DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is encouraging residents to make a proper meal planner for healthy eating to ensure they get daily required nutrients during Ramadan.
Rawdha Jassim Al Muttawa, Specialist Dietitian, HMC, said meals during the holy month are divided into four parts – Iftar; after Taraweeh prayers; after midnight; and Suhoor (pre-dawn). “It is natural to have Iftar full of flavoured dishes as it can include food choices from lunch and dinner but it should still be a healthy meal and overeating should be avoided.”
“It is ideal to first eat three pieces of dates at Iftar, followed by water or fresh juice or low fat yogurt to compensate for dehydration to provide your body with its nutritional requirements. At Iftar, it is advisable to give the stomach some time to relax and adjust to receiving food after the long fasting hours. Before eating solid food after the Maghreb prayer, a cup of soup and some low calorie salad rich in fibres are good for the stomach and prevent constipation and indigestion,” Al Muttawa said, adding the main course can contain protein (red meat, poultry or sea food) and starch (rice or bread).
She said meals should be prepared in healthy ways such as steaming, boiling or grilling. She said the ideal light meal after Taraweeh can be any starch, such as a small roll, and a piece of fruit with a cup of low fat milk and its products. She cautioned against eating food high in calories during the midnight meal ‘Ghabka’, a common tradition during Ramadan. “Eating Ghabka is among the most common traditions of Ramadan. People should opt for a more healthy choice such as vegetables, a type of meat, any starchy food and a half cup of fresh juice or a piece of fruit. They should avoid high calorie food that can lead to weight gain. Suhoor meal is ‘must-have’ to avoid hunger during fasting. Proteins, oils and complex carbohydrates (beans family) are the best choice for Suhoor. Skipping Suhoor or eating fast food high in fat and salt can trigger thirst during fasting,” she noted.
She said traditional food such as fried samosa, ‘thireed’ (red meat with bread), and ‘harees’ (oats pureed with oil) are calorie-packed and should be prepared in a healthy way. She also advised against drinking too much tea and coffee during Ramadan as they tend to block iron absorption and increase urine flow that can lead to dehydration. “It is advisable to replace tea and coffee with mint and ginger drinks to avoid bloating.
The Peninsula
