Healthy Eating Tips During Ramadan

Ramadan also known as Ramazan, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief. This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon.

The common practice during Ramadan is fasting from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the ‘suhur’, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is the ‘iftar’.

It becomes compulsory for Muslims to start fasting when they reach puberty, so long as they are healthy and sane, and have no disabilities or illnesses. Many children endeavor to complete as many fasts as possible as practice for later life. Exemptions to fasting are travel, menstruation, severe illness, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

Fasting can be sometimes difficult. But with some healthy habits, precautions and the right foods, Ramadan can be spent healthily.

Tips for a healthy and blissful Ramadan:

• Start by eating 2 dates, especially if you suffer from a headache or dizziness due to low blood sugar levels during the fasting period.
• Make sure you drink sufficient water, healthy juices or yogurt before you start eating. This will prevent dehydration and provide your body with essential fluids.
• Have a bowl of soup, an indispensable dish in the Ramadan meal, since it prepares the stomach to receive the rest of the meal and helps replenish some of the body fluids lost during the day.
• A balanced main dish after Iftar should contain a source of carbohydrates like rice, roti pasta, as well as some form of protein like lean mutton, chicken or fish, in addition to cooked vegetables. Balance and moderation are key to health!
• To prevent getting thirsty during Ramadan, drink plenty of water, avoid foods that are too spicy or salty as they make you feel thirstier. Drinks like strong tea, coffee and colas have caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic that stimulates faster water loss, leading to dehydration .Use fresh herbs like coriander, mint leaves, curry leaves etc. to add flavors and consume more fruits and vegetables that are refreshing.
• Suhur is a vital meal in Ramadan. It gives you strength and vitality for the day and can make fasting easier and tolerable. Make sure that this meal is rich in slowly absorbed Carbohydrates such as whole grain breads (roti), rice, whole grain cereals (dalia porridge, oats or ragi porridge) and whole fruits that can help maintain your blood sugar level. Also include milk, curds, or some homemade firni. Add some nuts, dry fruits, meat or egg to make it a balanced meal.
• Delightful sweets in Ramadan are hard to resist. Replace sugary beverages with fresh fruits, jaggery and lime drink, honey lime water etc. Milk based sweets and puddings like ice creams, rasmali kheer and firni are healthier than high sugar sweets like gulab jamuns, balushahi and jalabees. Make sure you always practice portion control and moderation.
• Be moderate in your consumption of appetizers such as samosas, pakodas deep fried chicken etc., because deep fried foods are high in calories and bad fat. Instead, when you can, try to have them baked and stuffed with low fat cheese. You can tickle your taste buds with grilled chicken with curd marinating, roasted meats and barbecued or roasted seekh Kebabs.

Super foods to beat the heat this Ramadan:

• Curds or Dahi - Low fat curds are protein packed, that will satisfy your growling tummy and will keep you from overloading on salty high calorie snack at the iftar. Dahi also adds a dose of probiotics, beneficial bacteria that keeps your digestive system running smoothly.
• Lauki or Bottle Gourd – It is a summer vegetable extremely popular for weight loss. It is rich in calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, C, and folate and an excellent blood purifier. You can enjoy this rich vegetable as juice, sabzi, soup or add it to your dals and mutton. You can also make a refreshing drink by blending bottle gourd, pineapple, cucumber and a few basil or curry leaves with ice.
• Coconut Water - It is a power house of nutritional benefits. Coconut water has the electrolytes that make it one of the best hydrating drink. So re-energize your body with a glass of coconut water at iftar.
• Cucumber - Inexpensive yet beneficial summer food that is refreshing. Its high water content removes toxins from the body. Its immune boosting and anti-inflammatory effects are great for heart health .You can have cucumber as cucumber juice ,cucumber salad and accompany it at suhur, iftar or the later meal.
• Lime water - On a sunny summer day if you need a drink that soothes you from within it has to be glass of lime water. To increase the taste you can add some natural sweeteners like honey or jaggery, salt or black salt and mint leaves.
• Watermelon - This fruit is hydration hero, and has the fluids that is needed when the heat is on. It keeps you feeling full and could curb your sweet cravings .They help you boost your immunity too. You can use them in salads, desserts or add it to yogurt to make a wholesome smoothie. Throw in some watermelon pieces along with ginger, lemon and lots of ice to make a refreshing drink.
• Mango - The king of summer fruits is rich in vitamins and minerals required to replenish the losses due to sweating. Mango milkshake and smoothies are best for your suhur and a refreshing raw mango drink for the iftar. Raw mango drink or panna can be made with some raw mango pulp, jaggery, cumin powder and rock salt to taste.
• Gur pani or Jaggery with Lime Sharbats - It is made by soaking and dissolving jaggery in lots of water with lime. It is amazingly cooling and a must for Ramadan iftar. It is an unbeatable summer drink.You can add a spoon of chia seeds and make it more nutritious.
• Chia seeds - Chia seeds may be tiny but they are big on nutritional content. Chia seeds are helpful for people with diabetes as they form gel in the stomach which helps to slow digestion. This tiny seed with a wealth of health benefits can help prevent illness, fight existing illness and help rebuild immunity and general health. Add soaked chia seeds to your falludas, khass sharbet. You can even add it to your breakfast cereals like corn flakes, oats or dalia porridges at suhur to ensure you have your daily dose of vitamins minerals and protein. Add it to any of you drinks sharbets and milkshakes.

Need more advice? Consult our dietitians to get all your answers at https://careist.in/dietitians-in-kolkata Your personal healthcare specialist at home.