With Ramadan getting closer, one of the ways that you can prepare for it is to decide what to eat and drink during fasting. It’s important to eat healthy foods during Ramadan. This means avoiding certain eating habits during fasting that can be not only harmful to your health, but keep you from losing energy, and keep you from making the most of the holy month.
Here is a list of foods to not eat during fasting and a couple of alternatives.
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1) Fried Food
It’s quite common to see iftar tables filled with fried food every single day. Although delicious, this can be detrimental to your health. Fried foods are full of fats, carbohydrates, and unhealthy. They can cause weight gain and loss of energy. It’s not a crime to have a samosa now and then, but it’s best to avoid having fried food too often.
2) Sugary Desserts
Another eating habit during fasting to avoid is eating sugary desserts. Although it may seem like a treat for getting through the entire day, it will ultimately end up as harmful. Not only does it cause you to gain weight, but it will also reduce your energy and make you feel lethargic afterward. Replace such desserts with fresh fruits. They are just as delicious and great for your health!
3) Soft Drinks
Soft drinks are basically just colored sugar and chemical water! Drinking these beverages on an empty stomach during iftar can be quite harmful to your health. A good tip for healthy eating during Ramadan when it comes to beverages is to drink fresh coconut water or fruit juices (without sugar, of course). And drink as much water as possible!
4) High Sodium Food
In other words, eat less salt! And other salty foods like chips should not be on your list of foods to eat during fasting. This is because salt is a major cause of dehydration, bloating, and water retention. That doesn’t mean eating bland food, but don’t overdo the salt, or it can make you thirsty and tired during the day.
5) Cold Drinks
Even if you know what to eat & drink during fasting, you might be making the mistake of eating and drinking such food when it is cold. It’s understandable when you have been fasting in the summer heat all day long, but it also opens you up to the risk of falling sick.
6) Carb-Heavy Food
Food like white bread, white rice, and cakes must be avoided. These foods tend to be full of carbohydrates, fats, and sugars. They will make you feel full and weighed down, hindering your ability to pray and do ibadah while fasting.
7) Full Fat Dairy Products
Although milk, yogurt, and other dairy products are good for your health, it would be best if you do not fill your shopping cart with full-cream dairy foods to eat while fasting. Instead, opt for low-fat milk products.
8) Caffeine
Pick-me-ups like coffee and energy drinks might give you a kick as soon as you drink them, but that only means that the crash is inevitable. Since the release of energy you get from caffeine is not gradual, you will experience a sudden loss of energy, which will make you feel tired and worn out.
