Healthy Eating During Ramadan

This year, Ramadan came with all its blessings, with the sound of drums resounding in the streets, the smell of pita bread rising from the ovens, and its indispensable dessert Güllaç. With Ramadan coinciding with summer, the tables became even more festive. When you think about all those colorful and rich Ramadan tables, it makes you feel full, right? Of course, the gradual increase in air temperatures and the long duration of fasting make people think on the one hand; But don't let that scare you. If you are not in the risk group, you can spend this month very well with a proper diet. So who is at risk? We can say that those with chronic diseases (diabetes, blood pressure, stomach diseases, etc.), those over the age of 65, children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are in the risk group. Those who are not in this group can spend this month without gaining weight and without harming their health, with a regular nutrition program. Here are a few tips for healthy eating during Ramadan:

• Don't give up on your meals: Do not let the shortening of the eating time cause you to consume less meals as the days are long. Prefer to eat less and often instead of overloading the food in iftar and sahur. Remember; Fitting your food into two meals will cause bloating. Therefore, make sure to have at least three meals a day.
• Do not skip the sahur: In the sahur, turn to olive oil, light breakfasts and foods that keep you full. For example, boiled eggs and some walnuts will keep you fitter. Avoid foods that are too salty or oily. Eat soups and vegetables rather than heavy meals. Remember to drink plenty of water.
• Start off lightly: Breaking your fast with one date will help balance your blood sugar. Eating quickly after a long hunger can upset your body's balance. Therefore, start iftar with a portion of soup (preferably easily digestible soups, such as vegetable soups) and then rest for 15 minutes. Get the nutrients you need to take during the day without tiring your stomach; For example, a serving of carbohydrates (four tablespoons of pasta or a piece of pita bread) is accompanied by a serving of protein (red or white meat). Getting enough carbohydrates will give you energy. Apart from these, be careful to consume vegetable dishes that help digestion.
• Do not overdo the dessert: In fact, although we are not very aware of it, we meet the sugar that our body needs from the carbohydrate foods we eat. Therefore, avoid heavy desserts and syrups after iftar. Prefer milk desserts or eat a portion of fruit. If possible, make it a snack by eating dessert a few hours after iftar and drinking a glass of buttermilk or milk on top of it. Thus, you will prevent the sweetness from turning into fat.

In this article, we touched on the tricks of spending Ramadan lightly. I hope Ramadan will be healthy, peaceful and fruitful for all of us. Goodbye :)

Author: Büşra Cengiz