Nutrition Tips for Ramadan

Introduction

This document is intended to help those observing the Islamic practice of Ramadan in which individuals fast from sunrise to sunset for up to 30 days during the ninth lunar month of the Islamic calendar. Please note that Ramadan is not recommended for individuals with chronic illnesses, who are breastfeeding, have diabetes or are menstruating.

How does fasting affect the body?

During the daylight hours, when no food or drink is consumed, the body begins to use its own stores of energy in order to maintain function. This energy is generally sourced from our supply of carbohydrates within the body in the form of ‘glycogen’ which is stored in the liver. The body does not have similar storage for water and instead adapts the amount of fluid your kidney’s filter out. However, water is still lost through urine, breathing and sweat throughout the day.

For this reason it is important to make sure that we are adequately fuelling ourselves during the periods of suhoor and iftar especially when athletic training is involved.

Will Ramadan affect your performance?

So far, research into the effects of Ramadan on performance has shown that athletes are able to train and compete within the fasted state with little impact on performance provided they are optimizing their sleep nutrition and hydration.

Will Ramadan make you lose weight?

Given the time-restricted nature of Ramadan it can be common for individuals to lose weight during this time. This is likely as a result of the difficulty some people find in consuming their regular amount of calories during the short amount of time allocated to eating and drinking. 

How to maintain or manipulate weight while fasting?
Given the tendency for weight loss during this period it is important to plan for intake according to your weight goals. This means that you should try to have an understanding of the amount of calories and macro nutrients you should be aiming for at both iftar and suhoor. Below are some tips depending on your goals.

Tips for increasing energy during suhoor and iftar (weight maintenance or gain)

1.     Aim for foods with high energy density and protein content. High protein foods include meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt etc.), legumes/beans, nuts/seeds and tofu.

2.     Fortify foods by adding cream, nuts, fruit or cheese.

3.     Replace low calorie drinks (black coffee, tea, water) with high energy drinks such as milk or juice based drinks.

Tips for reducing energy during suhoor and iftar (weight loss)

1.     Aim for foods that are lower in energy density. For example foods that are high in fibre can be consumed in greater amounts without significantly increasing calories. Examples of low energy foods include salads, non-starchy vegetables and sugar free alternatives and drinks.

General tips for Ramadan

In addition to food, hydration and sleep are important to consider for optimizing health and performance during Ramadan.

·       Aim for 8-9 hours of sleep per night

·       Make sure to drink 30-35mL/kg of body weight during the allowed times and 1.25x any weight lost at training.

·       Consult with a dietitian or health professional for insight into your caloric and macro-nutrient requirements during this time.