The Ramadan month requires self-discipline, as well as nurturing the body and soul for Muslims. “If you can adapt this to your life, you won’t overdo it in the breaking of the Ramadan fast (“iftar”) and in the meal before dawn & fasting (“sahur”),” says Ayşegül Yavuz. What should and shouldn’t you do in order to eat healthily during Ramadan? What is the importance of olive oil in a well-balanced diet? Ayşegül Yavuz answered our questions related to nutrition during Ramadan.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO EAT HEALTHY IN RAMADAN?
As with every period of life, we must pay close attention to having a balanced and healthy diet during Ramadan. So the number of meals consumed during the day must be increased and “sahur meal” is to be prepared. Getting up before dawn for “sahur”, our bodies prepares to be ready for the day. During “iftar” and afterwards, light snacks may be added approximately 2 hours after iftar. Fried foods that are high in oil, fizzy and sugary drinks, fast food, snacks etc. should all be avoided. With decreased physical activities and decreased number of meals in Ramadan, constipation can be experienced. If your diet is low on fruit and vegetables and if you do not consume enough liquids, like soup, during iftar and sahur, you may find yourself even more constipated. Those in the health risk group and people suffering from chronic illnesses should not fast before consulting their physicians and doctors first.
WHAT SHOULD A HEALTHY AND BALANCED IFTAR MEAL CONSIST OF?
After fasting, it is very important that you do not eat your iftar meal too quickly to avoid indigestion. Dates are rich in pulp and are a good option to break your fast. Soup is also a good way to give our brains a sense of satiety before having our main course. Meat, chicken, fish, dried beans, vegetables cooked in olive oil, mezes like “cacık” or “ayran” with yogurt, salads, whole grain bread are good options for the main course. Instead of frying or roasting your main dishes, try boiling, oven cooking and steaming your food. During fasting, the stomach is empty for a long period of time, in order to avoid stomach and heart problems, eating slowly and in small quantities during iftar and sahur is important to have a well-balanced diet.
WHAT SHOULD WE PAY ATTENTION TO FOR OUR SAHUR MEAL?
One of the biggest mistakes people make in Ramadan is eating right before going to bed, drinking only water skipping sahur meal. This will prolong the hunger period and will lead to problems such as fatigue, headaches, low blood sugar, distractibility and slows the metabolism, which causes constipation. In short, if you get up for sahur, your day will be more efficient during Ramadan.
Sahur meal should contain foods that is low in salt, high-quality protein sources, sufficient carbohydrates, oil and enough water. To avoid constipation, be careful to get enough fiber. The consumption of fried food on Sahur meal must be avoided. High salt foods increase thirst during the day, so processed meat products such as salami, sausages, etc. should not be consumed. Pastries made with white flour create instability in your blood sugar. So try to choose full grain or rye bread on Sahur meal. If you want to eat Pita bread in Ramadan, make sure to be considerate and remember that the palm-sized amount of it is equal to 1 slice of bread. If you want to bake pastry for Sahur, you may bake with rye or whole wheat flour, and also you may choose your baking oil preference healthier by using extra virgin olive oil.
WHICH FOODS KEEP US SATISFIED AND PROLONG THE FEELING OF FULLNESS?
We need to include quality protein sources during Ramadan. Eggs are a miraculous nutrient for us that is equivalent to breast milk. Eggs are very rich in vitamins and minerals, and the protein content is high, which increases the sensation of hunger and keep you feeling fuller for longer. Eating less salty cheese, yogurt or kefir as well as eggs will keep your bowel healthy and keep you feeling full for a longer period. Others types of food with useful fatty acid are fatty seeds such as nuts, almonds, walnuts. They are packed with vitamins and minerals. Choose the ones that are not roasted, prefer the raw ones, as roasted seeds may make you thirsty during the day. Fresh or dry fruits contain fiber, so you can feel fuller by consuming them, they also help strengthen your immunity with the antioxidants.
HOW SHOULD WE ADJUST LIQUID INTAKE DURING RAMADAN?
Take care to drink between 1.5-2 liters of water during the day. If you're exercising, this amount should increase even further. If you start your meal with the soup, it helps to increase hydration. Alternatively, you can drink ayran, low sugar compote, or mineral water. Avoid soda and fizzy beverages. Try not to choose fruit juices even if they are freshly squeezed. Because 3-4 fruits are used for a glass of juice, and juice does not have fruits pulp in it, pulps of the fruit is important because it also has water. So it's more important to consume the fruit itself, instead of the juice, not avoid constipation. Caffeinated drinks (e.g. tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks) must be limited in the consumption of liquids, as these kinds of drinks have a diuretic effect, causing dehydration in the body. Light walks, approximately 1 hour after iftar meal contribute to healthier digestive system and regulates your blood sugar.
HOW ABOUT DESSERT CONSUMPTION?
Dessert should not be eaten immediately after iftar; it may be consumed at least 1,5-2 hours after the main course. A light, milk-based dessert can be preferred as a snack. The consumption of syrup-based desserts, sugary and fizzy drinks must be avoided. As an alternative between iftar and sahur, fresh fruit, dry fruit, 2-3 scoops of ice cream, desserts made with dairy products may be consumed as snacks.
WHAT EFFECT DOES AN OLIVE OIL BASED DIET HAVE ON OUR HEALTH IN RAMADAN?
The Mediterranean diet, which contains mostly fruits & vegetable consumption, is one of the best diets to be considered healthy. Because many years of work have shown that it has a protective effect on other chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases.
The Mediterranean diet was implemented in Greece and Italy in 1960s that contains more consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole cereals, dried beans, oily seeds, olive and olive oil; milk and products, eggs, fish, poultry, and less consumption of red meat and dessert are recommended. Meals with Olive oil helps with LDL and total cholesterol reduction; type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart-related diseases, hypertension, it has a protective effect on nervous system and digestive system. It has also been observed that a large amount of Squalene found in olive oil is promising in recent studies for cancer protection. Since stomach disorders are more experienced in Ramadan, choosing olive oil will positively affect your health.
SPECIALIST DIETITIAN AYŞEGÜL YAVUZ
She was born in İzmir in 1984. She graduated from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Başkent University. She received her master's degree in nutrition and dietetics at Yeditepe University, Institute of Health Sciences, and received her title of "Specialist dietician". She worked at Bandırma Hospital, Egepol Hospital, Derindere Hospital. Currently she works with obesity, weight gain, weight loss, diabetes, gestational diabetes, obesity in children, endocrine, digestion, heart, liver diseases and she provides advice on nutrition and sports nutrition in these diseases.
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