Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

How to enhance your family’s nutrition during Ramadhan

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Ramadhan is usually the best opportunity to do a reset whether it’s in lifestyle or spiritual life. At times, however, wrong habits can keep you away from the benefits of the holy month. While almost everyone is well versed in the way of fasting, it is equally important to break the fast right and prepare for the fast in the right manner.


Clinical Dietician and Diabetes Educator at Apollo Sugar-IMC, Sumaira Fatima Mirza explained the right and healthy way to break the fast at Iftar.


“The healthy way to break the fast is with dates water and a few pieces of fruits. Dates provide instant energy and vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fibre. People with diabetes should restrict themselves to one to three dates as excess consumption can cause an increase in blood glucose levels,” she explained.


When choosing fruits, think colours says the clinical dietitian. Eat a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables as you like. She highly encourages using mixed fruits at iftaar and vegetables during suhoor. She also noted that whole fruit is better than juice as it provides fibre.


While Iftar has been discussed a lot, she said that the timing of suhoor and what’s on the plate plays a significant role in keeping a healthy lifestyle.


“Suhoor is a blessing, meaning it provides strength for the day’s fast. It prevents hunger, low blood sugar, headaches and cravings during the day,” she noted. Most importantly, according to her, it prevents excessive eating at iftaar.


“Proper suhoor meal comprising of whole grains, proteins with some healthy fats and water is needed to provide energy, satiety and to overcome hunger. In some cases where you are late or cannot have a proper meal then dates, milk and water can be preferred,” she advised.


Some people habitually refer to eating Suhoor meal at night, for instance, two hours post-Taraweeh and then proceed to sleep.


To this, Sumaira said, “Suhoor meal is sunnah it should be eaten in the second half of the night close to fajr prayers. It is a source of nourishment to the body during fasting. Eating a meal post Taraweeh does not help as suhoor increases hours of fasting which can result in fatigue and hunger during the day. It increases the risk of hypoglycaemia among people with diabetes. And that brings into focus people with diabetes who fast during Ramadhan.


Do they require a different diet?


“People with diabetes do not need a special diet. They need to eat healthily. The key is portion control, eating the right portions at the right time. A few things to keep in mind is to encourage the consumption of whole grains while avoiding refined cereals. Instead, add up proteins like eggs, nuts, low-fat cheese, low-fat milk, lentils, sprouts or lean meats like chicken fish in iftar and suhoor meals, choose whole fruit and avoid juices with added sugars and shakes. Cut down desserts and sweets with added sugars which causes a spike in blood sugars levels,” she advised.


A common concern is how insulin users should break their fast.


“Insulin users should break their fast with water, one to three dates and a few pieces of fruits as they provide instant energy. Proceed with salah Maghrib, inject insulin and take the full balanced meal avoiding white bread, savouries and sweets. If needed evening meals can be divided into main meal and post-Taraweeh snack.”


So how can we make meals of Ramadhan nourishing?


Sumaira said Ramadan is the month of worship and fasting with a small window period for eating.


“During Ramadan combination meals makes work easier, save time and enhance nutrition like oats meal with milk nuts and fruit, whole wheat sandwich with low-fat cheese or eggs and vegetables.


“Some of the widely known and healthy options are Shourbah — a dish made with either lentils or lean meats with vegetables. It is commonly eaten with bread like chapathi or whole wheat pita bread which is widely preferred and eaten among many nationalities. It can be used either at suhoor or iftaar meals. Harees, a dish made with cracked wheat, or harees cereal and lean meats. Thareed a dish made with lean meats cooked with a variety of vegetables. Harira, a Moroccon dish cooked with lean meats, vegetables and lentils or fava beans. Easy and commonly available bread like whole-grain breads, Chapathi, whole pita bread (lebnani qubz), bran cereals, Omani qubz raqaq and some salads like a chicken with vegetable salad, sprouts salad, tabouleh, fattoush etc makes meals convenient and healthy.”


To top it all is the need to maintain a healthy sleeping pattern during Ramadhan.


Time management is the key to achieving a good amount of rest and night sleep during Ramadan, according to Sumaira. What is needed is to keep meals simple and easy to cook and stomach-friendly.


“Try to finish the main meal at the earliest in order to get 4-5 hours of night sleep. Avoid eating heavy meals and junk foods late at night which can cause indigestion. Prepare ahead of your suhoor meal. People can cover up their night’s sleep by taking a nap during the day. Night sleep is essential to avoid stress and to perform better during the day.”


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