Ramadan
Healthy Iftar Meal Recipes for Breaking Ramadan Fasting
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
How to Lose Weight in Ramadan?
Ramadan is the holy month of fasting for Muslims around the world. Ramadan fasting abstains people from food and drink between the hours of sunrise and sunset. Ramadan fasting is also a form of intermittent fasting, which is popular to lose weight. Fasting of Ramadan allows followers of the Islam faith to focus on prayer and gratitude. Besides the religious significance, Ramadan fasting offers a bunch of health benefits. For instance, it is an excellent opportunity to shed extra weight as well. Continue reading to explore how to shed weight in Ramadan.
Foods to Help Weight Loss through Ramadan Fasting
Ramadan happens once a year and lasts for one lunar month. During Ramadan millions of adult Muslims worldwide cycle between periods of eating and fasting. People generally eat two meals a day during Ramadan: a meal before dawn (Suhoor or Sheri) and a meal after sunset (Iftar), which breaks the fast. Some also take another meal; super. As the Ramadan fast is a type of intermittent fasting, you can take foods that are effective to lose weight.
Healthy Suhoor for Weight Loss
As you need to start your whole day fasting with Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, it should be wholesome and satisfying. Make sure you take healthy foods to provide your body with sufficient energy throughout a day of fasting.
Read Ramadan Fasting Benefits: Impacts on health when you fast for 16 hours
So, you need to eat a balanced meal with complex carbohydrates like wholegrain bread in place of refined white bread and proteins like cheese or eggs. If you can take this combination, it will make you feel full for longer and ensure a stable glucose level in the blood, so you don’t get too hungry during the day.
According to research restricting dietary salt leads to rapid weight loss. So, you must avoid salty foods; canned items, salted snacks, and spicy foods to lose weight. Besides, you should control your temptation to make desserts because the processed sugars inside these sweet treats and beverages can quickly gain weight instead of losing.
You can eat foods containing naturally occurring sugars like fruits, dried fruits, and honey. Moreover, make sure you avoid processed foods like fast foods and packaged foods if you really want to lose weight.
Read Ready for Ramadan? How to Prepare Your Body for Fasting?
However, you should not skip suhoor; otherwise, you will be over hungry and end up overeating upon breaking fast after sunset.
Hearty Iftar for Losing Weight
Certainly, you will feel hungry during Iftar after the daylong fasting; but make sure you eat a healthy meal. Try to resist the temptation to cover for missed meals by sesh eating at the break of the fast. Don’t forget to break your fast slowly.
Start your Iftar with high fiber dates that contain naturally-occurring sugars. Dates help to replenish energy lost during long hours of fasting. Moreover, dates are high in nutrition as they are rich in magnesium and protein.
Read 10 Healthy Iftar Drinks for Breaking Ramadan Fasting
Then, take easily digestible foods like soups and salads. Finally, make sure you take portioned main meals, balanced with carbohydrates and proteins. But try to totally avoid fried or fatty foods with high caloric content.
Nutritious Super
During Ramadan, naturally, people who want to lose weight don’t take super except for some. If you are in the line of that some, make sure you take light items in super. As you need to take a healthy suhoor, you must keep your stomach free. You can take a little amount of rice with fish or meat along with vegetables, dal.
Drinks to Help Weight Loss through Ramadan Fasting
Studies have shown that drinking water may help to lose weight. That means you need to make sure you are hydrated. Drinking a glass of water before taking a meal works well to lose weight. Besides, other drinks such as herbal tea-infused water and unsweetened coconut water can be your best choice to lose weight. However, you need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration and help control sugar cravings.
Read Healthy Sehri Ideas: What to eat and avoid for Sehri during Ramadan
Suhoor
Start your suhoor with a glass of water before taking a meal. If you drink at least a glass of water, it will reduce your hunger, and ultimately you will take fewer foods and lose weight.
Generally, Ramadan happens on different dates each year depending on the Islamic lunar calendar. If this year Ramadan is in the summer season, you need to drink enough water otherwise you may experience dehydration that may cause mental confusion or tiredness.
Besides, you can take coconut water which is enriched with potassium and other nutrients.
Read 10 Grocery Shopping Apps in Bangladesh: An Overview
But make sure you avoid caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea. If you take these drinks in suhoor, they will make the body lose even more water as they are diuretics.
