How healthy fasting during the month of Ramadan

Soon the fasting of the month of Ramadan will start, and we think that it is probably useful to look at ways to try to maintain a healthy diet during fasting. Fast for 12 to 14 hours or more, can cause dizziness, fatigue and a decrease in metabolic rate, a way to keep calories or energy. Following some simple guidelines to ensure that the diet remains balanced and healthy during this period of fasting:

Do not skip Sohour

Even if the thought of sleep is more attractive that one to wake up to force to swallow some foods, do not skip Sohour(meal before the dawn prayer). This is the most important meal of the day. For many years, research has shown thatSohour provides essential nutrients and energy required for concentration, while removing the symptoms of hunger, such as headache, fatigue, drowsiness and agitation. Moreover, it allows to maintain our metabolic rate in good working condition, it is therefore vital to consume a sufficient amount of food at the time of the Sohour.

Eat a variety of foods

Especially now, when your daily intake is limited to two meals, you will need to provide more efforts to include foods from all categories. Our body needs at least 40 different nutrients per day, to ensure a good development and good health. Although most foods contain more than a single nutrient, no food alone does not provide all the necessary nutrients. In addition, foods have benefits that cannot be reproduced in a pill. It is therefore important to eat a variety of foods per day, in order to ensure that we take all these nutrients. The way to ensure the variety, and therefore a balanced, diet is to choose foods every day within each of five food categories:

Breads, cereals, and other starches

The fruits and vegetables

Meat, fish and eggs

Milk, cheese and yogurt (dairy products)

Fats and sugars (these contain very few nutrients and they are high in calories and their consumption should be limited)

Eat foods low glycemic index (GI) to Sohour, to help regulate glucose levels in the blood.

Carbohydrates are now classified according to their response or glycemic index. The GI measures the speed at which carbohydrates of a food are converted into glucose and enter the blood. Therefore, it tells you what carbohydrate-rich foods fill the hunger for a long time. More the IG is low, more food into glucose transformation is slow, and better. Therefore, choose low GI foods helps maintain a normal level of glucose in the blood, decreases the stomach cramps and satisfies the appetite without providing an excess of calories. In addition, by controlling the level of glucose in the blood, you avoid binge eating as a result of the high level of glucose in the blood. Click here for a list of the most common food products and their current IG. Remember to include low GI foods in each meal, and to avoid eating high GI foods only, but mix them rather with low GI foods, which will give an intermediate general IG.

Pay attention to your way of cooking

By making slight changes in your habits of cooking, you can produce dishes with exquisite tastes which are also good for your health. Although culinary specialities are an important part of the family, many of these valuable tradition favourites have a fat content too high depending on the new generation of cooks who take health to heart. You don't have to deprive you of these old favourites, arrange them simply! Here's how:

By removing all excess fat before cooking them or use veal meat, deer, chicken or soy as options low in fat. Remove the skin from the chicken before or after cooking. Choose white meat (breast) instead of red meat (thigh and wing.)

Reduce consumption of fat during cooking whenever possible:

-        Cook the onions in a small amount of water or even in broth of vegetables, instead of oil or butter.

-        Use adhesive anti pans and vegetable coatings (such as Spray'n Cook) rather than oil or margarine, if it is frying. ;

-        Baking, grilling or roasting instead of frying;

-        Cook roasted meats or chicken on a rack so the fat can drip;

-        Vegetables should be steamed or boiled with as little cream or margarine as possible;

-        A the preparation of rice, pasta and other starches, season with herbs, spices and broths instead of add fats;

-        Prepare soups, thick sauces and other sauces in advance; so they can be chilled and the layer of fat that is formed on the surface can be removed;

-        Try adding herbs and spices to add flavor and zest to a low-fat cuisine. Herbs such as basil, bay leaf, oregano or rosemary, add flavour and chromatherapy specific color to meat and vegetables. Spices such as cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg highlight the sweet taste of food, and mixtures of seasoning, such as chili powder, curry, give a rich range of flavours.

Avoid consuming too much salt

-        Use garlic, dry mustard, pepper, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes to add flavour to the meat and vegetables;

-        Add slices or juice of lemon to white meat and fish;

-        Use herbs and spices instead of salt;

Make healthy changes to your recipes

Use your usual recipes, but begin by dividing into two fat. If a recipe provides for cream or whole milk, use unsweetened concentrated milk or skimmed fresh milk. If a recipe provides a whole egg, use two egg whites;

Eat enough carbohydrate-rich foods, especially those that are rich in fiber.

These foods provide the energy body. They are often incorrectly labeled as a cause of weight gain and unnecessarily limited. They are rich in B vitamins, and an excellent source of fibre. Keep in mind that foods rich in fibres have a greater effect on satiety than those with low fibre content. Examples of fibre-rich foods include Brown rice, whole grains, fresh fruits and raw vegetables.

Do not forget fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables add color and variety to the menu.They are often called "protective foods", because they help the body to fight disease and disorders. This because they are rich in vitamins and various minerals sources. Another benefit is that their calorie content is relatively low and that they also contribute to our daily fiber requirement.

Drink enough

Always include the water in your diet and limit your consumption of beverages containing caffeine; the latter is diuretic and does not provide the necessary hydration.

We all know that maintaining a balanced diet by eating healthily, has a vital effect on our well-being. Try to follow the principles cited above, so this period of fasting does not deviate too much of the principles of good nutrition.

Category: Fasting, Healthy islam, Ramadhan