The main advice for the millions of Muslims who are beginning the Ramadan fasting period on Monday? Moderation when breaking the fast each night.
For the month of Ramadan — considered by most to be from June 6 to July 5 this year — Muslims eat just two meals a day: suhoor, the meal before sunrise, and iftar, the meal at sunset.
This year, for countries in the Northern Hemisphere, Ramadan coincides with the summer solstice — the longest day of the year — leading to the longest average fasting hours in the holiday's 33-year lunar-based cycle, according to the news magazine The Week. Some Muslims will be fasting for up to 17 hours a day.
No feasting while non-fasting
Because of this, Dr. Razeen Mahroof, an anesthetist from Oxford, cautioned against eating too much during the non-fasting hours, according to NHS Choices, Britain's health website.
"The underlying message behind Ramadan is self-discipline and self-control," Mahroof told the health website. "This shouldn’t fall apart at the end of the day."
He said the pre-dawn meal should include foods that are filling yet provide energy for many hours, such as carbohydrates.
"Suhoor should be light and include slow-digesting food, like pita bread, salad, cereal [especially oats] or toast, so that you have a constant release of energy,” Mahroof said.
NHS Choices, as well as other websites, offer meal plans for those adhering to Ramadan fasting. But all suggest foods to avoid, especially during the night meal, include those high in fat and sugar as well as fried foods.
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