Ramadan Diet: Meal Planning Strategies and Suhoor Tips

The holy month of Ramadan presents a golden opportunity to reset the body's rhythms and improve overall health, not only spiritually but also physically. With altered sleep and eating schedules, many face the challenge of maintaining their usual dietary pattern, potentially leading to unwanted weight gain or a deficiency in essential nutrients. In this context, the concept of "meal dividing" emerges as a smart strategic solution that combines flexibility with a healthy eating commitment.

The importance of food planning during Ramadan

Nutritional awareness during Ramadan is gaining increasing importance both locally and regionally, given the prevalence of some unhealthy eating habits such as overindulging in fried foods and sugars immediately after the call to prayer. Medical studies indicate that proper fasting contributes to improved insulin sensitivity and enhanced metabolism, but this positive effect depends entirely on the type and quantity of food consumed during the hours of breaking the fast.

Meal splitting strategy: How does it work?

Nutritionist Dr. Wajdan Qutub explained that maintaining weight and health during Ramadan does not necessarily require a radical change in the type of food consumed, but rather in its timing. She recommended adopting a "meal-dividing" strategy for those who wish to maintain their usual eating schedule. This mechanism relies on:

• Transforming lunch into the main breakfast meal, so that it contains the complete nutrients that the body needs after hours of fasting.
• Transform your dinner: to take the place of your pre-dawn meal, focusing on foods that provide the body with energy slowly.
• The light meal: It is eaten in the period between Iftar and Suhoor to ensure the continuation of the burning and to provide the body with vitamins.

Golden tips for a healthy suhoor

Regarding the pre-dawn meal (suhoor), which serves as fuel for the following day, Dr. Qutb emphasized the importance of delaying it and consuming it one hour before dawn to allow the stomach ample time for comfortable digestion. She added several recommendations to ensure an ideal suhoor:

• Hydration: Do not neglect yogurt and water-rich fruits, for their vital role in hydrating the body and reducing the feeling of thirst during the day of Ramadan.
• Reduce sugars: Avoid fatty sweets during Suhoor because they raise insulin levels quickly and increase feelings of hunger later.
• Healthy cooking: Replace deep frying with oil by using an "air fryer," a simple but very effective step in reducing calories and hydrogenated fats.

long-term health impact

Following this structured approach helps avoid the digestive upset and lethargy that many experience after breaking their fast. Regulating meal times, choosing healthy foods rich in fiber and protein, and ensuring adequate fluid intake guarantee an active fast and protect the body from dehydration, making Ramadan a springboard for a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.