Many people remain confused about what eating healthy means during Ramadan, at iftar. Simply put, Ramadan is a strict fast where Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn until sunset, every day of the month. They break their fast with some dates and water at the iftar meal. Rich in fibre and concentrated sugars, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium dates offer the healthiest choice to reenergise the body after long hours of fasting. Following dates, Muslims tend to drink some soup to help prepare their digestive system to receive foods after a long fast. In order not to fill...
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Many people remain confused about what eating healthy means during Ramadan, at iftar. Simply put, Ramadan is a strict fast where Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn until sunset, every day of the month.
They break their fast with some dates and water at the iftar meal. Rich in fibre and concentrated sugars, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium dates offer the healthiest choice to reenergise the body after long hours of fasting.
Following dates, Muslims tend to drink some soup to help prepare their digestive system to receive foods after a long fast. In order not to fill up the stomach it is prudent to limit the amount of soup to one cup. One can include some vegetables in soups, like mixing carrots with lentils to help increase fibre intake. One may also include some oats with soups to maximise fibre intake and help control the upsurge in blood sugars.
One can eat “burek” or “sambusek” (fried pastries filled with cheese, vegetables or meat), and kibbeh (bulger dough stuffed with ground meat) with soups. Limiting the portion of pastry or kibbeh to one or two would be best to help with portioning the iftar meal.
Soups are a special featured dish of Ramadan and are often followed by salads. Fattoush is the salad of choice during Ramadan - a salad made of relatively large pieces of tomatoes, radish, cucumbers, parsley, onions, mint, olive oil, lemon juice and spices like sumac. It is usually topped with toasted or fried pita bread, and salted as needed.
Following salad, the main course is often comprised of a dish with grains, cooked vegetables or stew, and beans. Varying the type of proteins (as in meat, chicken, fish, or beans), and carbohydrates (as in rice, maftoul, frikeh, or pasta) is key to get ingredients that the body needs during fasting.
Iftar also offers a wide variety of specialty dessert dishes, out of which “katayef” ranks first on the list. Katayef is a pancake-like pastry filled with cheese or nuts and dipped in sugary syrup. Delaying the dessert to two hours after iftar, or just after prayers, may be a better choice to savour the nutritional benefit of the iftar meal. Khoshaf is another healthy choice to choose from. A salad of dried fruits and nuts, it offers a nutrient-dense option to meet one’s vitamins and minerals needs. On the side, one can have rice pudding or Muhallabuyeh, which is rich in calcium and Vitamin D.
While keeping an eye on portion sizes is best to enjoy this special meal, one may opt for varying the cooking method to avoid daily emphasis on fried foods. Baking, for instance, offers a healthier alternative to frying.
Keen on being healthy during iftar, enjoy Ramadan specialties with smart food choices while exercising control over the portion and variety of foods eaten and savouring your portioned sweet two hours after iftar.

A lot of people tend to shy away from eating fruits during Ramadan. Yet, research has shown that diets rich in fruits can lower the risk for chronic illness, including high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. Fruits, in particular, have antioxidants in them. Antioxidants mean protection. They have disease-fighting properties that protect cells from damage by substances called free radicals. Antioxidants work by neutralising free radicals that are formed when body cells burn oxygen from food for energy. They also may help keep the immune system healthy and reduce the risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke, heart...
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A lot of people tend to shy away from eating fruits during Ramadan. Yet, research has shown that diets rich in fruits can lower the risk for chronic illness, including high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers.
Fruits, in particular, have antioxidants in them. Antioxidants mean protection. They have disease-fighting properties that protect cells from damage by substances called free radicals. Antioxidants work by neutralising free radicals that are formed when body cells burn oxygen from food for energy. They also may help keep the immune system healthy and reduce the risk for cancer, heart disease, stroke, heart attack and diabetes. Such antioxidants include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta-carotene and lycopene.
Antioxidants give fruit its colour. To protect health, choose fruit by its colour: Red (apples, cherries, pomegranates, red grapes, strawberries, tomatoes and water melons); orange-yellow (apricots, bananas, grapefruit and oranges); green (avocadoes and kiwi); and blue-purple (dates, grapes, plums, prunes and raisins). For maximum protection, cover all colour groups in a day with a portion of two to four fruit servings. One fruit serving is one medium piece, a half-cup of cooked or raw fruit, a quarter-cup of dried fruit, or three-quarters of a cup of fruit juice.
Jordan offers a variety of fruits available from near and far every day. Fruits of this Ramadan season are bananas, pomegranates, raisins and watermelons. They can be eaten as is, or used as a garnish on sweet and savory dishes like rice, yoghurt or puddings. The more variety one can add to fruit choices, the more nutrients one can consume.
Not sure what to have for dessert, make this Ramadan season a fruity one and have a fruit for dessert.