Iftar
After a whole day of fasting, you are thirsty. So, you must hydrate the body and prepare the stomach for food. Many like to break their Iftar with coconut water. You can limit creamy soups and focus on ones with clear broth, that is rich in minerals, with added vegetables or legumes. You can take classic lentil soup. Besides, you can take watermelon juice, green mango juice, gur syrup, star fruit juice, and musk melon juice to keep you hydrated.
Super
If you are habituated to taking super after Iftar make sure you drink sufficient water. Try to have lentil soup and/ or vegetable soup at supper.
Read Cooking Without Oil: How and Why?
Activities for Losing Weight during Ramadan Fasting
Although you take fewer calories while fasting, do not remain inactive throughout Ramadan. So, make sure you take regular exercise. Your daily exercise will help maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle by burning excess body fat and maintaining muscle mass.
Half an hour of walking can be best for you. If you are doing high-intensity workouts, it’s best to keep the session to 30 minutes but in the case of low to medium intensity, then workout for 45 minutes.
Besides, as in the month of Ramadan, fasting changes your eating patterns, and your body needs time to adjust and adapt – so it is important to be patient.
Read Delicious Watermelon Ice Cream and Cake Recipes to Try at Home
Moreover, you can do yoga to remain controlled, cool, and motivated. Every day you can do yoga for half an hour.
Ramadan Fasting Benefits: Impacts on health when you fast for 16 hours
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
School days shortened for Ramadan
Secondary and higher secondary educational institutes will remain open till April 20 with two weekly holidays, authorities said on Monday amid demand that educational institutions be closed for Ramadan.
The decision was taken at a ministerial meeting on Monday, MA Khair, Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry told UNB.
READ: Govt primary schools to remain open till 20th Ramadan: Minister
The two weekly holidays will be on Friday and Saturday, he said.
Earlier the ministry requested secondary and higher secondary institutions to continue in-person classes till April 26 to make up for the academic losses of Covid-19 situation.
Ramadan Iftar Ideas: Healthy foods, drinks to break your fast
Ramadan iftar refers to the end of fasting. The fasting starts through Sehri before the rising of the sun. With the sun going down, families, and friends typically gather together to break the fast with various items of food. However, you need to break your fast with some healthy foods and drinks as it’s the meal that refills the energy of your body after fasting almost 12 to 16 consecutive hours of the day. Now, how to plan your meal at Iftar after Ramadan fasting? Stay with us to get some tips.
What to Eat or Drink for a Healthy Iftar during Ramadan
Here are some ideas for a fulfilling iftar for you and your family. These foods and drinks will keep you nourished and healthy.
Liquids
After the daylong fasting, you need to drink plenty of fluids like water, freshly squeezed juice, or milk. It is important to prevent your body from dehydration. Liquids will provide your body with the essential fluids it needs.
Water is the best source of hydration. So, drink one to two glasses of water before your meal but make sure you don’t drink water during your meal because it will delay your digestion process. However, don’t take too many drinks or syrup with sugar.
Read: Healthy Sehri Ideas: What to eat and avoid for Sehri during Ramadan
Dates
Traditionally, people start their iftar with dates. Dates are a nutritious burst of natural sugar that fuels your body with essential energy instantly. Dates can give you enough nutrition.
People who suffer from bad headaches during the fasting hours, most likely caused by low blood sugar, are recommended to begin their iftar with 2 dates to replenish their sugar levels.
Soups
Don’t forget to keep soups in your iftar menus. Souls help you hydrate as they are the source of water. You can take lentil, tomato, or vegetable soup but try to avoid cream-based soup. In the summer season, you may not enjoy warm soup, in this case, you can take cold soups.
Read Ready for Ramadan? How to Prepare Your Body for Fasting?
Vegetables
Vegetables have vitamins, minerals, and fiber and they help to provide you with various nutrients but few calories. Remember that if your salad or vegetables are more colorful, they have more health benefits.
Eating vegetables or salad helps you to eat less of your main dish. They will give you fullness. So, make sure you take at least 2 servings of vegetables per meal. From one serving you will get equal to 1/2 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice or 1 cup of leafy raw vegetables.
Good Carbs
Make sure your iftar meal contains a source of carbohydrates, preferably complex like brown rice, whole grain pasta or bread, potatoes, or burghul. If you take complex carbs, they will provide a more stable and sustainable source of energy in addition to fiber and minerals.
Read Tiffin Ideas: Healthy Recipes for Your Kid's School Lunch Box
Lean protein
At iftar, you need to eat high-quality proteins that are highly digestible and contain all the essential amino acids like beef, milk, yogurt, eggs, cheese, fish, and poultry. These are all complete high-quality proteins. Your body uses these foods to build and maintain muscle mass.
