What happens to the rumen during fasting?
How do you get rid of belly fat?
What foods do experts advise to eat for breakfast and suhoor?
We start with a "meta-analysis" study aimed at determining the effect of Ramadan fasting on weight and body composition, and was published in the journal "Nutrients".
A meta-analysis is a method of combining relevant qualitative and quantitative data from several selected studies to produce a single result that has greater statistical power.
This conclusion is statistically stronger than the analysis of any one study, due to the increased numbers of participants or the effects and outcomes from the different studies.
The researchers collected data from 70 studies that included 2,947 participants.
The researchers found a relationship between body mass index (BMI) at the start and weight lost during the fasting period.
And there was a significant decrease in the percentage of fat between pre-Ramadan and post-Ramadan in overweight or obese people, but not in those of normal weight.
Within two to five weeks after the end of Ramadan, there was a return to pre-Ramadan measurements of weight and body composition.
decrease in weight
The researchers concluded that even without following the guidelines on changing the lifestyle of the fasting person, there is a decrease - albeit transient - in weight and fat mass with fasting during Ramadan, especially in people who are overweight or obese.
BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in metres.
A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 means that the weight is normal, which means that there are no health risks associated with weight on a person's health.
If it is between 25 and 29.9, the person is overweight, and if it is 30 or more, it means that the person is obese.
So the data indicate that Ramadan fasting helps burn fat and reduce weight, and this includes the rumen, meaning that the rumen and belly fat may decrease with fasting.
What is required is to maintain this decrease and not to gain the lost kilograms later after the end of Ramadan.
Here we offer a set of tips to get rid of the rumen during the month of Ramadan:
Drink at least two glasses of water during Suhoor.
Eat fruits that keep the body hydrated, such as watermelon and grapes.
Eat fibres, proteins and carbohydrates at suhoor to avoid hunger during the day.
Eat with your family and loved ones, and be mindful while eating.
Don't eat in front of the TV.
Do physical activity and exercise after breakfast.
Walk in the evening for half an hour.
Breakfast on a pass.
Replace fried and fatty foods with baked goods, fresh fruit, salad, dates, and a glass of skimmed milk.
Replace red meat such as beef with white meat such as skinless chicken and fish to include healthy proteins in your diet.
Eat more fruit and salad if you feel hungry between iftar and suhoor.
On the other hand, so that the rumen does not increase in Ramadan, do not do the following:
Do not break your fast on spicy foods such as kebabs or sauces, as they cause heartburn.
Don't overeat.
Don't rely on fast food.
Avoid soups and processed foods.
Avoid foods that contain sugar such as soft drinks and caffeine.
Avoid fatty and spicy foods at Suhoor to prevent bloating, indigestion and heartburn while fasting.
Don't start a new, rigorous exercise program during Ramadan.
If you do exercise before Ramadan, keep doing it, but in the evening after iftar.
But if you are going to start exercising in Ramadan, do not start with strong exercises, consult your doctor and practice walking, for example, at first during the month of Ramadan in the evening, and delay increasing the intensity of exercise until after Ramadan.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan improves the general health of the person
A report by Deutsche Welle said that fasting during the month of Ramadan has a positive effect and improves the general health of the person if done correctly, providing advice to German nutrition experts regarding the content of breakfast and suhoor meals in Ramadan, and how to compensate for the necessary vitamins that the body may lose due to fasting.
The problem, according to nutrition experts, lies in eating either a large meal of breakfast, especially the one that is full of spices;
It may cause pain and heartburn in the stomach and cause digestion problems, or eating sweets to a large extent, which also causes medical problems and weight gain.
Therefore, experts advise the German site "Gesundheit", which specializes in providing medical advice;
By avoiding eating some foodstuffs and regulating the foodstuffs consumed in the Iftar and Suhoor meals, according to the following:
Suhoor meal
It should contain the necessary vitamins and nutrients that make a person fast his day without health problems, such as starches that provide the body with energy and make it not feel hungry, in addition to dietary fibers that help push food into the digestive system.
Some food items suitable for the Suhoor meal:
Bread made of wheat and brown bread.
Legumes, especially lentils.
Slow absorbing carbohydrates such as rice or bulgur.
Milk and dairy products.
Breakfast
The traditional breakfast begins with eating dates, which provide the body with the sugars it misses during the day, in addition to various nutrients, such as:
A type of starch, such as rice, pasta, potatoes, or bulgur.
A type of meat, such as red meat or chicken.
Fish can be replaced instead of meat.
Cooked vegetables.
Drink adequate amounts of water and at intervals.
Drinking cold and hot drinks, such as tea, can replace the fluid lost during the day by the body.
As for the things that are not recommended to be eaten or should be reduced in the month of Ramadan, they are sweets and sugars, especially after breakfast to avoid any weight gain.
German nutrition experts advise avoiding sitting or sleeping after breakfast, and instead it is recommended to walk for at least two hours after breakfast to facilitate the digestion of food, according to the website "Gisundheit".
The World Health Organization says that the diet undergoes a drastic change during Ramadan, so it is advised to:
Do not eat fried foods in large quantities.
Eat more starchy foods.
Eat more fruits and yogurt.
Don't eat large amounts of sweetened foods.
Eat the suhoor meal late to maintain glucose levels during fasting.
The organization also recommends drinking at least 8 glasses of fluids during breakfast, including juices, milk, drinks and soups.
But water is still the best option.