Most fasting people tend to overeat sweets during the month of Ramadan, in order to give the body some of the sugar it lost during the fasting hours.
Delicious sweets, rich in sugars and fats, are a mainstay of Ramadan tables, as fasting people are unable to resist them as a response to their body, following they had a low sugar rate throughout the day, to end up exceeding the medically recommended limit for eating sweets.
diet during fasting
Nutritionist Hadeel Bou Saeed said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia” that the health benefits of fasting are achieved only when the diet is low in sugars and fats, abundant in fiber and vegetables, and moderate in fruits, noting that eating sweets immediately following breakfast causes many risks, which are reflected Disturbing digestive disorders, such as constipation, bloating, and gases, as well as causing a sharp rise in blood sugar levels, which may lead to headaches, blurry vision, and lethargy.
Danger of sweets immediately following breakfast
According to Busaid, the publisher of the “Shift Your Diet” page, when eating sweets immediately following breaking the fast in Ramadan, their sugars and calories accumulate in the body in the form of fat, which later leads to weight gain or obesity, in addition to being It increases the chances of infection in the intestine, and it also puts a burden on the liver.
Types of harmful sweets
Bou Saeed explains that harmful sweets in the month of Ramadan are those that are fried or that contain high amounts of sugar and syrup, or that contain a lot of fat, such as Ramadan buns, fried qatayef, mafrouka, baklava, Ramadan clip, Namoura, Bish al-Saraya, and sweets. Which contains burnt cream and chocolate cream, in addition to Kunafa and Tart, which contains butter and a large amount of sugar.
The problem of Ramadan sweets
For her part, Alia Debs, a nutritionist and health educator, said, in an interview with “Sky News Arabia”, that the problem with sweets, specifically Ramadan, is that they contain a high percentage of flour, sugar, ghee, oils and various fillings of cream and nuts, which makes them full of calories. For example, one piece of “Kalaj Ramadan” candy contains 400 calories.
The best time to eat sweets
Al-Dibs stressed that fasting people should not eat sweets at the beginning of the main breakfast meal, as eating them at this time leads to excessive intake due to hunger, noting also that sweets should not be eaten immediately following breakfast, as this leads to indigestion. Digestion and a feeling of bloating, and therefore the best time to eat sweets is two or three hours following breakfast, in limited quantities, provided that this is followed by some movement.
for a healthy body
According to Debs, contrary to what many believe, Ramadan sweets are no longer prohibited for those who want a healthy body, as they can be eaten in moderation with the application of some modifications that do not greatly affect their taste. For example, you should avoid buying sweets from stores, but instead prepare them at home to control With the quantities and quality of the content and reduce the number of calories.
To reduce calories
Debs explains that, for example, fried qatayef can be replaced with grilled, which reduces the percentage of calories it contains from 360 to regarding 250 calories, depending on the type of filling. She called for replacing fillings that contain full-fat cheese with low-fat cheese, and not adding sugar to the filling and replacing it with dates or honey, noting that Ramadan sweets are an important part of our Arab traditions, and therefore these steps help us enjoy the traditions, taking into account our health in terms of quality and quantity. .