If you want to take little saturated fats make sure you choose lean proteins like fish, skinless chicken or turkey, and low-fat dairy.
If you are vegetarian, don’t worry. Then you can select other protein sources like legumes, beans, and nuts.
Read Yummy Milkshake Ideas, Recipes to Try at Home
What to Avoid at Iftar after Daylong Fasting
After day fasting, we become hungry. Many people tend to eat a huge amount of food when it is time to break the fast at Iftar. It is a great mistake because the body is unable to utilize the energy intake altogether. The body’s metabolism cannot adapt to new eating patterns. Ultimately it creates digestive issues. It may also lead to weight gain in the long run. So, you need to avoid the following food items during Iftar:
Foods high in fat
If you want to be healthy during the whole month of Ramadan, avoid heavy meals for iftar because such foods usually contain a considerable amount of unhealthy fats. You can make your favorite Iftar recipe healthier by trying different cooking styles like stewing, baking, roasting, steaming, or grilling meats or fish. But try to avoid frying the meat, fish or vegetable with oil.
Read: Savory Lassi: 7 Easy Recipes to Try at Home
Caffeinated Drinks
Caffeinated drinks naturally will increase the risk of obesity and can also provoke acidity in your body. If you take caffeine too much, you will always feel thirsty because caffeine doesn’t help in hydration.
Besides, it causes insomnia which is not good at all for you during Ramadan. Lack of sleep makes you weak and consequently, it will be difficult for you to continue fasting. So, make sure you must avoid cold drinks, tea, and coffee.
Spicy, fried foods
If your Iftar meal includes spicy foods like fried vegetables, meat or fish, you will get nothing in terms of nutrition. On the contrary, fried foods will surely increase your acidity. So, you need to avoid spicy and fried food items like samosas, bread rolls, etc. Even sweet and fried dishes such as Gulab Jamun should be avoided. Instead of them, you can take herbs and spices to flavor your meals.
Read Delicious Watermelon Ice Cream and Cake Recipes to Try at Home
Salty food
Salty foods make the body dehydrated. Moreover, salty foods are risky for you if you have high blood pressure. So, during Iftar, don't take nuts, chips, pickles, and foods containing soya sauce.
Sweet Items
If you take so many sugary items in your Iftar, they will increase the level of carbohydrate in your body.
So, you can replace sweets and sweetened drinks with naturally occurring sugar found in fruits, dried fruits, and fruit salads.
Read Cooking Without Oil: How and Why?
Bottom Line
Muslims generally take two meals per day during Ramadan- one is the pre-dawn meal, suhoor and another is the iftar. Iftar is the post-sunset meal that Muslims take to break the day’s fast.
At Iftar, you need to have a hearty and fulfilling meal. Start your iftar by drinking enough water to prevent dehydration. Besides, take fresh fruit juice or milk to replenish the fluids vital to your body. Make sure you take enough liquid and nutrients at iftar.
Try to take your food and drinks slowly at iftar. Because excessive consumption of food and beverages within a short time might have detrimental effects on your health and immune system.
Read 10 Grocery Shopping Apps in Bangladesh: An Overview
People left in the lurch even during Ramadan: Fakhrul
People are in an uncomfortable situation even during the holy month of Ramadan due to the government's failure to control the price hikes in essential goods, BNP Sectary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Sunday.
"We're not able to spend our days in peace and comfort even now during the month of Ramadan. The price of every essential item has shot up. The price of LPG has also been raised," he added.
Read: BNP hosts iftar for orphans, Islamic scholars
Speaking at an iftar party, the BNP leader said the government has failed to control the market and the economy. "Unfortunately, they have created a terrible situation in the country by completely destroying democracy."
BNP hosted the iftar party for orphan students and Islamic scholars on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan at Dhaka Ladies Club.
Fakhrul said they hoped that prices of essentials would go down during Ramadan. "We also expected that the commodity prices would, at least, not go up further. Unfortunately, the price of everything has spiralled upwards abnormally," he said.
The BNP leader said their party has been registering their protest against the continued price hikes of essential goods, on behalf of the people, through different programmes.
He strongly opposed the government's decision to increase the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Read: Govt completely failed to control market ahead of Ramadan: BNP
Condemning the move, the BNP leader said after the increase in the prices of LPG in February and March, the government raised its prices this month for the third month citing a high cost in the international market.
Consumers will now have to buy LPG at a higher price as the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission has re-fixed the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder at Tk1,439 from Tk1,391.
