One of the most awaited moments when fasting in the month of Ramadan is the Maghrib drum. It’s not surprising that before breaking the fast, some people have prepared a menu of what they want to eat when the time to break the fast arrives.
There’s nothing wrong with that. Moreover, you really have to replace the calories that have been used during activities throughout the day.
However, you should not get confused and dark-eyed when breaking the fast. Because this can make your weight increase. It is not impossible, you are also more at risk of contracting various dangerous diseases.
So, is there a medically correct way to break the fast? There is! Below are tips for breaking a healthy fast according to medical advice:
1. Break the fast immediately when it’s time
Congestion, urgent work, and other similar things can make you delay breaking the fast. This is not good for your health.
The longer you delay eating or drinking, even though it is time to break the fast, the greater your risk of experiencing weakness and dehydration.
2. Break the fast with natural sweet intake
After fasting all day, you definitely can’t wait to eat and drink when it’s time to break the fast. The target, of course, is something that tastes sweet. This is not wrong, because you have to replace the calories that have been used for activities throughout the day.
However, you have to be careful when eating sweet food. It would be better if you choose foods with a natural sweet taste, such as dates or fruit juice without sugar.
Dates are the best food to start breaking your fast. Likewise, fruit juice is not sour, does not add granulated sugar, and is not cold.
Both are healthy alternatives for breaking the fast. because it can return blood sugar levels to the normal range. Eating these foods is a good way to break the fast.
3. Limit foods containing added sugar
Make sure to limit consumption of foods that contain too much-added sugar, such as compote, fruit ice, and so on.
Apart from that, combine consumption with water. This is to compensate for the feeling of thirst that may appear after you consume food containing additional sweeteners.
4. Eat slowly
The next good way to break the fast is to eat slowly and gradually. Chew your food until it is perfectly smooth to help your digestion adjust after fasting all day.
Avoid eating or drinking in a hurry, because it can shock your digestion. Swallowing food without chewing it thoroughly also makes digestion work harder. It’s not impossible, you will actually experience constipation afterward.
5. Avoid portions that are too large
Don’t eat too many iftar dishes. Give your stomach a rest after breaking the fast by praying first, then continue eating the main meal.
Similar to the previous point, the function of the digestive system must be accustomed to slowly after a day of not consuming food or drink.
6. Eat with balanced nutrition
For dinner, eat a healthy menu with a balanced composition consisting of complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
Even though you are fasting, your daily nutritional needs must still be met. This is to maintain overall body health.
7. Fulfill Fluid Needs
Consume sufficient fluids, namely 1.5–2 liters or approximately 8 glasses a day. You can fulfill this need by drinking 2 glasses when breaking the fast, 4 glasses at night, and 2 glasses at dawn.
8. Don’t make the moment of breaking the fast an occasion for revenge
Don’t make the moment of breaking the fast a place for “revenge” by consuming as much food as possible.
Instead of being satisfied, you can actually experience digestive disorders, such as flatulence, constipation, heartburn, stomach aches, and others. These complaints can disrupt your next worship service, you know!
9. Eat fruit that is rich in fiber
Eating foods that contain high fiber when breaking the fast can provide many benefits, especially for health. Fiber is also needed to maintain healthy digestion.
Breaking the fast with fiber can also reduce the risk of heart disease, maintain body weight, and maintain blood sugar levels.
10. Avoid Fizzy Drinks and Caffeine
Fizzy drinks and caffeine are very tempting, but you should not break your fast with these types of drinks. Because fizzy drinks and caffeine can cause dehydration and have a diuretic effect which causes the body to lose fluids more quickly.
Caffeine can also increase stomach acid production, so you will experience digestive disorders such as acid reflux. It can disrupt your sleep schedule and is not good for heart health, diabetes, obesity and other diseases.
