Breaking the fast is a highly anticipated moment during Ramadan. Usually, sweet foods and drinks become the must-have menu during iftar. In addition, the presence of cakes and biscuits is like heaven, especially for sweet lovers. However, excessive consumption of sweet foods needs attention to avoid any health risks in the future.
According to nutritionist Dr. Christopher Andrian, M.Gizi, SpGK from RS Siloam TB Simatupang, there is no problem with breaking the fast with sweet foods. It is useful to restore the decreased blood sugar level during fasting. However, excessive consumption of sweet foods should be avoided to prevent drowsiness and hunger.
"Drinking sweet foods is okay, but don't overdo it. The effect will make you sleepy because all blood flow goes directly there. And, the risk of hunger will increase again. Why? Because when we drink sweet foods, the body's insulin will rise to balance the sugar entering the body. As insulin rises, blood sugar will quickly drop, resulting in hunger responses, so we will eat more," explained Dr. Christopher.
He said that some people might consider fasting as an opportunity to manage their diet and eating patterns. However, many people gain weight after fasting. This condition is due to consuming all the daily calories during iftar with sweet foods.
"All the calories have been consumed when they eat takjil, fried food with peanut sauce, iced fruit mix, and coconut milk-based drinks. Those contain around 1,000 calories in one meal," he added.
"At that time, they are still hungry. Don't eat heavy foods immediately. Take a break. Pray for Maghrib first, and wait for an hour. When our body has digested the takjil, the hunger feeling will go away. Then, we can eat heavy foods. If we eat all the snacks in front of us right away, that will be a problem," he continued.
When breaking the fast, Dr. Christopher suggested consuming fruits with high water content, such as watermelons. Consuming three dates is also recommended.
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