Tips for a healthy fasting that lowers cholesterol and loses weight
An expert makes a list of favorite foods for breakfast and suhoor
Thursday – 8 Ramadan 1444 AH – March 30, 2023 AD
Healthy fasting requires a healthy and balanced breakfast (Getty Images)
Cairo: Hazem Badr
In addition to the spiritual aspects in the month of Ramadan, fasting is seen as an opportunity to seize many health benefits, including reducing pressure and cholesterol and losing weight, but these health benefits are only achieved by following some simple guidelines, which Khaled Darwish, a nutrition expert at the Egyptian Agricultural Research Center, confirms. .
At the forefront of these tips, which Darwish emphasizes, is “drinking plenty of water between breakfast and suhoor,” and he says: “High temperatures can lead to increased sweating, so it is important to drink fluids to compensate for what you lose during the day (at least 10 cups), and you can Also, increase your water intake by eating hydrating foods. For example, you can try adding watermelon to the pre-dawn meal or eating it as a dessert after breakfast. The salad also contains plenty of moisturizing cucumbers and tomatoes.
Darwish advises you to “avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and cola, because caffeine can make some people urinate a lot, which may lead to dehydration, and soft drinks are rich in sugar, and thus will add calories to your diet.”
Among other tips that Darwish refers to is “eating the right foods at suhoor to give you energy during the hours of fasting.” Today, you can also include low-fat dairy products with your meal, and try to incorporate healthy unsaturated fats, such as unsalted nuts.
Darwish concludes his advice to renew energy levels by eating a healthy and balanced breakfast, and says, “Eating three dates for breakfast is a traditional and healthy way to start breakfast, as dates are an excellent source of fiber, and include many vegetables to provide vitamins and vital nutrients, and choose whole grains that provide The body has energy and fiber…Enjoy lean meats, skinless chicken and fish to get a good portion of healthy protein, and generally avoid fried and processed foods that are high in fat or sugar.”