What To Eat to Boost Your Energy? Balance Health And Eating Pleasures
Ramadan provides many health benefits for the fasting person if he adheres to proper nutritional rules. The timing and type of meals change, and two meals instead of three become fatty for some people. Physical activity decreases because the energy of the body is less than the calories needed for physical activity.
Effects on Weight:
Eating a lot of fried foods, creamy foods, and sweets may lead to weight gain during the month of Ramadan. However, this holy month can be a good opportunity to make a change and improve your diet and maintain it for as long as possible. If you are overweight and want to lose weight and maintain your ideal weight, you should plan to follow a healthy diet and exercise during the holy month.
Iftar Guidelines
- Eating three dates to break the fast is Sunnah and a healthy way to start Iftar as dates are an excellent source of fiber.
- Start drinking warm liquids afterwards, such as soup, which is a warm food and easy for the stomach to digest:
- The soup provides the body with fluids, vitamins and minerals, and is also a great way to eat vegetables.
- Make sure to prepare soup from fresh vegetables (such as carrots, tomatoes, etc.).
- It is preferable to reduce the amount of salt and oil when preparing it.
- You can add a distinctive flavor by adding fresh herbs (such as rosemary and thyme).
- Eat lean meats cooked in a healthy way such as grilled, chicken and fish without skin, to get a good amount of healthy protein.
- Avoid fried foods that are high in fat or sugar and replace them with low-fat foods that are rich in fluids and contain natural sugars.
- Avoid a lot of sweets after Iftar as sweets that are usually eaten during Ramadan contain large amounts of sugar syrup.
- The recommended dessert is fruit that contains cold water (such as: watermelon) or any other fruit (such as: peaches).
- Eat breakfast slowly to avoid overeating, as overeating causes heartburn and discomfort.
- Choose whole grains such as barley, quinoa, oats, brown rice, or whole grain pasta that provide the body with energy and fiber.
- Drink plenty of water between Iftar and Suhoor (at least 10 cups), especially when fasting during high temperatures to compensate for what you lose during the day.
- Avoid caffeinated drinks (such as coffee and tea); caffeine is a diuretic which can lead to dehydration.
- Use healthy cooking methods such as baking or grilling and avoid unhealthy methods such as frying.
Drinks:
It is recommended to drink plenty of water, milk, and natural fruit juices, and to reduce drinks full of added sugars, as they contain a lot of sugar and calories.
Dates and fruits:
Because they contain natural sugars that give the body energy, minerals such as (potassium, copper, and manganese), and fiber. Dried fruits are also recommended.
Soup:
Water intake can be increased by eating hydrating foods, trying to add watermelon to the suhoor meal or eating it after breakfast, in addition to eating green salad that contains a lot of cucumbers and tomatoes.
What causes weight gain in Ramadan and how to avoid it?
Weight gain is one of the problems facing the fasting person as a result of consuming large quantities of sweets, fats and nuts in a form that exceeds the necessary limit, in addition to the multiplicity of social occasions and the variety of delicious dishes and sweets, in addition to staying up late in front of the TV and getting used to a life of inactivity and laziness contributes to adding more weight.
To reduce the problem of weight gain, it is necessary to consider many tips, the most important of which are:
- Avoid overeating and limit yourself to Iftar and suhoor meals.
- Reduce the intake of sweets, fried foods and fatty meals.
- Practice physical activity, especially walking.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Focus on eating salads, soups and natural juices instead of soft drinks and sweetened drinks.
Food Preservation:
Preserving meat and poultry:
- Store them in a separate drawer.
- Consume them within two days if stored in the refrigerator.
- To preserve them for a longer period, they are placed in the freezer after wrapping them in a plastic bag.
Preserving Fish:
- Fish is stored separately because of its strong smell that may affect other foods.