Eat well this Ramadan

Follow our tips to EAT WELL this Ramadan:

• E is for Eat fluid rich food.

  Certain foods can help you rehydrate, which is very important when breaking the fast. Soup is the obvious choice, but certain fruits and vegetables make great choices too. Why not try these water-rich choices this Ramadan: aubergine, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, courgette, cucumbers, grapefruit, iceberg lettuce, oranges, peppers, radish, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon.

• A is for Always choose water.

  Drinking at least 8-12 cups of water will rehydrate you and help you prepare for the fast ahead. Sugary drinks have no nutritional value and may fill you up with empty calories when you should be filling up with nutritious healthy food. Caffeinated drinks are a diuretic which stimulates faster water loss – you need to keep as hydrated as possible!

• T is for Take it slow.

  We’ve all been there: long hours of fasting can make the temptation of delicious food too much and we end up gobbling down our food quickly – and perhaps eating too much. But eating slowly gives your body the time it needs to digest food properly and know when you have eaten enough. It will also help you to avoid indigestion – which is the last thing you need after a long day of fasting!

• W is for Wake up for Suhoor.

  You may be tempted to skip the pre-dawn meal to enjoy previous hours of sleep but try not to. Skipping it prolongs the fasting period as your body will need to rely on the previous meal to provide you with all the nutrients and energy until Iftar. And then we have the same problem as above - eating fast and perhaps more than you need.

• E is for Eat smaller, nutritious meals.

  Eating smaller meals that pack a punch will give you enough energy for the fast. Meals that include complex carbohydrates, such as fruit and vegetables, beans, chickpeas and lentils, will provide a long-lasting source of energy throughout the day. Eating large, unhealthy meals may seem like a good idea at the time, but eating them, especially on an empty stomach, will probably leave you tired and sluggish.

• L is for Less sugary and fatty food.

  Filling up on refined carbohydrates (i.e. sugar and white flour), and fatty food (e.g. cakes, biscuits, chocolates and sweets like Indian mithai) will not provide the fuel needed to fast in the day ahead. In fact, it can have the opposite effect: after the initial ‘kick’ from eating fast-burning food, you can be left feeling even hungrier, and very tired.

• L is for Less salty food.

  Salt makes you thirsty, which makes it a bad choice when fasting. But often, salty food has been fried too, which can leave you tired and bloated too.