Eat healthy this Ramadan

Rania Al Hussaini spoke to Rula Ziadeh, nutrition consultant at the American University of Sharjah, on how to keep and break your fast.

WHAT NOT TO EAT

A huge Iftar

"Eating a large Iftar is not recommended in the Hadith (The Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) sayings and teachings)," said Rula Ziadeh. "The large influx of food consumed after a day of fasting can cause the digestive system to 'clog'. For this reason it is recommended that Muslims break their fast on dates and water or a simple soup, perform the Maghrib prayer and then eat a moderate Iftar."

Spicy, hot and lots of salty foods

"If you eat too much salty food your body will retain water; you feel bloated. At the same time, lack of water in the body makes it more ready to retain fat and other toxins because it does not have enough fluids to flush toxins out of the body," said Ziadeh.

Sweets and sugary food

Such foods will turn into fat, increase cholesterol levels and make you gain weight.

Too much caffeine

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, chocolate and even decaffeinated teas and coffees.

"Carbonated beverages and caffeine leach calcium from your system, which means you feel less full all the time and tend to eat the wrong food and eat more than the usual. Also avoid drinking tea at suhoor (dawn), as tea increases salt excretion in the urine, which is needed for your body during fasting," she added.

Not getting enough sleep

"It is common in Ramadan for people not to get enough sleep, which can lead to excess stress on the body. This [in turn] can trigger weight gain. So you should get the minimum sleep hours recommended, not less than eight hours," Ziadeh said.

Skipping meals or not eating enough

Not eating enough can prove unhealthy. "Not eating the suhoor (dawn meal) triggers a starvation response in the body, which actually slows down your metabolism for the rest of the day," Ziadeh said.

Too much starch

"Be sure to eat the right proportions from the various food groups. Limit yourself to a cup of any given grain per meal."

Fried fatty foods

"Fats affect the health of your heart and blood vessels, especially saturated fats. They play a role in raising cholesterol [levels] in the bloodstream; a high blood cholesterol level is a risk factor that increases the chances of developing heart diseases," said Ziadeh.

Discontinuing or reducing exercises

"Most people reduce their workload saying: 'It's Ramadan, so I should rest'. But this is untrue. Exercising will help you maintain your body weight; it will help burn calories and get rid of stress," said Ziadeh.

Last words of advice

"Don't focus on losing weight this Ramadan. The spirit of Ramadan is for all Muslims to share the hardships of the poor people who cannot afford several full meals a day. So you should focus on the meaning of Ramadan, which is not just about abstaining from eating and drinking. Your eyes, ears, and your tongue are equally obligated to be restrained from committing any bad deeds," she said.

A balanced meal

"A balanced diet improves your blood cholesterol profile, reduces gastric acidity, prevents constipation and other digestive problems, and contributes to an active and healthy life style," said Rula Ziadeh.

"So one must consume the right amounts from the major food groups: bread, cereal, milk, dairy products, meat, beans, vegetables and fruits. Because during the month-long fast the metabolic rate of a fasting person slows down and other regulatory mechanisms start functioning".

WHAT TO EAT FOR

Suhoor
- "Because of the long fasting hours that follow, you should eat foods high in fibre, such as wheat, oats, lentils, beans, whole grain rice, corn, dried fruits, vegetables. These take a long time to digest, almost eight hours so you won't feel hungry all the time," said Rula Ziadeh.

- Yoghurt: "Yoghurt has become one of the essential foods used to break the Ramadan fast. It is scientifically proven that the main benefits of yoghurt are in the digestive tract, where the friendly bacteria found in live yoghurt can aid in the digestion process as well as to help clean the intestines and digestive tract. And the bacteria, still present in yoghurt, upon entering the intestinal tract prevents other bacteria in the intestines from forming harmful toxins," said Rula Ziadeh.

Iftar
- Dates: 3

- Juice: 1 serving (4 oz.) of any kind of juice

- Salad (make sure that the salad dressing is not heavy)

- Vegetable soup with some pasta or crackers: 1 cup (or any other kind of carbohydrates)

"The body's immediate need at the time of Iftar is to get an easily available energy source in the form of glucose for the living cells, particularly the brain and nerve cells.

"Dates and juices are good sources of sugars. So having dates and juice in the above quantity is sufficient to bring low blood glucose levels to normal levels. Also juice and soup help maintain water and mineral balance in the body," said Ziadeh.