BNP hosts iftar for orphans, Islamic scholars
On the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, the BNP hosted an iftar party for orphan students and Islamic scholars Sunday.
The programme was held at Dhaka Ladies Club in the capital with the participation of nearly 300 orphans and some Islamic scholars.
Read: Govt completely failed to control market ahead of Ramadan: BNP
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and party standing committee members received the guests and exchanged pleasantries with them.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia used to have iftar with orphans and Islamic scholars on the first day of Ramadan every year until her conviction in graft cases in 2018.
Also, the party could not arrange any iftar party in the last two years due to Covid.
Fakhrul said, "Every year we used to have iftar with Khaleda Zia, the beloved leader of 16 crore people. Unfortunately, our leader and the former prime minister is now under house arrest with her physical ailment."
Read: Fakhrul rules out leadership crisis in BNP
Before the iftar, a prayer was offered seeking divine blessings for ailing Khaleda's early recovery and the betterment of the country and its people.
BNP standing committee members Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, chairperson's adviser Abdul Quayum and Ulema Dal convener Moulana M Nesarul Haque also joined the iftar party.
Ctg market to be monitored during Ramadan
Chattogram district administration will monitor various wholesale and retail markets of daily commodities in the city during the month of Ramadan.
Five teams led by the executive magistrate of the district administration will monitor the market, said Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mominur Rahman on Sunday morning.
Read: Fruits become costlier despite enough supply during Ramadan
Three teams will be on the field from 10 am to 1 pm and two teams from 2 pm to 5 pm daily during this holy month, he added.
Several markets including wholesale markets of Pahartali, Chaktai and Khatunganj will be under supervision.
Besides, executive magistrates are also working at the upazila level to keep the prices of the commodities at a tolerable range in the market.
Read: Govt to sell milk, egg, meat at subsidised rates in city during Ramadan: Ministry
The DC said the monitoring team had been working in the field since April 1 ahead of Ramadan.
Apart from checking the price level of the commodities, the teams will check the quality of the goods and see if there is a price list in the store, he said.
People getting benefits of tax reduction on commodities: Commerce Minister
The commerce minister Tipu Munshi MP on Sunday said there is no possibility of shortage of any goods during the Ramadan as there is enough stock.
The prices of almost all goods have remained stable and it will continue, as the ministry is working against illegal stocking and creating panic in the markets, he said.
The minister came up with the remarks while addressing a press briefing after visiting Karwan Bazar, the largest kitchen market in the capital on Sunday.
Also read: Prices of essentials to stay tolerable during Ramadan: PM
Tipu Munshi said the consumers are getting benefits from the tax reduction and tax withdrawing on essential commodities.
Fruits become costlier despite enough supply during Ramadan
Both the domestic and imported fruits have become pricy at the start of this year’s Ramadan compared to last year, despite huge supply in the market.
The fruit importers have blamed higher shipping cost while local traders pointed to high transport cost for price hike of local fruits.
Read: Prices of essentials to stay tolerable during Ramadan: PM
Visiting different city markets on Sunday, the first day of Ramadan, this correspondent saw that imported apple was selling at Tk160 to Tk 240 per kg based on quality, pear Tk 220 to 240 per kg, pomegranate at Tk 220-240 per kg, Malta fruit at Tk 160 to 210 per kg, orang at Tk 140 to 180 per kg, grape at Tk 200 to 230 per kg.
The price of date has been increased by Tk 20 to 25 per kg and this imported fruit was selling between Tk 350 to Tk 1250 per kg based on quality.
Ajoa dates were being sold at Tk 350 per kg, Dhapas dates at Tk 280, Kalmi dates at Tk 300, Farida dates at Tk 280 and plum dates at Tk 240 per kg in the retail market in the old Dhaka.
The superior quality dates of Tunisia, Algeria and Libyan and Mariam were selling between Tk 650 to Tk 1250 per kg in the retail market in the capital.
Md. Sirajul Islam, secretary of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association (BFFIA) told UNB that the supply of foreign fruits has remain stable in this Ramadan.
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He said the prices of imported fruits have increased due to higher shipping charges and devaluation of Bangladesh currency.
At the same time, the domestic transport cost became higher and also impacted fruit, he said.
Among the local fruits guava (Thai) is selling at Tk 70 to 80 per kg, banana at Tk 60 to 120 per dozen, watermelon at Tk 35 to 45 per kg, pineapple at Tk 30 to 50 per piece, Mango (green) at Tk 250 to 300 per kg, and Dragon at Tk 450 to 550 per kg.