Before moving on to general healthy nutrition recommendations for sahur and iftar in Ramadan, I would like to briefly talk about what happens in our body during the fasting period.
During the fasting period, there is hunger for 16-17 hours and the body needs to renew itself during this period of hunger. It enters the process of repairing and purifying the body from toxins. In the first week of the fasting period, especially in the first 2-3 days, as the metabolism switches to a new nutritional pattern, this may cause side effects such as headache, weakness, and severe hunger by the body. Generally, this situation is temporary due to adaptation. Fasting is for healthy people. It may not be suitable for people with diabetes, heart disease, any organ failure, lactating and pregnant women, and cancer patients. We need to consult our physician first on this issue.
This fasting period is good for the physiology and psychology of a healthy individual. It is possible to have the maximum benefit with well-planned sahur and iftar menus.
One of the most important points in Ramadan is sahur. Skipping sahur or not doing it at all is one of the biggest mistakes. Since the metabolism will slow down a little during the month of Ramadan, skipping sahur will affect your metabolism. It causes further slowdown and causes muscle loss. Sahur menu can be planned as a strong breakfast rich in protein and balanced in terms of carbohydrates and fat. Eggs with quality protein content, low-salt cheeses; Whole grain products and vegetables that balance blood sugar due to their high fiber and fiber content; Healthy and satisfying fat sources such as raw nuts, unsalted olives, avocados and finally milk and dairy products such as yoghurt and kefir should be added to the sahur menu in a balanced way according to the person's needs. White flour and its derivatives, pastries, heavy fatty foods, sugary foods, fast insulin They should be kept away from sahur tables as much as possible, as they cause a response and have no nutritional properties.
Another meal during Ramadan is iftar. At iftar, you can break the fast with water or preferably a date and then drink a bowl of soup. After the soup, take a 10-15 minute break before moving on to the main meal. Giving food is a method we highly recommend to prevent possible digestive problems, indigestion, bloating problems and weight control. After this mini break, nutritious A main meal prepared with a healthy cooking method (such as a grilled/oven/boiled/pot meal) can be preferred. This meal group can be meat/chicken/fish or a seasonal vegetable dish with minced meat or legume groups. In addition to the main meal, it contains fiber and vitamin content. A salad group with plenty of lemon can be added. Yogurt or ayran can also be used in iftar menus, with both protein and probiotic support. It is necessary to stay away from extravagant iftar tables, heavy fatty foods and fried foods, pastries, and acidic sugary drinks as much as possible for the sake of our general health.
A healthy snack can be preferred, such as 2 hours after iftar. Those in this group may have alternatives such as fruit, nuts and milk. 1-2 days a week, the snack here can be made with a milk dessert, such as gullaç or rice pudding, paying attention to the portion size. As a dessert choice, a dense dessert with sherbet It will be in our best interest to stay away from sweets as much as possible during Ramadan.
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