Keeping Healthy During Ramadan

Read our guide to keeping healthy during Ramadan

Ramadan is a time in which Muslims fast and abstain from food. Although this is a religious obligation to Allah (SWT), it leaves many wondering how to be healthy during Ramadan. On the surface, the Ramadan fasting rules may not seem particularly healthy, as you’ll be going without food or water for several hours. However, fasting has been scientifically proven to have benefits. When you know what to eat when fasting in Ramadan and what not to do during Ramadan fasting, you can be sure that you’ll maintain your health during the Ramadan fasting days.

When Can You Eat In Ramadan?

During Ramadan, it’s permitted for Muslims to eat and drink once the sun has set until dawn, so it’s important to make the most of these hours in anticipation of the day’s fast.

What Can You Eat In Ramadan?

Listed below are some of the most popular Ramadan recipes, combining convenience and health benefits. What’s more each meal is substantial enough to continue nourishing you even on the longest of days.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas For Suhoor

In Ramadan, Suhoor will be your first meal of the day (breakfast in Ramadan) and will need to keep you going for the daylight hours. Therefore, you’ll need to fuel yourself with a nutritious meal that will slowly release energy, preventing you from crashing later in the day. So, what are some healthy things to eat in Ramadan for Suhoor?

For a relatively substantial Suhoor meal, you might opt for some avocado and egg on toast. Avocados contain plenty of healthy fats, potassium, and vitamins, making them the ideal food for providing long-lasting energy. However, you should be sure that your toast is whole-wheat, as white flour can evoke cravings and hunger pangs throughout the day.

Another simple idea for Suhoor is porridge. You’ll simply need to warm milk with either oats or barley flour, and you might add honey or fruits for an extra punch of flavour. Not only is this substantial enough to fill you, but its slow release of energy means that you’ll have energy throughout the day.

Homemade date and apricot bars are another ideal option for Suhoor since dates are the perfect alternative to refined sugars, are nutritious and eating them is also Sunnah. Similarly, nuts are extremely high in nutritional value, which is exactly what you need when it comes to staying nourished throughout the day.

Another refreshing and natural meal that you can enjoy during Suhoor is a banana smoothie. All you need is bananas, milk, yoghurt, dates, and a blender. You get better results if you place the banana in the freezer at Iftar, as it ensures that the smoothie is cold without ice watering down the final product.

Finally, you might prepare breakfast popsicles in anticipation of Suhoor. All you have to do is mix granola, milk, yoghurt, honey, and chopped fruit and place it into a popsicle mould. Put them in the freezer, and you’ll be ready to go. This Suhoor option boasts both health and convenience.

Healthy Ramadan Recipes For Iftar

Iftar is the meal that you’ll eat during the evening to break your fast, so it’s likely that you’ll be quite hungry by this time. As a result, it might be tempting to indulge in stodgy food, but this isn’t the way to go. Instead, you should prepare something that’s nutritional and substantial but not heavy. With this being said, what healthy meals during Ramadan should you be eating?

First up is Tawa fish, which contains salt, gram flour, ginger garlic paste, chaat masala, garam masala, dry coriander, lemon juice, carom seeds, turmeric powder, crushed red chilli, water, and fish. The preparation of this couldn’t be simpler, with everything just being mixed together in a bowl, meaning you’re left with a quick, nutritional, and flavoursome meal rich in protein.

Another similarly nutritious recipe that you might try is Thalasseri fish curry, containing salt, coconut oil, curry leaves, chopped tomato, ginger pieces, chilli powder, cumin seeds, mangoes, turmeric powder, and fish. This curry is loaded with goodness from the coconut, making it a great choice for Iftar. If you prefer to eat chicken, this recipe will work equally well.

Alternatively, you might try some Shahi egg rolls that are comprised of flour, pistachio, eggs, saffron essence, garam masala, coriander leaves, mint leaves, almonds, raisins, kheema, chillies, garlic, ghee, ginger, and onion. This recipe is full of nutrients, meaning your hunger will be satisfied almost immediately.

Another idea is Chakchouka, which is made from eggs, olive oil, salt, paprika, cumin, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, and onions. This is one of many healthy vegetarian Ramadan recipes that is widely enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Finally, for dessert, is homemade Kulfi, which is a concoction of cardamoms, milk, sugar, and blanched almonds. This way, you can ensure that your dessert choice isn’t processed and obtains protein from milk, a quick release of energy from the sugar, and the nutritional value from the nuts. If you would like, you could use dates instead of refined sugar for a healthy and nutritious replacement.

For more delicious Ramadan recipes, be sure to check out our very own selection here:

Lamb Tabbouleh 

African Berber Tagine

Chocolate Date Truffles

Honey, Greek Yoghurt and Pomegranate

Ramadan Healthy Drinks

Although water is the preferred method of hydration when it comes to breaking the fast, it’s understandable that you might want something a bit more flavoursome. Thankfully, there are a handful of healthy beverages that are perfect for consumption during Ramadan.

Firstly, you might enjoy some apricot juice that is made from dried apricot paste and is packed full of antioxidants, which are said to prevent diseases. This is the most traditional of the Ramadan beverages that are to follow.

If you’re looking for something refreshing and tasty, you might opt for a watermelon smoothie. This is packed full of nutrients, and the high water content means that it’s ideal for combating dehydration.

Otherwise, you might try an almond drink that is made using ground almonds, water, vanilla, and honey. Almonds are abundant in unsaturated fatty acids, meaning that you’ll feel full for a significant amount of time.

Alternatively, ginger and carrot juice is the perfect candidate to cleanse your digestive system and refuel your body. Similarly, it plays a big role in aiding blood circulation, decreasing inflammation, and alleviating cramps.

Finally, frozen lemonade with mint is extremely flavoursome, yet it has no calories whatsoever. It even speeds up your metabolism for those who are conscious of weight gain during Ramadan due to a lack of activity.

Donate To Orphans In Need This Ramadan

Although fasting is an integral part of Ramadan, it’s by no means the only part. Instead, fasting is one of the many methods of strengthening one’s relationship with Allah (SWT). You can bring yourself closer to righteousness by donating to Orphans in Need this Ramadan.