Healthy Ramadan Diet For Your Family
Food
The Holy Month is upon us and during this time it is so important to keep the health of your family in mind with a healthy Ramadan diet.
Fasting has numerous benefits for the body and mind, but if unhealthy eating habits are not taken under control, it could have negative affects on your health.
Here are 3 things you can do to have a healthy Ramadan diet:
Drink water and eat hydrating foods
The weather is getting warmer which means we are sweating more, so it’s important to drink plenty of fluids and eating hydrating foods during Iftar and Suhoor so that your continue to stay hydrated when fasting. Here are some hydrating foods you can add to your family’s diet:
- Watermelon
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Spinach
You can also try to avoid drinking beverages that have caffeine in them like coffee and tea as caffeine is dehydrating.
Eat energy enhancing food during Iftar & Suhoor
Packing your Iftar and Suhoor with healthy foods full of vitamins and nutrients will give you energy and keep your healthy Ramadan diet balanced during this month. Here are 5 foods you can add to your family’s diet to ensure you stay on track:
- Dates (excellent source of fibre)
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Grilled meat
Try to avoid at processed foods or foods that are high in sugar during this time.
Avoid Overeating
It can be difficult to say to ‘No’ to overindulging in a delicious dish at a family gathering, but when this happens you could suffer from stomach pain. This is why we love this advice from Sirine Takieddine, a clinical dietician at Dubai’s RAK Diabetes Centre:
“Split your meal into two parts,” she counsels. “Start iftar with three dates and one cup of milk or water. The liquid consumed should not be very cold, but at room temperature since cold liquid can shock your gastrointestinal tract and cause stomach pain. Give yourself a 10- to 15-minute break before starting on your main meal.” (thenational.ae)
This is a great way to eat your favourite dishes, not overindulge and stay on the right track.
Let us know your families favourite healthy meal during Ramadan in the comments.
You might also like 5 Healthy Smoothies For Kids.
Looking to keep the kids busy over Ramadan? Click here for 10+ activities that kids can do at home.
