Healthy Eating during Ramadan

1. Healthy Eatingduring Ramadan Presented by Ali M. Al-Dossary, PM Advisor Health Education,PMSD

2. Presentation outlines • What is the best food to start my Iftar with? • Could I delay my Iftar meal to after Maghreb prayer? • Can I drink lemon juice at Iftar meal? • How many calories in one piece of Samboosa? • What is the best food for Sahoor meal? • What is the best timing for exercise • What I should eat at Iftar meal? • Why do I feel sleepy after eating my Iftar meal?

3. Positive lifestyle changes • Fasting during Ramadan is a golden opportunity for weight loss. This can be accomplished since the total caloric intake is reduced and the efforts are made to increase the metabolic rate.

4. What is the best food to start my Iftar with? • Start with 3 dates and a cup of warm low fat soup (vegetable or grain soup) before going to prayer. • Have a cup of low fat butter milk, but make sure that it is not chilled (chilled drinks donot support your stomach to digest food properly). • After prayer you should continue with the main Iftar meal. This approach helps your body adjust to eating again after the long hours of fasting.

5. Could I delay my Iftar meal to after Maghreb prayer? • Yes, you can delay your Iftar meal until after the prayer, but it is better to break your fast by eating 3 dates with a cup of low fat laban. • Do not delay your Iftar meal more than an hour after the sunset. It may cause your blood sugar drop.

6. Can I drink lemon juice at Iftar meal? • Lemon juice is very acidic and may be cold and sweetened. Therefore, it is not recommended to start your Iftar meal with it. • Start your Iftar meal with 3 dates with a cup of low fat soup or a cup of low fat laban (not verycold). However, you can drink lemon juice between the Iftar & Sahoor meals.

7. How many calories in one piece of Samboosa? • There are 250 calories in one piece of fried Samboosa and 125 in a baked one. • Use lean meat for Samboosa or to have it filled with vegetables, or low fat cheese, or lentils. • Take only 1-2 pieces. • Two pieces of fried Samboosas contain 15 grams of oil more than the baked ones.

8. What is the best timing for Sahoor? • The best time for Sahoor meal is as close to Fajer as possible. (around 3:30 -4:00 am), and it is better not to consume it at midnight or at 1:00 am.

9. The best food for Sahoor meal is • A cup of low fat milk or laban or yogurt. • 2 slices of whole wheat bread or 1 cup of oat meal. • Low fat labnah or low fat cheese or peanut better. • Fresh fruit or unsweetened fruit juice or dried fruit. • A cup of cooked lentils or beans.

10. What is the best timing for exercise in Ramadan? • The best time for exercise is in the evening (2 hoursafter Iftar meal). • 30-45 minutes of brisk walking or swimming are very good options. • Make your exercise a fun and daily habit. Do it with a friend or a family member.

11. What I should eat at Iftar meal? • 3 pieces of dates. • 1 cup of low fat soup (vegetables or grains) or 1 cup of low fat laban. • 1 cup of steamed rice or pasta. • 1 cup of salad. • 1 cup of cooked vegetables.

12. What I should eat at Iftar meal? • One portion of lean meat (150 gram cooked) or ¼ chicken without skin, or baked fish (150 gramcooked). • 1-2 baked Samboosas. • Fruits, vegetables, and low fat yogurt or laban, as a snack. • Drink a lot of fluids (especiallywater) between Iftar and Sahoor meals.

13. Why do I feel sleepy after eating my Iftar meal? • Consuming large amount of food and beverages. • Consuming heavy and fatty meals. • Sleeping after Iftar meal is not recommended. • Delay the sleep after consuming the Iftar meal by 2-3 hours.

14. To avoid it: • Do not consume a lot of food at one time. • Chew your food well. • Make your meal is low fat (avoid fried food anduse lean meat or skinless chicken or baked fish) • Eat baked Samboosa, not fried. • Do not overstuff yourself.

15. How to reduce my body weight during Ramadan? • You should practice regular exercise, (30-45 min ofbrisk walking or swimming) and follow a healthy low fat meal plan. • Refer to the Nutritional Tips to Avoid Weight Gain During Ramadan.

