Ramadan iftar refers to the end of fasting. The fasting starts through Sehri before the rising of the sun. With the sun going down, families, and friends typically gather together to break the fast with various items of food. However, you need to break your fast with some healthy foods and drinks as it’s the meal that refills the energy of your body after fasting almost 12 to 16 consecutive hours of the day. Now, how to plan your meal at Iftar after Ramadan fasting? Stay with us to get some tips.
What to Eat or Drink for a Healthy Iftar during Ramadan
Here are some ideas for a fulfilling iftar for you and your family. These foods and drinks will keep you nourished and healthy.
Liquids
After the daylong fasting, you need to drink plenty of fluids like water, freshly squeezed juice, or milk. It is important to prevent your body from dehydration. Liquids will provide your body with the essential fluids it needs.
Water is the best source of hydration. So, drink one to two glasses of water before your meal but make sure you don’t drink water during your meal because it will delay your digestion process. However, don’t take too many drinks or syrup with sugar.
Dates
Traditionally, people start their iftar with dates. Dates are a nutritious burst of natural sugar that fuels your body with essential energy instantly. Dates can give you enough nutrition.
People who suffer from bad headaches during the fasting hours, most likely caused by low blood sugar, are recommended to begin their iftar with 2 dates to replenish their sugar levels.
Soups
Don’t forget to keep soups in your iftar menus. Souls help you hydrate as they are the source of water. You can take lentil, tomato, or vegetable soup but try to avoid cream-based soup. In the summer season, you may not enjoy warm soup, in this case, you can take cold soups.
Vegetables
Vegetables have vitamins, minerals, and fiber and they help to provide you with various nutrients but few calories. Remember that if your salad or vegetables are more colorful, they have more health benefits.
Eating vegetables or salad helps you to eat less of your main dish. They will give you fullness. So, make sure you take at least 2 servings of vegetables per meal. From one serving you will get equal to 1/2 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice or 1 cup of leafy raw vegetables.
Good Carbs
Make sure your iftar meal contains a source of carbohydrates, preferably complex like brown rice, whole grain pasta or bread, potatoes, or burghul. If you take complex carbs, they will provide a more stable and sustainable source of energy in addition to fiber and minerals.
Vegetables
Vegetables have vitamins, minerals, and fiber and they help to provide you with various nutrients but few calories. Remember that if your salad or vegetables are more colorful, they have more health benefits.
Eating vegetables or salad helps you to eat less of your main dish. They will give you fullness. So, make sure you take at least 2 servings of vegetables per meal. From one serving you will get equal to 1/2 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice or 1 cup of leafy raw vegetables.
Good Carbs
Make sure your iftar meal contains a source of carbohydrates, preferably complex like brown rice, whole grain pasta or bread, potatoes, or burghul. If you take complex carbs, they will provide a more stable and sustainable source of energy in addition to fiber and minerals.
What to Avoid at Iftar after Daylong Fasting
After day fasting, we become hungry. Many people tend to eat a huge amount of food when it is time to break the fast at Iftar. It is a great mistake because the body is unable to utilize the energy intake altogether. The body’s metabolism cannot adapt to new eating patterns. Ultimately it creates digestive issues. It may also lead to weight gain in the long run. So, you need to avoid the following food items during Iftar:
Foods high in fat
If you want to be healthy during the whole month of Ramadan, avoid heavy meals for iftar because such foods usually contain a considerable amount of unhealthy fats. You can make your favorite Iftar recipe healthier by trying different cooking styles like stewing, baking, roasting, steaming, or grilling meats or fish. But try to avoid frying the meat, fish or vegetable with oil.
Caffeinated Drinks
Caffeinated drinks naturally will increase the risk of obesity and can also provoke acidity in your body. If you take caffeine too much, you will always feel thirsty because caffeine doesn’t help in hydration.
Besides, it causes insomnia which is not good at all for you during Ramadan. Lack of sleep makes you weak and consequently, it will be difficult for you to continue fasting. So, make sure you must avoid cold drinks, tea, and coffee.
Spicy, fried foods
If your Iftar meal includes spicy foods like fried vegetables, meat or fish, you will get nothing in terms of nutrition. On the contrary, fried foods will surely increase your acidity. So, you need to avoid spicy and fried food items like samosas, bread rolls, etc. Even sweet and fried dishes such as Gulab Jamun should be avoided. Instead of them, you can take herbs and spices to flavor your meals.
Salty food
Salty foods make the body dehydrated. Moreover, salty foods are risky for you if you have high blood pressure. So, during Iftar, don’t take nuts, chips, pickles, and foods containing soya sauce.
Sweet Items
If you take so many sugary items in your Iftar, they will increase the level of carbohydrate in your body.
So, you can replace sweets and sweetened drinks with naturally occurring sugar found in fruits, dried fruits, and fruit salads.
Bottom Line
Muslims generally take two meals per day during Ramadan- one is the pre-dawn meal, suhoor and another is the iftar. Iftar is the post-sunset meal that Muslims take to break the day’s fast.
At Iftar, you need to have a hearty and fulfilling meal. Start your iftar by drinking enough water to prevent dehydration. Besides, take fresh fruit juice or milk to replenish the fluids vital to your body. Make sure you take enough liquid and nutrients at iftar.
Try to take your food and drinks slowly at iftar. Because excessive consumption of food and beverages within a short time might have detrimental effects on your health and immune system.
Source: United News of Bangladesh