Dieticians advise against over-eating and under-eating for a healthy Ramadan

In Ramadan, Muslims will fast during the 29-30 days of this the holy month. From dawn to sunset, consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations are refrained from by those who are mentally and physically fit and not travelling.

Fasting should never be harmful to a person’s health. To do it right, careful consideration regarding the diet should take place. Or, as Dr. M. Hamed Farouqi, Consultant Endocrinologist and Director of Dubai Diabetes Center puts it: “The choices of food become very important during this month.

“Overindulgence is common during Ramadan,” he explains. “People tend to consider the month of Ramadan as a license to eat. What is normally eaten in the span of a day will now be eaten in a short period, without any physical activity.”

While some people tend to overindulge, others consider the month the perfect time to lose weight. Both approaches can be harmful to a person’s health.

“When somebody does not eat enough, the body will resort to storage. But this storage lasts only for a couple of days, while Ramadan lasts for a month. What happens next is that the body will resort to the non-stored muscles and fats. This can cause ketones, which can be dangerous.”

Thus, neither overindulgence nor dieting should apply. It is important to maintain a healthy diet, especially as the days will be long and the temperatures high.

Breaking the fast

When the call for Maghreb prayer is heard, the fast is broken. It is not advised, however, to immediately indulge with all the food that is most probably prepared.

Following the example of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be Upon Him), it is best to break the fast with dates, agree dieticians. “Three dates and a glass of low-fat milk,” suggests Dr. Diana El Jundi, registered dietician of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

“After that most people will offer the Maghrib prayer. These ten minutes are a good time for the first hunger to be stilled, so the person will not overindulge when having the iftar meal.”

Iftar

Iftar is the meal that is eaten after the fast is broken. The foods on the table will depend on the cultural background of the person. However, there are some tips that can be useful for everybody.

It is good to start with any kind of soup, say dieticians. “After the Maghrib prayer, continue with a light starter such as soup. During the early evening (after Maghrib), have a healthy and balanced dinner,” advises Dr. Wafa Ayesh, Head of Clinical Nutrition at the DHA.

Dr. Diana offers the plate model as a guide to a balanced iftar meal. “A quarter of the plate should be filled with rice. Another quarter can be filled with meat, fish, or chicken. Half of the plate should be salad,” she says.

According to her, portion control is very important. But there are some foods that are not advised.

“Fried food is not recommended. A lot of people like to have samosas on the table. That is fine, but it is best if these are baked, or prepared in the oven.”

Dr. Wafa agrees: “Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heartburn and weight problems.”

Anything hot, spicy, hot or salty should also be avoided, he adds. “Too much salty food will make your body retain water and give you the feeling of being bloated, while spicy foods also induce thirst.

According to him, simple carbohydrates or fast-digesting foods may be better taken at iftar to rapidly restore blood glucose levels, especially for diabetic patients (using insulin). Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar and white flour.

Sohour

Religiously, as well as medically, it is recommended that the sohour meal is consumed right before the Fajr prayer. Waking up, however difficult this seems, will secure the healthiest fast.

Because this is the meal that is consumed before the fasting resumes, the choice of food is particularly important, points out Dr. Farouqi.

“The focus of this meal often tends to be on carbs. Carbs are good, but should be balanced with protein and fats, because these hang on to the carbs and make the carbs last longer.”

Overindulgence of carbs can lead the glucose level to go up, which in turn triggers insuline, he explains. Sweating, shaky hands, a sense of hunger, and disturbed comprehension can be the result, something which people with diabetes will know as they naturally suffer from a high glucose level.

Other than the iftar meal, the focus of the sohour meal should be on slow digesting foods, which can last for eight hours, recommends Dr. Wafa.

“Slow digesting foods contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, unpolished rice, etc. These are called complex carbohydrates.

“Fibre-containing foods are bran, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, spinach, the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, and prunes, almonds, etc.”

In between

People who are fasting will agree that not drinking forms the most challenging part. Especially in summer and with a climate such as that of the UAE, drinking is very important.

Between the breaking of the fast and sohour, one should make sure to drink plenty, say dieticians. “Water, juices, or milk are all fine. When making lemon juice, it is a good idea to add some salt to it, which compensates for the liquids lost during the day,” says Dr. Farouqi.

Dr. Wafa says: “During the evening hours, resist the temptation to drink tea, coffee, and soda aiming at reduction, not totally stopping them. Headache is one of the common problems during Ramadan and could be caused by caffeine. Reducing caffeine intake gradually, starting two weeks before Ramadan, seems to ease the headaches.

“Instead, drink more water,” he continues. “Aim for 8 glasses of water by bedtime. To help you keep track, fill and refill a water bottle with a measured amount of water, and be sure to finish it.”

Sweets are a common treat during Ramadan. With visitors coming and going, sweets are often served in abundance. Although nobody will like to completely avoid these, limitation is key here.

“As family gatherings increase during Ramadan time, people tend to eat more sweets. Serve yourself, your family, and guests a ‘dessert’ of fresh fruits and nuts as they are healthier than chocolates and candy,” advises Dr. Wafa.

“When a feeling of hunger appears during the evening, opt for a low-fat yoghurt with cucumber,” advises Diana. “Sweets do not have to be avoided, but it is better not to consume them every day.”

Finally, physical activity is highly recommended. This may seem difficult, because the hours between iftar and sohour are limited, and there are often certain activities planned. But there are ways to go around this.

“A lot of people go for taraweeh prayer (additional prayer after Isha prayer). I advise these people to walk to the mosque rather than taking the car. If the mosque is too far to walk there, you could park the car a little further away than usual,” says Dr. Dania.

Light exercise is the best way to maintain physical activity during Ramadan. A walk of 30 minutes in the evening hours would be enough, says Dr. Wafa.

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