16. I have high cholesterol level. What food should I avoid? • Avoid commercial Samboosas. You can prepare it at home. (choose vegetable, lentilsor low fat cheese or labnah Samboosas). • Do not add butter or ghee on the top of Harees or Jareesh or to the food. • Use very lean meat or skinless chicken to prepare Harees.

17. How to lower my cholesterol level? • Use skimmed milk or butter milk or yogurt in your meals • Do not use egg yolk or organ meat (liver,kidney, heart, brain). • Replace sweets with fresh fruits.

18. How to lower my cholesterol level • Replace Gishda (heavy cream) with non-fat labnah • Increase your intake of salads, vegetables, and fresh fruit. • Avoid pancake and other eggs containing dishes.

19. How to lower my cholesterol level • Do not use palm oil, coconut oil, ghee, butter, or animal fat in food preparation. • You can use olive oil or canola oil or corn oil, but in moderation.Remember:Keep your body weight within the normal range and practice regular exercise.

20. How much water I should drink? • Drink 8-10 cups between Iftar & Sahoor meals. • Do not over drink at Iftar meal, drink 1-2 cups every 2-3 hours • Drink unsweetened juices (one cup/day, as it providescalories), low fat or non-fat milk or butter milk, low fat soup, and Caffeine free, or decaffeinated tea or coffee.

21. I have diabetes and I want to fast, what should I do? • Divide your meals into 3 (Iftar, midnight,Sahoor). • Take healthy Iftar meal as: • 3 pieces of dates. • 1 cup of low fat soup (such as vegetable). • 1 cup of low fat laban, yogurt or low fat milk. • 2 choices of carbohydrates (one cup cooked rice orpasta or 2 pieces of boiled or baked potatoes or 2 slices of whole wheat bread).

22. I have diabetes and I want to fast, what should I do? • 1 cup of cooked vegetable. • 1 cup of salad, without salad dressing  You can squeeze lemon on it. • One portion of lean meat (4 ounces cooked) or chicken without skin, or baked fish.

23. Why my urine became dark during fasting? • Drink 8-10 cups of water between Iftar and Sahoor meals. • Increase your intake of other fluids; such as low fat soup, milk, and unsweetened fruit juice. • Replace dried sweets (such as baklawa, orlugaimat) with custard, jello, puddings, as these contain more water.

24. How to reduce the thirst feeling during Ramadan? • Drink 8-10 cups of water between Iftar and Sahoor meals. • Reduce salt intake. • Do not practice exercise in hot season or in daytime. Do it in the evening. • Reduce the intake of fried, spicy, and salty food (pickles, olives, canned food, zaater, saltedcheese, and salted sauces).

25. How to reduce the hunger feeling during Ramadan? • Eat your Iftar meal at the sunset time, as permitted. • Divide your meals to 3 (Iftar, midnight, Sahaoor) • Delay your Sahoor meal to Fajir time (as close to sunrise as permitted). • Consume more of protein at your Sahoor meal.

26. How to reduce the hunger feeling during Ramadan? • Consumes more of slow-digesting food at Sahoor time, such as cheese, labnah, yogurt, lentils, beans, oat meal, peanut butter, dried fruits, lean meat. • Increase your fiber intake at Sahoor meal, such as whole wheat bread, legumes, salads, vegetables, and dried fruit.

27. How to reduce the hunger feeling during Ramadan? • Reduce sweets (such as jello, jam,honey, pudding, sugary drinks), as sweets do not satisfy the hunger for long hours. • Avoid food smells or food motivations, as it increases the appetite and hunger feeling • Do not exercise during day time. • Your body will adapt itself and your hunger feeling will subside when Ramadan days go on.

28. Is it good to sleep after Iftar meal or Sahoor? • It is not recommended due to the following: • After consuming a meal, the digestive system needs to digest the food and then absorb the nutrients. • The digestive system slows down during sleep.

29. Is it good to sleep after Iftar meal or Sahoor? • Leads to improper digestion. • Cause constipation and gas problems. • Practice walking 2 hours after the meal, and then sleep around 3 hours after consuming the meal.

30. Questions & Answers