Healthy Ramadan Diet Guide: 5 Essential Foods to Eat and What to Avoid While Fasting

Which foods should I eat — and which foods should I avoid — to enjoy a healthier Ramadan?

February 20, 2025

Healthy eating during Ramadan is not very different from healthy eating during any other month. To start with, here are 5 important healthy eating habits tips for any time of year:

1- Eat a variety of foods

No one category of food can give you all the nutrients you need. A healthy diet always includes all of the following:

• Carbohydrates or sugars
• Protein
• Some fat and oil
• Fiber
• Vitamins and minerals

2- Eat the amount of food your body needs

When you eat more food than your body needs, the extra calories are stored as fat.

3- Eat a lot of grain products, vegetables and fruits

Plant foods are highly recommended because they include few calories and lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals. In addition, they have no cholesterol and are low in fat.

4- Eat foods that are low in fat and cholesterol

5- Eat sweets and sugary foods in moderation

5 healthy eating tips for Ramadan

Fasting during Ramadan should not be a diet plan: you should eat the amount of food you need to maintain your normal weight. However, if you are overweight, Ramadan offers an opportunity to start eating healthy and lose weight in the months that follow.

1. Eat food that takes longer to digest: Eating food that takes longer to digest is particularly useful for the meal before dawn (Suhoor), because the digestive system releases energy into the body more slowly during the fast. Examples of slow-digesting food are grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils and unpolished rice.
2. Eat foods with lots of fiber: Fiber is good for digestive health and regular bowel movements. Examples of foods that contain fiber are bran, whole wheat, grains, and seeds. Most vegetables, such as green beans, peas, cabbage, zucchini, and spinach, are a good source of fiber. Most fruits, including dried unsweetened fruits, are excellent sources of fiber.
3. Avoid fried and fatty foods: Fried and fatty foods can cause indigestion and heartburn. They are also high in calories and can cause weight gain.
4. Drink lots of water: Drink plenty of water at Suhoor, the meal before dawn, as well as between the Iftar dinner and bedtime, to avoid dehydration and so that your body can adjust fluid levels while you fast.
5. Avoid caffeine: Avoid caffeine at Suhoor. Coffee is a diuretic and makes you pass urine. This will make you lose water from your body, as well as mineral salts that are needed as you fast during the day.
   
   A sudden decrease in caffeine intake can cause headaches, mood swings, and irritability. It is advisable to begin reducing caffeine intake about a week before Ramadan.

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