A month of fasting, feasting and bonding

The month of Ramadan has arrived once again. An ambience of restraint and sanctity is there all around. People are fasting from dawn to dusk. They refrain from having any food or drink during the day time. This can range from 10 to 16 hours of fasting or more, depending on the geographical location.
While fasting, the body uses its energy stored in the liver and muscles. This helps burn the extra carbohydrates and fat. For the water, kidneys strive to retain as much as possible during fasting hours, leading to a reduction in urine output. However, there would inevitably be some loss through urine, and in summer, through sweat. Therefore, mild dehydration is not uncommon. This does not adversely impact health, as long as adequate fluids are taken during iftar and suhoor.
Iftar, or the meal to break the fast, offers an qopportunity to regain energy and replenish fluids. Apart from plenty of water, foods rich in fluids should be the staple. These include, but not limited to, vegetables, yogurt, soup and watery fruits. This will help rapidly restore the water lost during the day. Salty food makes us thirsty. So, any food containing a large amount of salt should be minimised, e.g, processed food, sausages, cheese, crackers, sauces (i.e. ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard), etc.
During iftar, start by eating slowly, allowing the body to realise it's feeding time again. This will help reduce the risk of overeating later. It is a good idea to break the fast with water and fruits. Dates are a very good choice, as they contain natural sugar and offer a lot of fibre.
During fasting, our body burns carbohydrates, lowering the sugar level in blood. When we start eating, the body has an urge to quickly compensate for the sugar, which causes overconsumption of processed foods or sweets. This actually causes more harm than good, as the sudden surge in energy goes down as rapidly as it came, causing a crash. To manage the sugar levels and avoid the crash, carbohydrates that release sugar slowly into the blood should be selected. This will help sustain the energy level for a long time. Examples of such carbs are sweet potato, brown rice, fruits, oats, quinoa, etc..
Vegetables which offer a rich source of vitamins and nutrients should also be on the menu. Whole grains need to be on the plate to provide energy. Cravings for protein could be satisfied with lean meat, e.g., chicken or fish. Grilled or baked meat is healthier than fried ones. Almonds, walnuts or other kinds of nuts are super nutritious and deserve a place in iftar. Caffeinated drinks can be taken after iftar, but try to progressively reduce the amount as the month goes by.
There is another important meal in Ramadan, suhoor, which is taken before dawn. This prepares our body for the upcoming day of fasting. Suhoor is about racking up energy and fluid to last the duration of fast. It is recommended to have at least 10 glasses of water during this time. For the actual meal, it should be a light one with wholesome ingredients. Fruits, complex carbohydrates (lentils, chickpeas, beans), whole wheat bread, unsalted cheese, milk, eggs, lean meat are all good choices.
There are certain practices that, if followed, will significantly contribute to healthiness in Ramadan. These practices should not only be limited during this time but continue throughout the year. For example, replace deep-frying with oil (which is an immensely popular cooking method in Bangladesh) by baking, steaming, air frying or stir frying. If someone has a craving for samosa, try to bake it in the oven. The same cooking method could be applied to lean meat.
Choose the oil carefully. Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil are good for cooking. Use as little salt as possible while cooking. Pink Himalayan salt or sea salt is preferred to regular salt.
People love to eat sweets during Ramadan, but they contain too much sugar. Instead of those sugary syrups, we can have watery fruits like watermelon.
Ramadan is also a time for celebration with family. Having iftar with the whole gang around the table is a wonderful occasion and may lead to excesses like having enough processed and sugary foods. While this is okay once or twice, if this becomes a daily tradition, then there would be trouble in the form of weight gain and gastrointestinal discomfort. So, moderation is paramount, which is the essence of Ramadan.

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