Tackling Ramadhan in a Healthy Way

Written By: Sukaina Abdulhussein, Registered Nutritionist (AfN)

Foreword from Hannah Baugh: I clearly remember a lecturer of mine once saying: you’ll best serve your clients by recognising your areas of weakness and learning from people who can do it better than you. This has stayed with me, and as I am super passionate about nutrition being accessible to all, I called on one of these experts: Sukaina Abdulhussein, Registered Nutritionist with the AfN. In this article Sukaina explains what Ramadhan is, how food intake changes, and the implications this has for exercise. Enjoy!

What is Ramadhan?

Ramadhan is the ninth month in the Muslim Lunar Calendar. During the month of Ramadhan, Muslims around the world fast during daylight hours and spend time connecting on a spiritual level with Allah (God) through prayer and reflection and also spend quality time with family and friends. Similar to how Christians take part in Lent, where something is given up demonstrating their devotion to their religion, Muslims spend Ramadhan to focus on other aspects of life than food.

I mean, for most of us, food is the centre of everyday life – we cannot live without it! Being Muslim myself, I find that staying away from food during Ramadhan helps me have a clearer spiritual vision. I am also able to have a deeper contemplation of my relationship with God and can appreciate and be grateful for the luxuries of life that we tend to take for granted. Women on their monthly menstrual cycle, pregnant women and those who are unwell are exempt from fasting.

Celebrations!

Whilst Ramadhan is a spiritual uplifting month, it is also a time for celebration. Between Suhoor (meal taken before sunrise, before the day of fasting starts) and Iftaar (meal to break the fast after sunset), we love to meet family and friends to dine and pray together. At the end of the month, we also celebrate Eid al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadhan. This is the equivalent to Christmas Day where prayer, gratitude, gifts, food, and family are the key words!

How to eat well during Ramadhan:

The fast is often broken with the consumption of dates which is the recommendation from Prophet Muhammed. A 30g serving not only counts towards your five-a-day but also has several health benefits including supporting gut and bone health. It is a great food to break your fast with as it is packed with antioxidants, supporting health and well-being.

During Iftaar, it is recommended to stick by the Eatwell Guide to ensure that you are consuming well balanced meals. Also, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will provide those essential micronutrients, fibre, and fluid. It is so easy to want to eat everything at Iftaar because you haven’t eaten all day, however being mindful of your portion sizes is important to ensure you are having balanced meals. Lessening the consumption of salt dishes will also help reduce levels of thirst and dehydration during the fast. Processed foods such as cheese, sauces and chutneys usually have high salt content so be sure to read the food labels.

In some cultures, fried food is often consumed as appetizers during Ramadhan. Try to reduce such foods or opt for healthier cooking methods instead. As some examples, baking samosas or chips instead of deep frying will significantly reduce the amount of total fat in those food.

It is important to have a good meal at Suhoor to prep your body for the rest of the day. Opt for starchy foods (oats, low sugar cereals, bread, wholegrain rice or couscous) for energy, choosing wholegrain and high fibre varieties where possible to help you feel fuller for longer and aid digestion to prevent constipation – the latter being a common issue faced whilst fasting!

Hydrating well by drinking plenty of fluid between Iftaar and Suhoor is important as during fasting hours, the body may become mildly dehydrated due to the lack of water. I often advise those fasting to break their fast with fluid rich foods such as soup, low-fat yoghurt, watermelon and cucumbers as some examples to help start replacing the fluid lost during the day. Juices and smoothies can also help keep one hydrated as well as provide some extra energy. The portion size recommendation for juices/smoothies is 150ml per day. This amount contributes your 5-a-day intake however anything above this amount is not recommended due to levels of sugar found in these drinks.

Exercise during Ramadhan

With no food or water during daylight hours, the body will naturally feel tired therefore it is important not to push yourself too hard when fasting. Try to keep the step count up by going for a stroll or alternatively immerse yourself with other light aerobic workouts. Pilates is also a low impact exercise that is great whilst fasting. Some also choose to go to the gym whilst fasting or after their break their fast – figure out what works for you and your lifestyle.

For the month of Ramadhan, I will be posting nutrition content on my Instagram page to help those fasting navigate through the month so keep your eyes peeled for more content on @sukaina_nutrition