Ashu’s Curiosity
Hi Guys, I am back again with a new curiosity in my mind.
It was my friend Iqbal, who asked me to find a list of foods to eat in Sehri. Iqbal is a devoted Muslim who is observing Ramadan fasting since his teenage.
Although he loves to eat a variety of dishes in sehri, he is concentrating on adding only those foods that are healthy & nutritious at the same time.
Last year, when he ate some fried foods in sehri. It turned out to be a disastrous decision because he had to skip some days of fasting due to vomiting & diarrhea.
Due to that, this year he is adamant about only having those foods for sehri that are easy to digest, hydrate his body & provide sufficient energy during the fasting period.
Know Ur Diet is the only platform where I can find a complete list of those foods. So, let us discuss what I found on it:
What is Sehri & Why it is Important?
Sehri or Suhoor is a pre-dawn meal that a Muslim must take in the morning before starting the fast. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) emphasized sehri because it provides the required energy & fulfils nutritional needs.
It is important to eat nutritious & healthy foods for sehri so that you can have sufficient energy to prevent fatigue, hunger prangs & dehydration throughout the day. You can find multiple healthy sehri ideas online but you need to plan your Sehri for 30 days as per your dietary needs.
Interesting Fact about Sehri (Suhoor)
There is no specific time for Sehri or Suhoor because in Arabic it means “Dawn Meal”. This means that when there is iftar time in the USA then there will be Sehri in India or the Indian subcontinent.
“There is blessing in eating suḥūr; so, do not skip it, even if one of you has a sip of water. For indeed Allah and His Angels send blessings and mercy on those who eat suḥūr”
– Prophet Mohammad
10 Healthy & Best Foods for Sehri
Here, we will discuss 10 healthy sehri ideas that can help you fulfil your nutritional requirements & support you throughout the fasting period:
Oatmeal
Considering oatmeal as a sehri food is a great decision because of its nutritional content & health benefits. It contains a lot of complex carbohydrates & dietary fibers making it a preferred choice.
Fiber & complex carbs provide essential energy throughout the day & prevent hunger prangs during fasting hours. Leave 1 cup of oats soaked in water overnight. This makes your oatmeal have more water content & hydrates your body for the fasting hours.
Eggs & Other Protein Foods
Protein is an essential nutrient that you need during Ramadan for sustaining throughout the fasting hours. Eggs are packed with proteins & healthy fats that you need for muscle development & muscle recovery.
You can also add other protein foods like chicken breast and seafood. If you are a person who is not comfortable with animal foods then there are multiple plant-based protein sources like soy products, Legumes & Beans.
Read more : Should You Eat Chicken Breast for Protein?
Bananas
When you are asking what to eat in sehri, then your answer should include Banana. The reason is simple. Bananas contain some essential nutrients such as potassium and carbohydrates that provide you with energy for a long period.
Not only that bananas are a great source of natural sugar that helps you regulate your blood sugar level throughout the fasting period. Dietary fibers can support better digestion & growth of gut bacteria to prevent any stomach-related problems.
Oranges
If you are searching for a fruit to add to your list of foods for sehri that can hydrate your body, then orange is a great option. Oranges are part of a wider citrus family which means it is rich in Vitamin C. You need this Vitamin to boost your antioxidant level against diseases.
You can have oranges in a raw form but as we know sehri has limited time & chewing oranges during that can be time-consuming. So, you can have orange juice instead of it. Electrolytes & natural sugars in oranges can provide the required energy.
Nuts
You can get many suggestions to eat nuts during iftar but these nutrient-loaded foods can be a good choice for your sehri foods as well. Add nuts such as Almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts & peanuts to your sehri.
You can take them after soaking overnight in water or milk. Not only that, you have the option of roasting them with desi ghee. Nuts also contain a lot of antioxidants that can help you boost your immunity against illnesses during Ramadan.
Chia Seeds
If you are a person who loves to have some dessert in sehri, then go for chia pudding. This sweet dish contains Chia seeds, tiny seeds containing a lot of nutrients like protein, dietary fibers & even healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids.
Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants like tocopherols & polyphenols. These bioactive compounds are effective in neutralising the free radicals to prevent oxidative stress on internal organs.
Read more : Chia Seeds for Weight Loss: 6 Proven Health benefits
Milk & Smoothies
During Ramadan, most Muslims love to eat milk-based desserts in their iftar & sehri. But the same milk can be used to prepare smoothies. The reason behind our recommendation for a smoothie as a sehri food is based on different fruits that you can add to the smoothie.
If you are a person who is suffering from lactose intolerance then you can use milk alternatives like coconut milk or almond milk in preparing smoothies.
Vegetables
Nutritionists suggest that adding vegetables in the form of salads or curry can provide you with not only essential nutrients, but you will also get energy for the fasting hours. Vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, and leafy greens like spinach & kale should be part of your foods to eat in sehri.
These vegetables are also rich in water content. This can hydrate your body preventing dehydration. Remember that your vegetable curry for sehri shouldn’t be too spicy or oily because it can upset your stomach & can spoil your weight goals.
Curd
If you want to add something to your sehri that can ease digestion & provide the required nutrition then curd is a great option. Curd is loaded with probiotics which can support gut health by developing good bacteria in the stomach.
Curd, being sourced from milk contains most of similar nutrient content. It is high in protein & calcium which means it can support your metabolism during the fasting period.
Potato & Rice
Here, we are including both rice & potato together because they are a great source of complex carbohydrates that can boost your energy levels. These carbs are needed to prevent fatigue throughout the day.
If you are a person who is a fitness enthusiast & avoid white rice from your meal plan, then you can go for brown rice as well. Similarly, sweet potato is a great substitute for regular potato & even provides more nutrients than it.
Other Healthy Sehri Ideas in Ramadan
Along with diet, you should follow certain healthy steps to make your Ramadan fasting effective in weight loss. Some of them are:
Hydrate Yourself
As we know, during Ramadan fasting, a person is restricted to even drink water. So, in the sehri, you should put water & other healthy drinks in priority. This is essential to prevent dehydration throughout the day.
Prevent Overeating
Ramadan is a month of self-discipline & physical cleansing. That should also reflect in your eating habits. You should avoid overeating during Iftar & Sehri to support your digestion & eat only that much you need to have energy throughout the day.
Avoid Fried Foods & High-Sugar Foods
As we mentioned above, during Ramadan month you should avoid fried foods or oily foods for Sehri. The reason is simple. Foods that are high in vegetable oil can disrupt your digestion & can spoil your weight management goals. Similarly, they can aggravate cholesterol levels which is dangerous for your heart.
Physical Activity
During Ramadan, it is more difficult to continue with your high-intensity physical training. But you can opt for some light physical activities like walking & cycling before sehri & post-Iftar. This is vital to maintain your metabolism & put down some weight.
Conclusion
Here, we have discussed ten healthy foods for sehri that should be part of your Ramadan diet throughout the 30 days. They are your best foods for Sehri because these options are low in calorie, high in nutritional value & eases digestion.
They are also great source of dietary fibers & protein which means they maintains metabolism during fasting. Healthy sehri ideas also include other non-dietary practices like proper hydration & a little physical activities.
