Most Muslims around the globe fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Although most people are able to do it without much problem, things are not the same for those who suffer from diabetes. If you suffer from diabetes, we recommend you consult your doctor before fasting. Besides, we have some tips on how to continue your Ramadan fasting with diabetes. Continue reading to know what diabetic patients should eat or drink and what to avoid for Ramadan fasting.  What to eat and drink for Sehri during Ramadan If you are Diabetic If you are suffering from diabetes and choose to continue fasting, you need to be aware that you may experience Hypoglycemia or low blood glucose or you may experience Hyperglycemia or high blood glucose.  However, during Ramadan fasting, you need to maintain a strict diet to prevent hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. As your fasting has started with Sehri or Suhoor, you must put much concentration on Sehri or Suhoor diet.  Read Yummy Homemade Jalebi Recipes Using Healthy Ingredients Make sure you hydrate yourself because it is the day ahead of you. So, don’t forget to drink plenty of fluids and eat fluid-rich foods. Besides, you must take starchy foods for energy. Moreover, you need to eat high-fiber content food or wholegrain to remain fuller for a longer time. You should do so as they aid in digestion and prevent constipation. Check below some of the foods and drinks ideas:  Oats If you have diabetes, eat Oats in your Sehri meal. This is whole grain food. With Oats, you can make congee. It is usually made with either water or milk. You will get the required fluids from this meal. Oats are rich in antioxidants and contain a powerful soluble fiber. Oats are helpful to lower cholesterol levels and improve blood sugar control. If you wish to stay full longer, make sure you take oats regularly in your Sehri. Starchy food  Among the starchy foods, you can choose potatoes which are a good source of energy, fiber, B vitamins, and potassium. Bread, especially wholemeal, granary, brown, and seeded varieties is another starchy food that can be a part of a balanced diet. Besides, you can put cereal products, rice and grains, and pasta into your diet. Read Healthy Iftar Meal Recipes for Breaking Ramadan Fasting Although both sugary and starchy carbohydrates can raise blood sugar levels, these foods can play a role in a balanced meal plan when you take the right amounts. Why you must choose starchy foods:  - controlling blood sugar levels. - lowering inflammation. - reducing the risk of heart disease. - increasing antioxidant activity. - reducing the risk of kidney disease. Wholegrain You can eat chapatis (Roti) or wholemeal toast in Sehri. These kinds of foods will provide you with the necessary fiber. But make sure you avoid eating bread with salty foods like preserved meat or hard cheese. However, soft cheese, banana, or nut butter are suitable for you. Read 10 Healthy Iftar Drinks for Breaking Ramadan Fasting High-fiber cereals In Suhoor, you can eat high-fiber cereals. These foods are loaded with minerals and vitamins. You can eat cereal with milk. Therefore, you would get fluids and other nutrients like iodine, calcium, and B-vitamins from this meal. Yogurt At all times of the year, Yogurt is a good option for diabetic patients. So, if you want to keep fasting for Ramadan add Yogurt to your suhoor meal plan. It offers nutrients such as calcium, protein, B-vitamins, and protein along with fluid. You can consume Yogurt with a combination of cereal or fruits. Read Ramadan Iftar Ideas: Healthy foods, drinks to break your fast What to eat and drink for Iftar when you have Diabetes When you are fasting with Diabetes, make sure you break the fast by eating low-fat and fluid-rich foods. Your preferable foods must contain natural sugar contents for energy. Besides, you need to drink a lot of fluids. You can take the following foods and drinks for Iftar to break your fast during Ramadan.  Dates and Other Dried Fruits Dates are rich sources of natural sugar that will supply energy. Furthermore, Dates are rich in minerals like manganese, copper, and potassium. Besides, dates are a great source of fiber. Furthermore, dates are enriched with protective antioxidants.  