HEALTHY DIETARY PRACTICES DURING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN

HEALTHY DIETARY PRACTICES DURING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN

   A.H. Mohamed Rushdi
  Postgraduate Student in Food Science & Technology
  University of Peradeniya
  bfstrushdi@gmail.com

 The Holy month of Ramadan is in front of us and everyone might be preparing themselves to grace the month. Meanwhile, I thought of sharing few important things to concsider when it comes to the dietary practices during Ramadan as it is presented to us as a month not only to refresh our “imaan” but also to regulate our systems and mechanisms in the body.

Even though, Ramadan has many health benefits for our whole body, we can see most of our people are very much concerned ONLY in portraying Ramadan’s health benefits, but failing to practice at least few healthy eating habits. It is even unfortunate to see that the body conditions of some people are becoming even worst during and at the end of Ramadan, due to their poor dietary habits.

CHANGES THAT OCCUR IN OUR BODY WHEN AVODING MEALS OR DURING FASTING

It is important to get some basic idea about the changes happening in our body when avoiding meals or during fasting. Then it will help you to understand the basics behind the healthy eating options.

The Changes that occur in the body, depend on the length of fast-day. Even though we start the fasting early in the morning, technically our body enters into a fasting state eight hours or so after our last meal, when our gut finishes the absorption of nutrients from the food. 

In normal state, the glucose is the main source of energy for our body, which is stored in liver and muscles. But during a fast this store of glucose is used initially, in order to provide energy. Next, when these stores of glucose run out, then, fat becomes next source of energy for our body. Only with prolonged (continuous) fast of many days or weeks does the body eventually turn to protein. Now this is technically called starvation and is clearly unhealthy.

You don’t have to worry as during Ramadan you get an opportunity to refill your energy stores at "sahar" and "ifthar" meal times. So during Ramadan, first you use your glucose and then gradually the fat as the main source of energy. But having two meals protects you from going to starvation stage which is not good for the body. It means, Ramadan will not lead to a situation where all the glucose and fats in the body are used and lead to the unhealthy situation where the proteins are also need to be used

Therefore, as the glucose reserves are depleted and only the fats are used to get energy for the body during Ramadan, it helps in weight loss and reducing obesity, which has many benefits for humans, such as, Better control of diabetes, Reduces blood pressure. In long run; it also reduces blood cholesterol level.

HEALTHY DIETARY HABITS DURING RAMADAN

Fasting can improve your health. But if right foods are not consumed then you may get negative results. The main factor is not the act of fasting but the type of food that you take between "sahar" and "ifthar".

To make it easier for you all, some basic guidelines for “sahar” and “ifthar” are provided and the relevant points in both the sections can be used for “Dinner” also.

DURING SAHAR

• Don’t skip the sahar meal with just a few sips of water. It is like a breakfast. This meal should be a moderate meal that can provide energy for many hours. It is also the Sunnah of the Prophet MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H) to have meals in sahar.
• Use Foods which release energy slowly in our body for sahar meal, like Wheat, Cereals etc.
• Include complex carbohydrate foods which are rich in fibre, such as those found in grains and seeds. (For example, whole wheat, brown rice, dhaal, beans, bran, fruits and vegetables) Fibre-rich foods help increase the feeling of fullness, promote good blood glucose levels and help with regularity.
• Use Whole wheat and unpolished rice instead of White rice and bread as they absorb necessary vitamins and minerals from our bodies.
• Choose lower fat and lean cuts of meat. Remove the Skin in the chicken and remove any visible fat before cooking. Because they have ample amount of fat and it will not help to deplete the unnecessary fat by fasting, instead increase the fat reserves.
• Try to avoid, salt and salted food, such as pickles, sauces, nuts, chips. Because 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.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly during sahar. But this is very rarely seen among us.
• Drink plenty of water and fruit juice during Sahar to maintain proper fluid levels.
• Avoid Too much tea or Coffee (Caffiene) at sahar. Both of these are substances that promote the production of urine, when consumed in large quantities. Therefore the body can lose valuable minerals, salts and fluids that you need during the day.
• Avoid overeating at sahar. It can cause further metabolic imbalance, like highs and lows in your blood sugar and dehydration.

DURING IFTHAR

• Ifthar should remain as a meal not a big feast with lots of unhealthy dishes. Best to keep your meals light
• Include at least three dates to break the fast. It will to help provide the much needed “instant” energy along with hydration.
• Include at least one cup of fresh fruit juice for ifhar as it can help  to normalize possible low sugar  condition called hypoglycemia as well as, can give  an instant and healthy energy boost
• Drink as much fluid (preferably water) as possible. It is advisable to consume at least 8-12 cups between ifthar 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, fried samosa, greasy curries and biriyani. Etc. 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.
• 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.
• Have fiber rich foods for ifthar. Because, fasting during the day can increase stomach acid content and cause feelings of pain or discomfort. High-fibre foods can help neutralize this acid and reduce pain.
• Avoid foods containing too much sugar. 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.
• 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.
• Avoid Sleeping immediately after iftar and sahar meals, since your body will require time to digest the food. Wait for 2–3 hrs before sleeping. Performing  prayers and other religious activities  not in home, but in the mosque, will be ideal for body and soul

ISLAMIC VIEW OF HEALTHY EATING

The blessed prophet MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H) said

“The children of Adam fill no vessel worse than their stomach. Sufficient for him is a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat more, than a third should be his food, a third for his drink and a third left for air. (SUNAN AL-TIMIDHI)”

Our body is a gift from ALLAH. It is His "amaanath" and we have to take care of it for a fixed period of time. The size, amount and type of food we eat have direct impact on our body. The food we consume affects our behavior and personality. Overeating is long been disliked by ISLAM. Overeating  and imbalance eating increases the worldly appetite and makes our body sluggish and lazy which directly results in dulling our soul and spiritual growth.

Therefore, may almighty Allah shower his blessings for us to take the optimum use of this holy month to refresh our “imaan” while try our best, not to miss the health benefits of Ramadan by practicing the better dietary practices and make sure we took care of our body – which is a the “amaanath” of Almighty.