Balanced food and fluid intake is important between fasts.

Dr. Hasib Sheikh
Ramadan is a month of fasting, by abstaining from drinks and food from dawn to sunset. A well nourished person will not have any problem when fasting as he has all nutrient reserves to sustain during fast. Complications that can arise during fasting can be minor such as headache and dyspepsia or serious such as renal or gastrointestinal complications.
Therefore it is important to stay healthy, have a balanced diet and eat hygienic food. Avoid episodes of stomach upset, flu, as fasting when sick worsens the condition. The main concern when fasting is the fluid electrolyte balance, as this is the period of peak summer, and the fluid requirement is generally high. To prevent dehydration drink enough water after and before fast. Ramadan fasting does not lead to malnutrition since there is no restriction on type and amount of food intake before dawn and after sunset. However, unbalanced food, less intake and the presence of any acute or chronic Diseases can lead to under nutrition.
Increased intake of fatty food, refined foods, sweets, junk food can lead to over nutrition. Thus it becomes very important to choose right food and right quantity to stay healthy. Studies have shown that when fasting the blood LDL (Low density lipoprotein), glucose and uric acid levels are high and the blood HDL (High density lipoprotein) levels are low. The right choice of food plays an important determinant of having a good blood, lipid profile.
Balanced food and fluid intake is important between fasts. The kidney is very efficient at maintaining the body’s water and salts, such as sodium and potassium. However, these can be lost through sweating. To prevent muscle breakdown, meals must contain adequate levels of ‘energy food’, such as carbohydrates and some fat. Hence, a balanced diet with adequate quantities of nutrients, salts and water is vital
During Ramadan you need to put extra effort into including foods from all five food groups to ensure variety and a well-balanced diet. These foods include:
Breads, cereals and other grain products
Fruit and vegetables
Meat, fish and poultry
Milk, cheese and yoghurt
Fats and sugars (these contain very little nutrients and are high in calories and therefore their intake should be limited).
The most commonly consumed foods by Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) were milk, dates, lamb/mutton and oats. Healthy foods mentioned in the Holy Qur’an are fruit and vegetables, such as olives, onions, cucumber, figs, dates, grapes as well as pulses such as lentils.
Complex carbohydrates are foods that will help release energy slowly during the long hours of fasting and are found in grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millets, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour and basmati rice. Fibre-rich foods are also digested slowly and include bran, cereals, whole wheat, grains and seeds, potatoes with skin, vegetables such as green beans and almost all fruit, including apricots, prunes and figs.
Foods to avoid are the heavily processed and fast-burning foods that contain refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour or fatty food like cakes, biscuits, chocolates and sweets. It may also be worth avoiding the caffeine content in drinks such as tea, coffee and cola (caffeine is a diuretic and stimulates faster water loss through urination).
Foods to avoid: Deep-fried foods, eg pakoras, samosas, fried dumplings
Healthy/alternative foods: Whole grains, eg chickpeas (plain, or with potato in yogurt with different Indian spices), samosas baked instead of fried, and boiled dumplings
Foods to avoid: High-sugar/high-fat foods, eg Indian sweets such as Ghulab Jamun, Rasgulla, Balushahi, Baklawa
Healthy/alternative foods: Milk-based sweets and puddings, eg Rasmalai, Barfee
Foods to avoid: High-fat cooked foods, eg parathas, oily curries, greasy pastries
Healthy/alternative foods: Alternate with chapattis made without oil, and baked or grilled meat and chicken. Cooking methods to avoid Alternative methods
Foods to avoid: Deep frying
Healthy/alternative foods: Shallow frying – usually there is very little difference in taste Grilling or baking is healthier and helps retain the taste and original flavour of the food, especiall chicken and fish
Foods to avoid: Curries with excessive oil
Healthy/alternative foods: Start with measuring the oil used in curry and try to bring the oil content down gradually, eg reducing five tablespoons to four. This is a good way of reducing oil without noticing much difference in the taste. A useful tip is to use more onions and tomatoes in the bulk of the curry.