Dates offer multifarious health benefits. It supports gut health and bone health. Dates can facilitate a natural birth. Dates are a great sugar replacement. Read Healthy Sehri Ideas: What to eat and avoid for Sehri during Ramadan When you are a diabetes patient, you should eat dates as they allow their carbs to be digested a bit more slowly. Moreover, they help prevent blood sugar spikes as they have a low GI. So, dates can be your safe choice as a diabetic. Along with dates, you can also eat dried fruits such as figs, apricots, prunes, or raisins to get nutrients and fiber. Soup For diabetes patients, it is better to break their fast in a light way. In this case, soup can be your best choice. Soups are generally meat-based broths. Vegetarian soups may contain pulses such as beans and lentils or starchy foods such as grains or pasta. It offers nutrients, energy, and fluids as well. Read Savory Lassi: 7 Easy Recipes to Try at Home Besides, soup has better diet quality as it helps to reduce fat and increases protein and fiber intake. Moreover, eating soup may reduce hunger and increase fullness.  Fruits Remember fruits give natural sugars that provide you with instant energy along with vitamins, minerals, and fluid. So, it can be a good option to break the fast. Besides, fruits are high in fiber. They provide huge health-boosting antioxidants, including flavonoids. If a person eats a diet high in fruits and vegetables, it can reduce his risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes. Read Delicious Watermelon Ice Cream and Cake Recipes to Try at Home However, not all fruits are healthy for diabetic patients. The term GI (glycemic index) measures how food affects human blood sugar. Foods that are low on the GI scale tend to raise blood sugar slowly. Some popular fruits like Dates, Mangoes, Apples, Pears, Oranges, and Bananas are on the lower end (55 or lower) of the GI Scale. On the other hand, Papaya and watermelon have high (70 or higher) GI indexes. According to the American Diabetes Association, both berries and citrus fruits are recommended as superfoods. According to WebMD the healthiest fruits for Diabetic Patients are oranges, blackberries, strawberries, and tomatoes.  Drinks You can also break the fast by drinking low-fat milk, water, smoothies, or low GI fruit juices. Water is the best drink that provides hydration without added sugar or extra calories. Make sure you take milk or fruit-based drinks as they offer nutrients and natural sugars.  Read Cooking Without Oil: How and Why? Which Foods, Drinks Should the Diabetic People Avoid for Sehri and Iftar  As a diabetic patient, try to ensure that your diet is healthy and nutrient-rich as much as possible. However, you should avoid both salty and sugary foods and drinks if you have diabetes.  Bottom Line Fasting has immense health benefits. It is good for diabetic patients too. However, for healthy Ramadan fasting, diabetic patients are recommended to consult doctors. Your Ramadan fasting with diabetes can be smooth and easy with the above-mentioned foods and drinks ideas. Read 10 Grocery Shopping Apps in Bangladesh: An Overview

Ramadan is one of the most sacred times of the year in the Islam faith. Fasting during Ramadan is quite rigorous on these longer, summer days. So it’s quite important to eat well-balanced, nutritious, and filling meals in Iftar. Check out here 10 nutritious Iftar meal recipes for breaking Ramadan fasting.  10 Hearty Iftar Ideas and Recipes to Try at Home Strawberry Protein Smoothie You and your family members will love this Strawberry Protein Smoothie because it is really creamy and rich with a natural sweetness from the fruit. It is full of protein to give you energy & nutritions. Ingredients One and a half cups milk, 1 banana, two cups strawberries, half cup vanilla yogurt, 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder How to prepare First, take all the ingredients in a blender, and blend for 1 minute until it reaches a creamy texture. Add more milk if required. Pour into a cup and enjoy!  Read How to Lose Weight in Ramadan? Vegetarian Lemon Rice Soup Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C and minerals; while rice is full of carbohydrates. You can try this Vegan Lemon Rice Soup recipe at home which is rich in nutrients. Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 3 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, half cup  rice, two bay leaves, four cups vegetable broth, two cups water, ¼ cup lemon juice How to prepare First, cook the vegetables for 1-2 minutes. Next, add the vegetable broth and water and bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 30 minutes. Finally, garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices, and serve! Read Ramadan Fasting Benefits: Impacts on health when you fast for 16 hours Chicken Shawarma Chicken Sharma is a yummy snack you might have tried in restaurants. You can prepare this delicious chicken shawarma at home easily. Its flavor is awesome and the spice blend is versatile. Ingredients  2 tbsp garlic paste, 3/4 cup olive oil, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, 1½ tsp lemon juice, 2½ pounds chicken thighs (boneless), white sauce, 1 large onion and pita, red cabbage, parsley, mint, (for serving) How to prepare First, prepare the chicken and then make the white sauce ready. Next, to serve, cut 1/4 off the top of the pita. Fill with the chicken, slather with White Sauce and top with cabbage; serve immediately. Read Delicious Watermelon Ice Cream and Cake Recipes to Try at Home Chicken Biryani Who doesn’t love Biryani. This traditional food can be tried with diverse recipes. However, you may not like heavy meals like mutton Biryani for breaking ramadan fasting. But you will of course like this Chicken Biryani for Iftar. You can easily prepare this meal at home. Ingredients Rice 1½ cups best-quality basmati rice, 6 cups water, 1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil Chicken 3 tbsp warm water, 1/4 cup yogurt,1 tbsp ginger and garlic (grated), 1 tbsp coriander powder, garam masala, cumin powder, turmeric, and salt, 2 pounds of chicken thighs, 3 tablespoons ghee, 1 large onion, 2 cups mixed vegetables How to prepare First, cook the rice then cook the chicken with vegetables. Next, assemble the rice over the chicken mixture and close the lid to cook for a further 20 minutes. Finally, serve with cilantro, mint, and fried onions. Read Savory Lassi: 7 Easy Recipes to Try at Home Prawn and Chicken Fried Noodles If you want to prepare a yummy and healthy dish for Iftar investing less time and energy, try noodles. Prawn and chicken can make your noodles tastier, and healthier. Not to mention, the young members of your family will love this yummy noodle in Iftar time.  Ingredients 1 pound fresh egg noodles, 2 chicken breasts,3 cloves garlic, 2 eggs, beaten, 1/2 pound raw king prawns, 7 ounces snow peas, 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper,  1 teaspoon ground coriander, coconut oil for frying How to prepare First, fried chicken pieces, beaten eggs, and the prawns. Then, add snow peas, noodles and other ingredients and mix well. Finally, add the soy, tomato ketchup, and spices, and serve. Read 10 Grocery Shopping Apps in Bangladesh: An Overview Roasted Vegetable and White Bean Salad Are you looking for a vegetarian dish which would be both nutritious and delicious? Try this special salad recipe. To prepare this healthy and yummy dish you need just some simple and humble ingredients but it will be extraordinarily delicious.  Ingredients 1 bunch of young carrots,1 small head of cauliflower,  2 cups white beans, 4 ounces French feta cheese, Extra virgin olive oil, Sea Salt, 1 cup cilantro leaves  1/2 cup mint leaves, How to prepare First, preheat the oven to 425°F and cook the vegetables for about 26 to 30 minutes. Then, in a medium bowl, lightly dress cilantro, dill, and mint with salt and serve immediately. Read Cooking Without Oil: How and Why? Egg & Eggplant Sandwich Are you looking for an easy recipe to prepare a simple dish at Iftar requiring a few ingredients? Try this Sandwich recipe. The children and teenage members of your family will definitely like it. This dish works as a good meal for Sehri or Suhoor too.  Ingredients  1 medium eggplant, Olive oil, Salt and pepper, 1 large tomato,1 medium cucumber, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, 4 pita bread, 4 large eggs How to prepare First, roast the eggplant in the oven at 425 degrees F for about  20 to 25 minutes. Then, to assemble the sandwiches, first, warm the pitas and cut them in half, and stuff the filling in them. Serve with cucumber and pepper to taste.  Read Grocery Shopping Hacks: Proven tips to choose best foods at grocery stores Tahini Roasted Broccoli Are you bored with common iftar items found in street shops, but don’t have much time to cook meals? If yes, you can try to prepare this healthy but easy-to-cook recipe. You would love this creamy, nutty Tahini Roasted Broccoli as your Iftar meal.  