Last updated on Saturday, 9, May, 2020
Iftar is a treat for Muslims, the time when they break their fast. It is so common to overeat in iftar because it is the first meal after fasting the whole day long. If you would overeat in iftar, it would be much more difficult for you to pray Taraweeh. Also overfilling your stomach would make you feel slow and lazy. You should try to have an iftar meal in moderation and choose healthy choices for it, that keep you active and energized. Along with that, you should also have a healthy sehri. In this article, we are going to discuss the things you should add or curtail in the iftar meal.
Table of Contents
Choose Healthier Options
For iftar, you should avoid oily, fried items like samosa and pakoras at all costs. These things make you feel lazy and slow. Also, they are rich in calories. One samosa gives you 91 calories and one pakora would give you 75 calories. If you would eat 6or 7 pakoras, you will be gathering a lot of calories just from them. After that, you would also need to have something more to fill yourself. It would take your iftar meal to more than 1500 calories.
You should try to have grilled, steamed or baked items for iftar that are rich in protein like baked samosa, grilled steak, baked or grilled fish etc. These items are low in fats and rich in protein-an essential part to build up your muscles and immunity. All these items are healthy choices that would make you feel full and energized. Along with that, incorporate complex carbohydrates like brown rice, barley, legumes or corns. They provide you with long-lasting energy by raising the blood glucose levels for a longer time. Having a chana chaat is also a good option, it is rich in nutrients and low in calories.
Fruits and Dates
Fruits are an amazing source of fibre and vitamins. You should have a fruit chaat or any one of the fruit like a banana in iftar meal. Apples are a great source of fibre, iron and vitamin C. Bananas are also an amazing source of potassium and fibre. Mangoes are a fantastic source of vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid. Dates provide you with potassium, iron and vitamin C. Fruits and dates help you in keeping full for a longer period and give immense energy. They also help you in replenishing the electrolytes you lose while sweating and fasting.
Cut on Sugary Products
Many people tend to drink beverages in iftar that are loaded with sugars. Since sugar harms your body in many ways, it is highly advised to curtail sugary drinks. Instead, you can have fresh juices, detox water or just simple water. If you cannot stop drinking those drinks, you can start reducing the amount of concentrated syrup you use while making the drink. Or drink just one glass of a sugary beverage, rest fulfil your thirst with plain water. Sugar makes you feel more thirsty and if you would drink plenty of these kinds of beverages, you would eventually feel more thirsty.
Also, try to avoid jalebis, gulab jamuns and sugar-loaded desserts. They are not good for you since they are loaded with sugars. They would hike your blood insulin levels, which is not good for your heart and arteries. Having too much sugar intake would make you feel lazy and slow. At least they should be avoided in iftar.
Dairy Products
Dairy products like milk and yoghurt are rich in calcium and vitamin D, it would be great if you could incorporate some of it in iftar or sometime after it. During fasting, our body is in a deficit of nutrients, so milk is a vital source to overcome these deficits.
Salads
Make a bowl full of green vegetable salad for the iftar meal. Since they are a source of vitamin C, vitamin A, iron and folic acid. Along with that, a vegetable like a cucumber is an excellent source to hydrate yourself since it contains a significant amount of water in it. Vegetables help you feel full for a longer period and provide you with adequate nutritional values as well. They also contain antioxidants, therefore promotes heart health and reduce chances of obesity. Adding a serving of a salad to your iftar meal will help you in eating less the other items with fulfilling your hunger.
Conclusion
You should also hydrate yourself properly along with healthy eating. It is important that you drink at least 8 glasses of water from iftar till sehar. Do not overeat in iftar, it will do nothing but harm you. Always think before eating, that either you really need it or you are eating it just for your satisfaction? You should try to have a proper balance diet in Ramadan. Also its a month of worship, not a month of eating. Focus on eating in the way that it does not interfere with your prayers. Eat healthy and live healthy. Make this Ramadan the most productive of all the months.