How should one eat during suhoor and iftar?

The month of Ramadan, the sultan of the eleven months, has arrived with its crowded tables, warm flatbreads, and pleasant conversations after iftar. During Ramadan, which coincides with the summer months, we purify our bodies and control our desires through a 17-hour fast. Since our diet changes significantly during this period, I will offer suggestions on what we should eat and how to spend the Ramadan month in the healthiest way possible. Since meal quantities are reduced, we absolutely must get up for suhoor to meet our daily energy, nutrient, vitamin, and mineral needs.

So, what should I eat for suhoor?

• First of all, if we wake up right before suhoor, eat quickly, and then go back to sleep, everything we eat will come back to us as weight. To avoid this, we should wake up, spend 5-10 minutes allowing our metabolism to wake up, and then spend at least 20-25 minutes eating.
• High-quality protein sources that increase our satiety, such as eggs, cheese, fresh milk, and dairy products, which will not upset our stomachs.
• Complex carbohydrates such as 1-2 slices of whole wheat/rye bread,
• Raw nuts rich in fatty acids that will extend our satiety period, such as raw almonds, raw hazelnuts, and walnuts,
• We should choose balanced meals in terms of carbohydrates, protein, and fat by preferring foods rich in fiber that are also good for our intestines, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, fresh vegetables, and fruits.
• Fatty, sugary, salty, and heavy foods cause indigestion, disrupt sugar balance, and make you thirstier. Therefore, we should avoid such foods.

What Should I Eat for Iftar?

• Break your fast with a glass of water, followed by 1-2 dates or 1-2 olives, then have a bowl of soup and take a 5-10 minute break. After a long period of fasting, suddenly eating a large meal quickly can cause bloating and indigestion in the later days of Ramadan. Therefore, it is healthiest to give your body some time and then continue with iftar.
• Protein sources such as grilled, boiled, or baked meat/meatballs/chicken/fish/turkey,
• Vegetable dishes with or without meat,
• Raw or boiled vegetables,
• Olive oil dishes,
• We should choose complex carbohydrates such as 1-2 slices of whole wheat/rye bread, whole wheat pasta, bulgur. If we are going to consume Ramadan bread, we should pay attention to the portion size and not exceed 1-2 slices. 1 slice of Ramadan bread is about 1 handful.
• As another alternative for iftar, a breakfast plate with eggs (maybe scrambled), cheese, lots of greens, and 1-2 slices of whole grain/rye bread could be a good option.
• Fatty, heavy, and fried foods both make digestion difficult and cause weight gain.
• We should consume beverages that aid digestion, such as ayran, soda, and kefir.

What Should I Eat Between Iftar and Suhoor?

• To avoid sugar imbalances and sudden sugar cravings after a balanced iftar meal, we must consume 1 serving of fruit.
• We should consume gut-friendly foods such as kefir, regular yogurt, or probiotic yogurt to facilitate digestion.
• We can consume herbal tea to prevent bloating in the body.
• One of the most beautiful yet challenging aspects of Ramadan is the syrupy, doughy, sugar-laden desserts consumed after iftar. Instead, it would be best to consume small portions of milk-based desserts (rice pudding, keşkül, kazandibi, chicken breast, etc.) 1-2 times a week.

One of the most important issues is water consumption. After 17 hours of thirst, instead of drinking huge glasses of water 5 minutes before suhoor, we need to consume 1 glass of water every half hour between iftar and suhoor. This will make it much easier to reach our target of 2.5-3 liters of water consumption. During this month, which purifies both our bodies and our souls through our intentions, taking good care of our bodies and eating a healthy and balanced diet is actually not difficult at all.

Nutritionist

Dyt. Bilge Özdemir