Ingredients  2 tablespoons tahini, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 large cloves of garlic,1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 cups broccoli,  How to prepare First, preheat the oven to 450° F. Then, Place all of the ingredients and bake for 10 minutes. Serve hot for the best flavor. Read Healthy Sehri Ideas: What to eat and avoid for Sehri during Ramadan Tomato Beef Stew You may not like eating the same kind of food for Iftar everyday. If you want to cook something special in Iftar to treat your family members, friends, and/or relatives, try this one. The whole family will enjoy this mouth-watering dish! Ingredients 1 pound beef, 3 tablespoons olive oil,3 garlic cloves,1 small onion,1 teaspoon 7 Spice, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 4 ounces tomato paste How to prepare First, cook the beef, and then, cook the rest of the ingredients. Next, mix to incorporate everything together. Finally, serve and enjoy. Read 10 Healthy Iftar Drinks for Breaking Ramadan Fasting Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Do you want to avoid oily and spicy food at Iftar? If yes, don’t miss this recipe. This is a great healthy Iftar item that the whole family will enjoy.  Ingredients 2 cups oats, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 bananas, 1 ½ cups almond milk, ¼ cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract How to prepare First, bake the combination of oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt at 375° F in the oven. Then add the rest of the ingredients and pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Finally, bake for about 30-35 minutes. Now, it is ready to serve. Read Ramadan Iftar Ideas: Healthy foods, drinks to break your fast

Ramadan fasting involves abstention from eating, drinking, and other forbidden tasks before sunrise to after sunset. It is obligatory for all Muslims from the age of puberty.  You can engage in all these acts after breaking your fasting and restart fasting the next dawn. You need to follow this cycle for a whole month. If planned well, it has long-lasting health benefits. Continue reading to know what happens to your body when you fast for 14 to 16 hours.  What happens to your body when you fast for 14 to 16 hours? Speeds Up The Metabolism Fasting assists to energise your metabolism by giving your digestive system a rest because it burns through the calories more efficiently. When your digestion is poor, this can affect your ability to metabolise food and burn fat. Fasting regulates your digestion promoting healthy bowel function. In this way, fasting improves your metabolic function. Read Ramadan Iftar Ideas: Healthy foods, drinks to break your fast Weight loss Fasting works like magic to lose weight. It can help both obese and non-obese people to lose weight. The connection to fasting is that when you fast, less energy is coming in than going out. That’s why you lose weight. When you are fasting you burn more calories than you take. As a result, you lose fat and improve body composition just by splitting those calories into two meals rather than three.  Improves Hunger When you don’t take any food for 14 to 16 hours, you experience real hunger. Fasting helps to regulate the hormones in your body so that you experience what true hunger is. Therefore, take fasting as a reset button. The longer you fast, the more your body can regulate itself to release the correct hormones. Also Read: Ready for Ramadan? How to Prepare Your Body for Fasting? Develops Your Eating Patterns Fasting is a helpful practice for people who suffer from binge eating disorders. The month-long fasting is also helpful for those who find it difficult to establish a correct eating pattern due to work and other priorities. When you are fasting all afternoon without a meal, it can allow you to eat at a set time and helps you to set your lifestyle.  Ketosis Your hormone insulin of course stays low with your break from eating. Consequently, low insulin helps you burn body fat and make ketones. The fat-burning system is called ketosis which may have the following health benefits: - More stable energy - Reduced cravings - Better appetite control - Enhanced mental acuity - Increased “good” HDL cholesterol - Lower blood sugar and insulin levels - Lower blood pressure - Improvements to metabolic syndrome Read Healthy Sehri Ideas: What to eat and avoid for Sehri during Ramadan Lower blood sugar If a person consumes carbs constantly —their blood sugar stays chronically elevated. This is known as hyperglycemia and is defined as a clinical feature of type 2 diabetes. This causes huge complications, including heart disease. In this situation, fasting may be part of the solution. Studies have shown that fasting