Ramadan is due to begin around May 6th, and so a lunar month of daylight fasting from dawn until sunset begins. As well as being a time to show discipline and empathy for others, it Is also an opportunity to regain control over your healthy eating choices. Interestingly, as much as Ramadan can bring weight loss, it can also do the opposite by encouraging weight gain outside of the fasting hours.
Here is the Chewwies.com guide to how to eat healthily during this important period in the Muslim calendar.
‘Suhoor’/’Sehri’
This meal is taken just before dawn so is an opportunity to provide your body with the energy it needs to get through the day as well as ensuring it is hydrated.
As this is a meal early in the day, breakfast cereals with fruit are a good way of adding hunger-fighting fibre, also good for digestion and avoiding constipation that can occur with a change in the diet, as well allowing a chance to rehydrate with the milk that is added. Chopping a banana on top is another way of keeping you full for longer, with any fruit giving you a boost of essential vitamins and an energy boost. Try sprinkling porridge with nuts as an alternative.
If you are looking for your meal to be less of a breakfast style meal, beans, chickpeas and lentils are another good source of protein and help with staving off hunger. Add wholegrain bread to the meal for extra fulfilment.
For drinks, avoid caffeine as this can encourage urination meaning the body becomes dehydrated more easily.
‘Iftar’
Iftar is the time when the fast is broken, so getting food that is balanced and gives you some flavour can help with the temptation to over indulge.
Dates are a traditional food, giving you sweetness, fibre as well as other minerals.
Meals that include carbohydrates such as rice or chapatis are low-fat and the perfect accompaniment to a meal that includes meat or fish. Don’t forget that by adding vegetables you are ensuring you are getting vitamins as well as essential fibre.
Whilst it is ok to add spice to give you a tasty meal, be very aware of over-adding salt which is known to dehydrate.
Look to avoid sugary drinks which are heavy in calories but provide little else in terms of health benefits.We wish all our customers and viewers a Happy Ramadan. Don't forget to continue to supplement with your Halal Chewwies Vitamins.