Since one should last throughout the entire next day, Suhoor should be consistent and chosen in a smart way. Most people choose their Suhoor to be a heavy and consistent meal, but that’s a wrong concept:
- You need to avoid sodium at Suhoor as salt makes you feel thirsty the next day, so your dish should be refreshing, low in sodium and high in potassium.
- You need to avoid easily digested food which will make you feel more hungry the next day. Fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, dates and other dried fruits should always be present on the table.
- Fatouche, taboule and cucumber yogurt are the best salad options to eat at night, as they are consistent and refreshing.
Besides that, you can take a plate of boiled rice with some yogurt, it is fulfilling because of the carbs in it, makes you stay full for a longer period of time, without feeling thirsty. You can take a grilled chicken breast or grilled shrimps as well, but avoid red meat, and seafood (fish, salmon, sardine and tuna) at night as these are rich in sodium and make you directly feel thirsty the next day.
Another option is to have a multi-cereal sandwich with labne or white cheese. Carbs and protein are the best combination for a consistent dinner. Plus fiber is very important at night to avoid constipation, common problem during Ramadan. You can also choose a baked potato with some labne or a low- fat white sodium cheese.
Food to Avoid:
All yellow cheeses, which are high in sodium and not advisable at night during Suhoor. Tea and coffee for Suhoor. These 2 are diuretics and will make you crave for water the next morning.
Fried or sweets. It will make you crave for more food because they are directly digested. At the end before going to bed, the best thing to eat is a mixed fruit salad, some dates, prunes or a banana.
Potassium is the substitute for sodium so it is recommended to increase your potassium- rich fruits.
Finally you need to increase your water consumption by taking into consideration choosing a low -sodium water brand.
Question: Dear Mira, I am a diabetic who is fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, I would like to know how I should plan my meals since I am only eating twice a day? And could you help me understand the precautions I should take when fasting, especially as I am taking diabetic medication? – Fatima Mohammad
Answer: Firstly, if you are taking insulin you need to take the long acting one and you need to test yourself the first day, if you ever feel in hypoglycaemia then you should eat and stop fasting. But if you are taking pills, then you can fast. However, take into consideration that you should concentrate on lean proteins grilled fish, chicken and beef meat. My best advice to you is to eat sweet potatoes instead of potatoes, brown rice and minimize your pasta intake. Regarding your sweets, avoid juices and jellab drinks, or other drinks rich in sugar and low in fiber. Instead make sure to take in whole fruits by concentrating on mouhalabieh dessert, jello, fruit salads and puddings, which are far more suitable for you than any other sweets. For your Suhoor, I recommend oat bread or oat meal with greek yogurt, brown toast with white cheese or labne. As you are diabetic, make sure you are always fully hydrated by drinking a lot of water and water rich food like veggies.
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