What are the problems caused by eating a lot of sweets during Ramadan?
What is the size of the amount of candy allowed to eat per week?
What are the healthy options that can be resorted to for sweets in Ramadan?
What are the most prominent tips for losing weight in a healthy way?
The answers are in this report.
Samah Subuh, a therapeutic dietitian at the Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, said that the month of Ramadan is characterized by tables full of the best types of food, especially the various Ramadan sweets that no one can resist because of their wonderful taste, and the body's need to replace the sugars lost during the long hours of fasting. But some controls are needed so that sweets do not negatively affect fasting and health.
Subuh added - in exclusive statements to Al-Jazeera Net - that intensively consuming sweets that contain high sugar levels throughout the breakfast period leads to several problems, most notably:
Feeling tired during the day
Thirst during the day
Fat accumulation in the body
Obesity
High blood sugar
The specialist explained that starting breakfast with candy bars causes a sudden imbalance in blood sugar, indigestion, and a feeling of satiety without eating a healthy and balanced meal, which, if repeated throughout the month, paves the way for a nutritional deficiency.
In addition, eating sweets in abundance leads to weight gain, blood sugar problems, increased risk of heart disease, and weakened immunity.
The specialist provided the following controls regarding eating sweets, especially for people who suffer from high blood sugar:
Eat only one piece of candy the size of 3 fingers, once or twice a week.
Eat only one and not try several to avoid overdoing it.
Focus on grilled desserts, not fried and high in fat and calories.
Replacing sweets with fruit.
Healthy options that can be resorted to for desserts in Ramadan
Specialist Subuh said that there are many healthy options that can be resorted to, instead of excessive consumption of Ramadan sweets that are rich in fat, sugar, calories, and low in nutritional ingredients at the same time.
Examples include:
Instead of buying or making kunafa with cream, you can replace the cream with low-fat cheese, and eat it without adding sugar syrup.
Use of low-fat milk products.
Avoid using butter and margarine, and replace it with corn oil, sunflower, or canola oil in small quantities.
Use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar to reduce calories and also to avoid high blood sugar.
Choose grilled qatayef instead of fried.
Avoid adding sugar to juices or substituting them with natural juices.
Drinking more water to compensate for the lack of fluids during fasting, and water helps to feel full, so we do not eat a lot of sweets.
Subuh stressed not to neglect exercise during the month of fasting, because it helps to get rid of laziness and weakness, and also helps to burn fat accumulated in the body.
"But you must be careful to choose some kind of simple sport, such as walking, to be between breakfast and the pre-dawn meal," she added.
Subuh said that exercise protects against infection from diseases, promotes heart health and protects the digestive system from diseases.
Tips for losing weight in a healthy way
Not to eat late at night.
A person has a biological rhythm, which is a central clock in the brain that regulates many of the internal clocks.
Therefore, eating late in the day causes your metabolism to run counter to your internal hours.
To fix things, you should eat regularly, according to a report by author Anne-Sophie Glover Bondeau published in the French magazine Top Santi.
Nutritionist Veronique Lias advises us to set a goal that is at the core of our hearts: the ability to walk again, play with the boys, and wear whatever clothes we want.
This will stimulate weight loss.
Identify barriers to achieving your goals, such as suffering from a specific disease such as thyroid disorders, depression or psychological problems.
Taking certain medications may also cause weight gain.
In the event that you are unable to lose weight, it is best to consult a specialist in this field.
Lifestyle, stress level, and sleep quality have a particular effect on weight, as overworked people have difficulty losing weight due to the body's production of the hormone cortisol.
Sleep also plays a major role in metabolism and appetite control.
In order to lose weight, you need to get enough sleep and learn to deal with stress.
It is recommended to control the amount of fat, especially its quality, and it is recommended to give preference to the healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in flax oil and oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, herring and salmon.