Tips to eat healthy while breaking Ramadan fast

Ensuring the right kind of nutrition for your body is important when you go for daylong fasts during the holy month of Ramadan. To ward off fatigue, much care should be given to how, when and what you eat before and after sawm - the dawn-to-dusk fasting.

Experts suggest a heavy and nutritious meal at the start so that the body is kept satiated for the rest of the day.

Nutritionist Umang Agarwal, founder and CEO, Umang World, shares some tips on how to have the Suhoor and Iftar meals and what to eat to keep your body healthy during this period:

Suhoor (early morning):

- Never skip the early morning meal that is Suhoor/Sehri as that is the fundamental meal your body depends for the rest of the day.

- Start your day with some nuts soaked overnight, followed by a juice or milk along with fruits.

- To ensure that you feel full during the rest of the day, opt for high-fibre foods such as multigrain breads with paneer/ chicken/ eggs along with vegetables.

- Oats / multigrain atta for stuffed parantha with paneer or egg bhurji cooked on a non-stick pan will keep your body satiated for the day.

Iftar (dinner time):

- In the evening, open your fast with a glass of lime juice with sugar and salt in it to provide your body with the much-needed hydration.

- Dates are both customary and important as they are a high source of energy and rich in vital nutrients.

- People who are diabetic can avoid dates and those who are lactose intolerant can opt for soya milk instead of regular milk.

- After a little gap, eat a proper meal that includes brown rice or high fibre roti with lots of vegetable salad, plus lean meat/ fish/ eggs.