The health benefits of fasting are many, but they will not be fully achieved if the fasting person does not have a healthy Suhoor meal rich with vitamins and necessary minerals for the body, along with sufficient amount of water so that the fasting person does not suffer from any problems due to dehydration.
The importance of Suhoor lies in stimulating the digestive system and maintaining the level of sugar in the blood, preventing feelings of fatigue, lethargy and laziness. Suhoor also maintains the general body balance, especially during the long hours of fasting, according to health experts.
The Ministry of Health has reiterated the importance of Suhoor in the holy month of Ramadhan since having a healthy Suhoor meal relieves the feeling of hunger and thirst, provided that the Suhoor does not contain salty foods, fatty foods with a lot of oils, soft drinks, spices and spicy foods. These items are heavy on the body and increase sweating and cause thirst.
The Suhoor meal must also contain all the important nutrients such as starches, minerals, proteins and vitamins provided that such food items are easy to digest so as not to overburden the stomach.
The importance of pre-emptive Suhoor lies in the fact that it protects people from any problems that may be caused by lack of water or food, such as headaches, dizziness, constipation, blood pressure problems, and feeling unwell.
The Suhoor meal is ideal for children too, as children who have reached ten years of age are eager to share the fast with their parents. It is necessary to focus on giving them a healthy Suhoor meal, as it is more difficult to tolerate the fast among children.
Nutrition experts recommend that children’s Suhoor meal in Ramadan should include eggs or cheese, with bread, dates, a spoonful of white honey and milk, given that these foods contain important “vitamin B”, protein, calcium and starches.
Such recommended food items activate the digestion process in the children, as well as provide them with energy for a long time during the day.
Health experts advise young and old to have Suhoor meal during the last part of the night (shortly before the dawn), in order to enable the body to benefit from all the nutrients for long time.
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