Staying hydrated in Ramadan can help you feel alert and more energized. Not having enough fluid can cause dehydration and dizziness. Although drinking fluids is the primary way to stay hydrated, it isn’t the only way. Solid food can contribute to your daily intake as well. Check out the list below of the best foods for hydration!
But first, a bit about water
Water is your best choice of drink. It’s a sunnah to break your fast with it, and the Prophet Muhammad pbuh encouraged it at suhoor as well.
“Have Suhoor even if it is a mouthful of water.” (Ibn Hibban)
Our bodies are mostly made up of water, using it for digestion, removing wastes, transporting nutrients, regulating blood pressure, and much more [1].
1. Cucumbers
This crisp and refreshing vegetable is mostly water - for this reason, it contains small amounts of potassium, magnesium and vitamin C [2].
Tip: Try cucumbers and dip at iftar or have it with some dates, as 'Abdullah b. Ja'far reported:
“I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) eating cucumber with fresh dates.” (Sahih Muslim)
2.Watermelon
A great fruit to have at iftar as it contains simple carbohydrates that your body will quickly absorb. What gives it its red color is lycopene- an antioxidant, and contains other nutrients like vitamin A & C [2].
Tip: Include these in some rainbow fruit kebabs at iftar or in a refreshing smoothie.
3. Strawberries
Strawberries are not only juicy but packed with antioxidants (like vitamin C) and soluble fibre - the type of fibre that helps improve blood cholesterol, control blood sugars and may help with diarrhea. It’s a great addition to suhoor as it will help to slow the digestion of carbohydrates [3].
Tip: top off your oatmeal, parfait, or pancakes with these berries!
4. Milk & Yogurt
Milk is unique - it’s like a food and a drink. It contains all three macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat) and also has calcium, vitamin A, D & B12 (which help keep our bones, muscles, nerves and eyes healthy) [4].
On the night journey (Al Mi’raj), RasoolAllah s.a.w chose the cup containing milk for the ummah (community) and Jibril a.s. said
“Praise be to Allah Who guided you to Al-Fitra (the right path)” (Bukhari)
Many yogurts contain similar nutrients to milk but also contain probiotics- good bacteria beneficial for our gut health [5].
Tip: At suhoor, have plain milk or yogurt in a smoothie, oatmeal, parfait, or have it at iftar with some fruit or as a chaat (chickpeas with yogurt),
5. Vegetables
Romaine lettuce, celery, bell peppers, tomato- all these veggies have more than 90% water. They’re perfect for a salad to have with your iftar meal. They’re also packed with nutrients like fibre, antioxidants, folate, vitamin A, C & K [2,6].
6. Soup
Soups can be a part of your daily fluid intake - they’re mostly water based. Soups are great to have at iftar as they are filled with nutrients from vegetables, legumes like lentils, whole grains, or lean poultry.
7. Juicy Fruit like Cantaloupe, Peaches, Oranges, and Grapefruit
These fruits are more than 88% water but with so much flavour & nourishment. Vitamin A, C, B6, folate, and potassium are a few of the many nutrients you’ll get!
Tip: add these fruits to salads, smoothies, yogurt or on their own!
Staying hydrated during Ramadan may seem hard, especially when the hours of eating & drinking are limited. Maximize your fluid intake with these foods and remember water is always your best choice of drink!
Ramadan Mubarak,
Sadaf Shaikh, PMDip, RD
*Please be aware that these are general guidelines. Nutrition and intake vary by age, sex, height, activity, being pregnant or breastfeeding, and medical conditions. For more information or to book an nutrition counselling appointment, contact sadafshaikh.rd@gmail.com or visit www.sadafshaikh.ca.
References:
[1] Dietitians of Canada (2014). Guidelines for drinking fluids to stay hydrated [online] Available at: https://www.dietitians.ca/getattachment/becace49-3bad-4754-ac94-f31c3f04fed0/FACTSHEET-Guidelines-for-staying-hydrated.pdf.aspx [Accessed 28 Apr. 2019].
[2] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019.
Fdc.nal.usda.gov.
[3] Unlock Food (2018). Facts on Soluble Fibre. Accessed from:
https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Fibre/Facts-on-Soluble-Fibre.aspx
[4] Unlock Food (2019). All About Cow’s Milk. Accessed from:
https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Cooking-And-Food/Milk,-Yogurt-and-Cheese/All-About-Cow-s-Milk.aspx[5]Unlock Food (2018).
The Pros of Probiotics. Accessed from:
https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Digestion/The-Pros-of-Probiotics.aspx
[6] Unlock Food (2017). All About Tomatoes. Accessed from:
https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Cooking-Food-Preparation/It%E2%80%99s-Time-for-Tomatoes!.aspx
