Suhoor
Although it may be tempting to sleep past dawn Suhoor is the most important meal of the day and
it will need to provide you with energy for many hours whilst you fast. It is therefore particularly
important to consume slowly-digesting foods that will provide sustained energy release.
Your Suhoor meal should be made up of lean protein (eggs, fish) and low GI carbohydrates (grainy
bread, oats). Legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas) are a great option for Suhoor as they are low GI
and rich in both fibre and protein. Refer to sample meal plan for more suggestions.
Iftar (break of fast and dinner)
Even though you may feel hungry after fasting since dawn, it is important to not overeat or eat too
quickly as your daily fast is broken.
Remember the golden rules to avoid indigestion/heartburn, nausea and regurgitation: eat slowly,
chew your food well and consume ‘normal’ portion sizes.
During fasting, you are more at risk of experiencing difficulties with food become stuck. The longer
you go without eating, the more saliva that can build up in your gullet near the small pouch and this
may cause food to become stuck leading to regurgitation to remove. Usually, a warm drink before
eating (breaking your fast) will help dissolve the built up saliva. Similarly, the warm soup traditionally
consumed when the fast is broken should also help. The warm drink/soup may take 10-15 minutes to
take effect, so try to delay eating solid food by at least 10-15 minutes after your soup.
Iftar (break of fast)
It is important to limit high fat/high sugar foods (particularly traditional sweets)
as these can not only limit your weight loss, they may lead to nausea, or cause
you to feel faint and unwell (dumping syndrome). Limit sweets to 1-2 per week.
In line with Prophetic tradition, you may wish to break your fast with a small
portion of dates. It is useful to follow this with a more sustaining and nourishing
meal. Refer to sample meal plan for more suggestions.
Dinner
The dinner meal provides the opportunity to consume lean protein and vegetables and should not
differ from your normal healthy diet. Refer to sample meal plan for more suggestions.
“Eat of the good and wholesome things that We have provided for
your sustenance, but indulge in no excess therein” (Qur’an 20:185)