Ramadan will start again this weekend. Muslims who participate are not allowed to eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. But how do you get through Ramadan the healthiest?
Don’t indulge in all sweets, of course, is step one. But according to Abdurrahim Yildiz from Maastricht, it’s not just about nutrition. “Every year I come out stronger at the end. During Ramadan you pray more to Allah. You are then more aware of yourself and your soul. You get more and more strength from that.”
Yildiz has a supermarket and is surrounded by food every day. An additional fasting challenge:
Ramadan tips
Food scientist Samefko Ludidi from Maastricht also indicates that it is certainly not all about food.
- Sleeping well is the most important thing. “Rhythm and regularity. If you have a morning prayer at 5:00, go to bed no later than midnight. Living at night is actually disastrous, because it causes a lot of stress in the body.”
- As soon as you are allowed to drink, make sure that you get the 1.5 liters of water per day that you would otherwise need. “You can add a spoonful of salt to it. Then you absorb moisture faster.”
- And of course the most obvious tip: Eat nutritiously and stay away from sweets, no matter how difficult that is during Ramadan. “If you consume less carbohydrates and sugar but just good fats, you can keep up with the fast for longer.”
Good preparation
According to Ludidi, you get the most health problems during Ramadan if you don’t prepare properly. “You have to start at least two weeks in advance,” explains Ludidi. For example with intermittent fasting† That is also a form of intermittent fasting, so a good warm up.
The biggest difference with this form of fasting is that Ramadan is ‘dry’: during the day no drinking is allowed. “It’s important to hydrate yourself. The most important tip: bulk drink, so large amounts at once.” According to Ludidi, three times half a liter of water is enough.
intermittent fasting
Yildiz has also been preparing for Ramadan in this way lately, with the help of Ludidi. “You are aware of what you are taking in. That way you maintain a healthy pattern,” says Yildiz.
Ludidi herself has participated in Ramadan several times. He summarizes the fasting period in one word: ‘contemplating’.