lowered average blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Promotes Longevity The younger your body is, the faster and more systematic your metabolism will be. But none of us are getting younger anymore. Therefore, we have to be careful about the process of ageing and relative health issues. You need to remember that the primary effect of ageing is a slower metabolism. Naturally, when you eat less, the less toll it takes on your digestive system. There is a saying- the less you eat the longer you will live. If you believe it, surely it is for you. Read Savory Lassi: 7 Easy Recipes to Try at Home Improves Your Immune System Fasting contributes to improving your immune system by reducing free radical damage, regulating inflammatory conditions in the body, and starving cancer cell formation.  Science has already proved that fasting has a direct connection with Autophagy.  The term Autophagy refers to a natural process in which the cells of a human body can clean out the damaged, dysfunctional, or unnecessary components. Autophagy strengthens the immune system of human health. Contributes To Self-Enlightenment Fasting surely helps you to connect to life because you can get enough time and energy during fasting to practise reading, meditation, and yoga. The digestive system is one of the most energy-absorbing systems in the body. When you have no food in the digestive system, you get more energy in the body.  Besides, fasting creates self-enlightenment in you by helping you feel better both consciously and physically. When your body is light and your mind is clear, you become more aware and grateful for the things around you. Read Delicious Watermelon Ice Cream and Cake Recipes to Try at Home Clear The Skin And Prevent Acne Fasting can help clear the skin as your body is temporarily freed from digestion. Thus, it’s able to focus its regenerative energies on other systems. Not eating anything for a long time helps the body to clean up the toxins and regulate the functioning of other organs of the body such as the liver, kidneys, and other parts. Brain health During fasting, your body burns fat and thus fuels your brain. Naturally, your brain runs entirely on glucose. But when you are fasting, it elevates ketone levels leading to better performance in a variety of mental tasks. It is natural that the ageing brain doesn’t lose its ability to use ketones.  Promotes good sleep Research has shown that fasting may assist to enhance our body's sleep-wake cycle.  Generally, overeating can induce disturbed sleep. During fasting, you eat less, allowing you to sleep better. Read Cooking Without Oil: How and Why? Reduces stress Fasting reduces cortisol (stress hormone) levels and inflammation.  Besides this, fasting allows you to understand how it feels to starve for long hours. Thus, you can be grateful for the food you have. It also makes you sympathetic to those who can’t afford food everyday and encourages you to help those people which in turn gives mental peace. Therefore, fasting is beneficial for your mental health. Heart health Fasting is beneficial to your heart health also. It not only reduces body weight but has also been shown to improve other influential factors of heart health.  Fasting reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides in some of the most rigorous studies leaving positive impacts for heart health.  Fasting also improves multiple cardiovascular risk markers. Read Culinary Schools in Dhaka for Basic Cooking to Professional Chef Courses More productive time Of course, fasting gives you more productive time as you have to invest less time in meal preparations, eating, and cleanup. Besides, ketosis provides a steady energy source for your brain in the form of ketones without having to deal with rapid blood sugar fluctuations, which can enhance sustained concentration. Bottom Line So far, we have discussed the health benefits of fasting in Ramadan. No doubt, fasting is a very popular weight-loss method. It serves as a reset system of the digestive system of a human body. Fasting promotes autophagy which is good for the human immune system. Furthermore, fasting leaves positive impacts on the heart and brain. Besides, realisation of hunger during fasting makes you a grateful, kind and sympathetic person. Fasting helps you to feel satisfaction with your current achievements or possessions. On the whole, Ramadan fasting helps you live a longer, healthier and peaceful life.  Read 10 Grocery Shopping Apps in Bangladesh: An Overview