced, nutritious meal and not a feast! Overeating and excessive consumption of high-fat foods in particular may result in indigestion and weight gain. “Slow down and enjoy each mouthful of your food,” recommends Ms Tan.
3. Avoid eating fried foods, salty foods and high-sugar foods
It is not uncommon for fasting individuals to reward themselves with rich, greasy, fried and sugary dishes come meal time. While these foods make you feel good in the short run, they can make fasting the next day more difficult.
“Aside from the unhealthy weight gain, consuming fatty and sugary foods also cause sluggishness and fatigue. In addition, you should limit your intake of salt, especially during Suhoor (pre-dawn meal), as this increases thirst,” advises Ms Tan.
Instead, try incorporating foods from all the major food groups including fruit and vegetables, rice and alternatives, as well meat and alternatives. Consuming fibre-rich foods during Ramadan is also ideal as they are digested slower than processed foods so you feel full longer.
4. Drink as much water as possible
Drinking as much water as possible between Iftar (dinner) and Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) reduces your risk of dehydration during fasting.
“Make every effort to drink at least 8 glasses of fluids daily before dawn and after sundown. Fluids include juices, milk, beverages and soups but water is the best choice,” says Ms Tan. Ideally, you should also cut down on caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea and colas as these have a diuretic effect and promotes fluid loss.
Some minor discomforts during the month of Ramadan:-
During the month of Ramadan, you might experience some minor discomforts. The following measures can help prevent these common conditions:
Constipation:
Constipation can cause discomfort and indigestion, making you feel bloated. This can be caused by eating too much refined food, drinking too little water and / or not eating enough fibre. To avoid constipation, avoid refined foods by eating foods rich in fibre like whole grain cereals and bread. Increase your intake of high fibre carbohydrates such as daals, dried beans like tabuli, chana, fruits and vegetables. Drink lots of water.
Indigestion:
Indigestion can be caused by over-eating or eating too many fried, fatty and spicy foods, or foods that produce gas. Fasting can also cause increased acidity, leading to the feeling of indigestion. To avoid indigestion, try not to overeat. Be sure to drink plenty of water and include foods rich in fibre to neutralise acidity and promote a feeling of fullness without overeating.
Headaches:
Headaches while fasting can be caused by caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, dehydration and hunger. Headaches can occur as the day passes and can worsen by the end of the day. To avoid headaches, prepare for Ramadan by decreasing caffeine and tobacco consumption slowly, starting a week or two before Ramadan. Start drinking caffeine-free teas, coffee, unsweetened juices and water. Also, don't forget about sleep. Prepare for Ramadan by reorganising your daily schedule to ensure a good night's rest.
Low blood sugar:
Low blood sugar can occur because of the length of time between meals. and Symptoms of low blood sugar need to be watched for carefully. These can include weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiration, feeling shaky, an inability to perform physical activities, headaches and palpitations.
Among non-diabetics, having too many refined carbohydrates like sugary foods, sugar-rich beverages like cola and sherbet especially at saher can cause low blood sugar during the fast. Low blood sugar can also be caused by not eating at saher. To avoid significant low blood sugar levels, be sure to eat at saher and limit intake of sugary foods and drinks. Make sure to eat nutrient dense foods including proteins, such as chicken, grilled lean meat, and eggs; fibre-rich carbohydrates, like whole wheat roti, and fruits; and a large glass of water.
Remember a meal should be a meal and not a feast. Please always remember to consult your doctor in advance if you have any of these conditions already, so that you can experience a rewarding and healthy Ramadan.
Healthy eating durin summer ramazan:-
I've spent more than 10 years fasting but the last two years Ramadan has fallen in weather that was significantly warmer than in previous years and days when the fast was much longer. That means extra preparation and knowing what to eat during non-fasting hours is essential to good health and endurance during the entire month.
A fasting person needs good, nutrient-rich food that provides the energy necessary for the priorities of daily life and no other time of year is that more important than during Ramadan when we're fasting for long hours, some of us in very hot climates or in the summer season.
Here are my top tips for eating healthy during that short time of day in the month of Ramadan when food and drink are meant to be consumed.
Eat Real Food, Not Processed and Junk Foods
Sure, processed foods can seem convenient, but they're usually filled with unhealthy things like high-fructose corn syrup, MSG (to enhance flavor), lots of sodium and typically all the wrong heart-clogging oils. If you're in a hurry, there are healthy and halal-convenient options that are particularly good for breaking the fast, so get to know the halal food businesses that make and serve them (see my top picks at the end of this article).
Junk foods like chips, candies, and more are basically void of nutrients and should not be used as a side dish (believe me, I've seen it before). How will you have any energy to get you through a long day of fasting and long night of prayer if your food gives you nothing in return for eating it? Instead, shop for locally produced fruits and veggies from farmers markets and grocery stores, which are now following the trend of sourcing ingredients from local vendors. Because of a higher demand for such goods, the prices are finally coming down somewhat. Furthermore, when you eat food that is wholesome and packed with nutrition, you'll feel more satisfied. In fact, you may even find yourself needing to eat less of it than filler foods that hardly satisfy the stomach and make you crave more and more of them.
Avoid "White" Foods
White foods (i.e., white bread, white rice, white sugar, etc.) can fall into some of the above categories, but they're worth the mention for what not to eat. White breads are made from white flour, which is processed and stripped of the nutrition that should be in bread and the same goes for rice and even the type of sugar you use. Instead, choose breads from whole grains and organic brown rice (even basmati). Surprisingly, they don't have to break the bank, either, since much of this is available in bulk at quality grocers like Whole Foods.
Know the Foods That Hydrate Your Body
When fasting, we're slowly being dehydrated over the course of the day, so once we break our fast and during the non-fasting period we need to have foods that put water into our body, not deplete it further. It can be difficult to eat a lot of watermelon or squash, even though they're super-hydrating foods, but you can make juices out of the fruits and soups out of the vegetables to give your body the additional water it needs.
Avoid salty spice mixes and condiments that sneak their way into our rice and meat dishes only to leave us wondering why we're so thirsty afterwards. A great way to break the fast is to enjoy your favorite dates, of course, but also consider having coconut water, or making smoothies, coolers and fruity drinks which are super-hydrating.
They can be consumed at the Suhoor (pre-dawn meal before the fasting day begins) or at the Iftar (meal at the time of breaking the fast) followed by soup to preface your main meal. Consider limiting coffee and tea which are very dehydrating to the body, to about half of what you normally drink.
Avoid Fried & Sugary Foods
In an effort not to spoil any cultural traditions in Ramadan foods, I'm not advocating that everyone forgo their favorite samosas or empanadas at I12ftar. I love them, too! But, I do know that it's possible to bake them instead of fry, so consider that an option. Fried foods are heavy in oil and that makes them harder to digest, especially when they're the first foods to be eaten after a long fast.
Let's save the sweets for 'Eid ul Fitr (the celebration that comes after the month of fasting) and try to hold off on as many desserts as possible to avoid any sugar crashes later in the day. If you must have something sweet, make it natural use real honey or natural raw cane sugar (turbinado) in your recipes, or eat fruits that are a bit more on the sweet side to satisfy the craving naturally.
Go Easy on the Carbs
While I love a good bowl of pasta, a hefty portion of potatoes or rice with meat, these are all carbohydrates to minimize during Ramadan. Carbohydrates are converted into sugars and can eventually take their toll on your body way after you've finished eating. When you do have your carbohydrates, be sure to pair them with protein-rich foods like beans, meat or eggs to balance the meal.
May everyone who observes the blessed month of Ramadan have a peaceful, healthy and happy time with family, friends and community.
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