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Five Food Groups

During Ramadan, Jafri

explains that you need

to put extra effort into

including foods from

all five food groups

to ensure variety and

a well-balanced diet.

“These foods include:

breads, cereals and

other grain products,

fruit and vegetables,

meat, fish and poultry,

milk, cheese and

yoghurt,” she says,

however limit fats and

sugars as these contain

very little nutrients and

are high in calories.

“The most commonly

consumed foods by

Prophet Mohammed

(Peace be upon Him)

were milk, dates, lamb/

mutton and oats.”

Cooking Method

Alternatives

• Instead of deep frying,

opt for shallow frying

- usually there is very

little difference in taste.

• Instead of frying, opt

for grilling or baking

which is healthier and

helps retain the taste

and original flavor of

the food, especially

chicken and fish.

• Instead of cooking

curries with

excessive oil, start

with measuring the

oil used in curry

and try to bring

the oil content

down gradually, for

example, reducing

five tablespoons of

oil to four. This is a

good way of reducing

oil without noticing

much difference in the

taste. A useful tip is to

use more onions and

tomatoes in the bulk

of the curry.

1. Fried foods

Oily and fried foods tax the

digestive system and load our

bodies with free radicals. The best

alternative would be grilled or

baked vegetable kebabs or steamed

dumplings.

2. Soft drinks

All carbonated and caffeinated

drinks should be avoided to

maintain good hydration during

fasting. Homemade laban,

lemonade, and unsweetened fruit

juices can replenish energy and

electrolytes.

3. High sugar based sweets

The intake of these results in

excessive caloric intake versus

requirement due to caloric and fat

density. Can be exchanged with

milk based puddings or milk rice.

4. Coffee

Excessive intake of coffee leads to

loss of water and minerals during

fasting due to its diuretic effect.

Instead switch to black tea with

lemon or herbs for a refreshing

alternative.

5. High fat processed foods

Convenience foods such as

nuggets, ready-to-eat meals,

sausages, and samosas should be

discouraged during fasting as they

can pose a risk for gastrointestinal

health due to food contamination

or additives and preservatives.

Instead fresh homemade baked

items can be made using various

herbs and spices for better health

and taste.

6. Refined carbohydrates

Refined foods particularly white

flour, sugars and high fructose corn

syrup should be avoided during

fasting as it increases glycemic

load of the meal and reduces

intake of good fibers. Whole meal

preparations like harees and oats

porridge are recommended due to

their fullness and nutrient content.

7. High fat Gravies

Gravies or curries cooked with

ghee or butter should be replaced

with soups or curries made with

potassium rich fresh tomatoes and

herbs to minimise gastric load.

8. Junk food

French fries, burgers and pizzas are

disastrous food choices, which lead

to high trans fat and sodium intake.

9. Packed fruit juices

Preserved foods have high sugar

and salt content, which can disturb

the electrolyte balance of our

body. Moreover, packed juices are

prepared with 1 percent real juice

and 99 percent sugar water. Best

alternatives are fresh juices and

vegetable cocktails.

10. Croissants and Pastries

Food items for breakfast (Suhour)

should be low in bad fats and rich

in fibers. Croissants and pastries

dull out the appetite leading to

inadequate nutrient intake and

causes acidity during fasting hours.

A healthy Suhour should include

whole grain porridge, eggs and milk

or yoghurt.

(Credit: Fahmida Jafri)

At a Glance

Foods to Avoid During Fasting

and Their Replacements

May/June 2015