Manage Ramadan hunger with these healthy eating habits: increase protein and fiber, divide meals, hydrate well, and limit salt, sugar, and caffeine for sustained energy during fasting.
Some wonder how to deal with hunger and headaches during fasting hours, and if there are ways to help you fight hunger during Ramadan and overcome cravings?
The answer is yes, follow the article below:
Fighting Hunger in Ramadan: Follow Healthy Eating Habits
Relying on a healthy lifestyle and a healthy diet during the fasting hours in Ramadan throughout the day will lead you to a set of healthy eating habits in Ramadan, including the following:
1. Increase Protein Intake
Proteins are one of the essential nutrients for the body that play a key role in building cells, and they need a longer period than others to be digested. That’s why it’s best to focus on increasing them, especially at Suhoor (pre-dawn meal).
They help increase your feeling of fullness during fasting hours, and proteins are found in various plant and animal sources. We advise you to focus on them, considering the diversity, the most important of which are: legumes, meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and their products.
When choosing protein sources, choose what is less fatty and healthier, so focus on eating meats, poultry, and low-fat dairy products, and avoid anything that is high in fat.
2. Divide Your Meals into Several Portions
Dividing your meals during Iftar (evening meal) into several portions makes you feel comfortable and enhances the digestion process for you. Avoid problems or cravings that may cause you to rush the Iftar and eat until you are full.
Try to delay Suhoor as much as possible to fight hunger in Ramadan. Be sure to add two meals – Iftar and Suhoor – relying on eating two small meals.
3. Eat Foods High in Fiber
Fiber is a group of natural substances that absorb water and help fill the stomach and increase the feeling of fullness. The presence of large and sufficient amounts of fiber helps the digestive system, especially if it is of the type suitable for dissolving.
Fibers are found in many food sources that you can vary between and choose the most suitable for you. The most famous of its sources that we advise you to focus on during Iftar hours are whole grains, nuts, and grains.
Also, legumes, vegetables, and fruits are excellent sources of dietary fiber that can help you fight hunger in Ramadan.
4. Be Sure to Drink Water
It is very important for our bodies to get enough water to match their daily needs. Water is an essential element for the work of various body cells, and it is necessary to rid the body of toxins and waste, and it works to regulate various vital processes in the body.
It is known that drinking water helps fill the stomach and increase the feeling of fullness and avoid thirst during fasting hours. Therefore, what is done is to divide the amounts of water that should not be less than 2-2.5 liters daily at intervals between Iftar and Suhoor.
5. Reduce Salt and Sugar
In general, all health tips call for reducing salt and sugar, and we emphasize this rule during the days of the holy month. Your intake of high amounts of salt or sweets may contribute to increasing your feeling of thirst.
Therefore, we advise you to reduce the intake of pickles, sweets, sugary drinks, energy drinks.
6. Avoid Caffeine Sources
Limiting the intake of caffeine found in coffee, energy drinks, tea, and soda helps you maintain the level of fluids in your body and maintain its moisture. Caffeine is considered a diuretic.
Therefore, if you drink caffeine regularly, be sure to reduce that gradually, especially during the holy month. Avoid coffee or tea after Iftar by an hour or two so as not to harm you, especially if you have fluid problems and need a healthy diet.
Be sure to avoid large amounts of caffeine and limit it to one source per day, avoiding taking it before bed or at Suhoor.
Fighting Hunger in Ramadan: Avoid Unhealthy Daily Habits
You can avoid some unhealthy daily habits during fasting hours that help you fight hunger in Ramadan and overcome cravings, including the most important of which are the following:
1. Avoid Any Intense Physical Exertion in Ramadan
Here’s what we advise you:
Reduce the activities that require high physical effort during fasting hours.
Avoid exposure to the hot sun during the day.
Do light exercise after Taraweeh prayers (special Ramadan prayers) and during Iftar hours, with a sufficient break between them and between meals. You can practice some light physical activity before Iftar, but with a short break and according to your ability to endure.
2. Get Enough Sleep
Make sure you get no less than 8 hours of sleep daily, and you can take a short nap during the day if possible. Sleep is important for your comfort and for the body’s functions to work efficiently in a healthy way and to avoid fatigue and stress during the day.
Also, getting enough sleep helps regulate appetite and feeling full, and thus during the regulation of body hormones, and helps in increasing focus and improving mood.