 

Balanced food and fluid intake is important between fasts.

Dr. Hasib Sheikh Ramadan is a month of fasting, by abstaining from drinks and food from dawn to sunset. A well nourished person will not have any problem when fasting as he has all nutrient reserves to sustain during fast. Complications that can arise during fasting can be minor such as headache and dyspepsia or serious such as renal or gastrointestinal complications. Therefore it is important to stay healthy, have a balanced diet and eat hygienic food. Avoid episodes of stomach upset, flu, as fasting when sick worsens the condition. The main concern when fasting is the fluid electrolyte balance, as this is the period of peak summer, and the fluid requirement is generally high. To prevent dehydration drink enough water after and before fast. Ramadan fasting does not lead to malnutrition since there is no restriction on type and amount of food intake before dawn and after sunset. However, unbalanced food, less intake and the presence of any acute or chronic Diseases can lead to under nutrition. Increased intake of fatty food, refined foods, sweets, junk food can lead to over nutrition. Thus it becomes very important to choose right food and right quantity to stay healthy. Studies have shown that when fasting the blood LDL (Low density lipoprotein), glucose and uric acid levels are high and the blood HDL (High density lipoprotein) levels are low. The right choice of food plays an important determinant of having a good blood, lipid profile. Balanced food and fluid intake is important between fasts. The kidney is very efficient at maintaining the bodys water and salts, such as sodium and potassium. However, these can be lost through sweating. To prevent muscle breakdown, meals must contain adequate levels of energy food, such as carbohydrates and some fat. Hence, a balanced diet with adequate quantities of nutrients, salts and water is vital During Ramadan you need to put extra effort into including foods from all five food groups to ensure variety and a well-balanced diet. These foods include: Breads, cereals and other grain products Fruit and vegetables Meat, fish and poultry Milk, cheese and yoghurt Fats and sugars (these contain very little nutrients and are high in calories and therefore their intake should be limited). The most commonly consumed foods by Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) were milk, dates, lamb/mutton and oats. Healthy foods mentioned in the Holy Quran are fruit and vegetables, such as olives, onions, cucumber, figs, dates, grapes as well as pulses such as lentils. Complex carbohydrates are foods that will help release energy slowly during the long hours of fasting and are found in grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millets, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour and basmati rice. Fibre-rich foods are also digested slowly and include bran, cereals, whole wheat, grains and seeds, potatoes with skin, vegetables such as green beans and almost all fruit, including apricots, prunes and figs. Foods to avoid are the heavily processed and fast-burning foods that contain refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour or fatty food like cakes, biscuits, chocolates and sweets. It may also be worth avoiding the caffeine content in drinks such as tea, coffee and cola (caffeine is a diuretic and stimulates faster water loss through urination). Foods to avoid: Deep-fried foods, eg pakoras, samosas, fried dumplings Healthy/alternative foods: Whole grains, eg chickpeas (plain, or with potato in yogurt with different Indian spices), samosas baked instead of fried, and boiled dumplings Foods to avoid: High-sugar/high-fat foods, eg Indian sweets such as Ghulab Jamun, Rasgulla, Balushahi, Baklawa Healthy/alternative foods: Milk-based sweets and puddings, eg Rasmalai, Barfee Foods to avoid: High-fat cooked foods, eg parathas, oily curries, greasy pastries Healthy/alternative foods: Alternate with chapattis made without oil, and baked or grilled meat and chicken. Cooking methods to avoid Alternative methods Foods to avoid: Deep frying Healthy/alternative foods: Shallow frying usually there is very little difference in taste Grilling or baking is healthier and helps retain the taste and original flavour of the food, especiall chicken and fish Foods to avoid: Curries with excessive oil Healthy/alternative foods: Start with measuring the oil used in curry and try to bring the oil content down gradually, eg reducing five tablespoons to four. This is a good way of reducing oil without noticing much difference in the taste. A useful tip is to use more onions and tomatoes in the bulk of the curry.