This is what happens to the belly during fasting

What happens to the rumen during fasting? And how to get rid of belly fat? What foods do experts recommend eating for Iftar and Suhoor?

We begin with a meta-analysis study aimed at determining the effect of Ramadan fasting on weight and body composition, published in the journal Nutrients.

A meta-analysis is a method of combining relevant qualitative and quantitative data from several selected studies to arrive at a single result with 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 results from different studies.

The researchers collected data from 70 studies involving 2947,<> participants. The researchers found a relationship between the initial body mass factor (BMI) and weight lost during the fasting period.

There was a significant reduction in 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 with no guidelines on lifestyle changes being followed, there is a reduction, albeit transient, in weight and fat mass with Ramadan fasting, especially in overweight or obese people.

The BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters.

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 to 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.

Therefore, the data indicate that fasting Ramadan helps to burn fat and reduce weight, and this includes the rumen, meaning that the rumen and belly fat may decrease with fasting. What is needed is to maintain this decline and not gain the lost kilograms later after the end of the 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 fiber, proteins and carbohydrates at Suhoor to avoid hunger during the day.
• Eat with your family and loved ones, and be mindful while eating. Do not eat in front of the TV.
• Physical activity and exercise after breakfast.
• Walk in the evening for half an hour.
• Breakfast on dates.
• 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 sauce, as they cause heartburn.
• Do not overeat.
• Do not 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 during fasting.
• Don't start a new, tough sports program during Ramadan. If you do a workout before Ramadan, continue it, but in the evening after breakfast. If you are going to start exercising in Ramadan do not start with vigorous exercise, consult your doctor and walk, for example, at first during the month of Ramadan evening, and postpone increasing the intensity of the exercise beyond Ramadan.

Fasting the month of Ramadan improves the general health of the human being

A report by "Deutsche Welle" said that fasting the month of Ramadan has a positive effect and improves the general health of humans if done correctly, providing advice to German nutritionists on 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 nutritionists, is eating either a large meal of breakfast, especially one that is full of spices, which may cause pain and heartburn and cause digestion problems, or eating sweets too much, which also causes medical problems and weight gain.

Therefore, experts advise the German site "Gesundheit" (Gesundheit), which specializes in providing medical advice, to avoid eating some food and regulate the food eaten at Iftar and Suhoor as follows:

Suhoor Meal

It must contain the necessary vitamins and nutrients that make a person fast his day without health problems, such as carbohydrates that provide the body with energy and make it not feel hungry, in addition to dietary fiber that helps push food into the digestive system.

Some food items suitable for Suhoor:

• Bread from wheat and brown bread.
• Legumes, especially lentils.
• Slow-absorbing starches such as rice or bulgur.
• Milk and dairy products.

Breakfast was good.

The traditional breakfast begins with eating dates, which provide the body with the sugars that it lacks during the day, in addition to various nutrients, such as:

• A type of carbohydrate, 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 appropriate amounts of water at sporadic times.
• Drinking cold and hot drinks, such as tea, can compensate the body for the fluid lost during the day.

The things that are not recommended to eat or should be reduced in the month of Ramadan are sweets and sugars, especially after breakfast to avoid any weight gain.

German nutritionists advise avoiding sitting or sleeping after breakfast, and instead advising to walk for at least two hours after breakfast to facilitate the digestion of food, according to the site "Gesundheit".

The World Health Organization says that the diet undergoes a drastic change during the Ramadan, so it is recommended to:

• Do not eat fried foods in large quantities.
• Eat more starchy foods.
• Eat fruits and yogurt in larger quantities.
• Do not eat large amounts of sweetened foods.
• Eat the Suhoor meal late to maintain your glucose level at the time of fasting.

WHO also recommends drinking at least 8 glasses of fluids during Iftar, including juices, milk, drinks and soups. But water is still the best option.