It is that time of year again where Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset.  Ramadan is a month of self-discipline and reflection.  It is also that time of year where we indulge more in food from buffets to invitations and the wrong foods! Worse yet, in Ramadan food waste increases by 55%!

While I know I can’t change the habits of eating around this holy month from the love of fried sambosak to the sweet qatayef and the endless buffets. I will say one thing –be mindful of what and how much you are eating and how it will affect you or the environment.

The prophet (s.a.w )said ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’

Avoid these common Ramadan habits and stay healthy with these tips!

• Avoid fried foods – yes that means the daily habits of eating the good old sambosak and spring rolls needs to stop. You could have it occasionally and explore ways to prepare it in a healthier way i.e. baking
• Avoid soft drinks, juice concentrates and fruit flavoured powdered drinks which usually contain high fructose corn syrup – a refined artificial sweetener which has been linked to diabetes and obesity. Instead enjoy freshly squeezed juices and water
• Replace iodised salt with Himalayan salt, celtic salt or sea salt instead and avoid using it excessively.
• Replace “vegetable”oils (sunflower, canola, vegetable ghee, and margarine) with butter, extra virgin coconut oil, animal ghee, cold pressed olive oil, avocado oil. “Vegetable” oils are pro-inflammatory and have been linked to a long list of diseases from diabetes to infertility.
• Avoid any foods products with labels- low in fat, no fat, light, sugar free, fat free products– most of these foods have added artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, saccharin etc all which stimulate the storage of body fat and increase carbohydrate cravings! Remember it is not the fat that makes you fat, it is the sugar that makes you fat!
• Replace white flour (found in bread, roti, pasta etc) with wholewheat, besan/gram (chickpea) flour, spelt, rye, buckwheat. Refined grains will get converted in the body as sugar and will cause surges in blood sugar and insulin levels leaving you fatigued! Whole – unrefined grains on the other hand are full of fibre slowing down the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream.
• Avoid the commonly used chicken stock cubes. These small cubes are packed with salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils and preservatives. Instead use organic bone broth (beef or chicken available at organic health food stores), home-made stock, spices and fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, basil etc)
• Avoid tea, coffee and soft drinks during suhoor time. These caffeinated beverages are diuretics (stimulates urination) which may cause dehydration.
• Avoid canned foods – they contain a toxic chemical known as BPA (Bisphenol A) which leaches into our foods. Canned food also tend to lose most of the nutrients, frozen is a better option.

 

The prophet (SAW) said: “The best Suhoor for the believer is dates.

At suhoor avoid any processed and refined “foods” they will only cause an increase in your blood sugar levels leaving you fatigued throughout the day. Processed and refined foods include things like biscuits, chips, white flour, white sugar, vegetable oils, fruit juices, soft drinks and most packaged “foods”

When making suhoor pre- preparations are essential to ensuring you will get good quality nutritious meal sorted without the rush!

Breakfast (suhoor)

• Birch murseli – the base of this wholesome breakfast is uncooked oats, yoghurt and honey. Add your favourite fruit, chia seeds, flaxseeds, shredded coconut and nuts.
• Smoothie – yoghurt or milk of your choice (almond, oat or rice milk), fruits, chia seeds, honey, avocado
• Nut butters (macadamia, almond, cashew, brazil nuts) with rice cakes or wholewheat bread
• Unprocessed oats – cinnamon, almond milk, sunflower seeds, apples
• Omelette – zucchini, mushrooms, leeks, capsicum, pumpkin, broccoli, cheese
• Dates filled with cashews, walnuts, almonds, pistachios
• Boiled eggs with olive oil
• Indian vegetable gravy with wholwheat roti
• Fruit bowel with yoghurt, honey and seeds

The prophet (s.a.w) would break his fast with ripe dates before he would pray. If those were not available, he would eat dried dates. If those were not available, he would drink some water.”

Entrees-

• Hummos (chickpeas) with meat
• Baba ghanoush
• Mutabbal (eggplant dip)
• Indian vegetable pakora (baked)30
• Spring rolls (baked)
• Cauliflower fritters
• Vine leaves
• Muhammara (red pepper walnut dip)
• Imam bayildi (stuffed eggplant)

Soups –

• Harira Moroccan soup
• Minestrone (wholewheat pasta)
• lentil soup or dhal (base organic beef or chicken bone broth or homemade stock)
• Pumpkin and corn soup with fresh cream
• Malaysian vegetable laksa soup (rice noodles)
• Barley vegetable soup
• Persian lentil soup (Aush)
• Turkish yoghurt soup

Salads –

• Quinoa tabbouleh
• Fattouch (wholewheat bread)
• Greek salad
• Beetroot walnut rocket fetta salad
• Warm paneer and lentil salad
• Grilled eggplant and yoghurt salad
• Roasted artichoke salad
• Grilled haloumi salad

As for dinner I will leave that to your creative minds keeping in mind the food items I advised against above. If I have to add one thing it will be to ensure that half your plate is filled with a rainbow of vegetables (raw, steamed, grilled or sautéed)

And remember that this holy month is not only about refraining from food and water but for us to refrain from evil. It is a time to purify the soul, peace and closeness to God. I wish you all a blessed Ramadan.

 

Nour Abulughod is based at BR Medical suites in Dubai Healthcare city. She obtained a Bachelor of health science from Melbourne, Australia and now specialises in women and children’s health with special interest in PCOS, weight loss, skin conditions and digestive complaints. Her treatment aims include herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, and diet and lifestyle modifications. https://www.facebook.com/NayalNaturalTherapy/?fref=ts