There’s just a month and a half left as the UAE gears up for the most auspicious time of the year, Ramadan 2025. While some are sandwiched in the process of completing work before the month kicks off, many are looking at various ways to prepare themselves to ensure their health is prioritized.
Thoughts such as taking supplements, managing sugar cravings, and handling spicy food cravings when breaking the fast often take center stage. Here’s a quick guide to ensure everything is looked after in the right manner.
Nutritionist, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Viktor Ristic, said, “To ensure that we have plenty of nutrient-rich food, I’d definitely advise people to aim for meals that will have a balanced ratio of all macronutrients (carbs/ proteins/ fats) with a lot of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables alongside high-quality protein sources.”
We discussed why mindful eating patterns are a must knowing kids these days get lured to unhealthy food in no time.
“I’d say that the biggest challenge kids have is snacks and aiming for highly palatable processed food like chips, puffs, sweets, etc. That is actually coming at the cost of having an appetite for a proper and well-balanced meal. Advise: Find what is their favorite snack/ food and try to make a healthy/ homemade version of it that will be made with higher quality ingredients and less processed sugar and oil,” Viktor added.
Ristic also elaborated on why people develop sugar addiction, calling it a “multilayered problem.”
“People definitely consume more sugar on average, but sugar is not the only one to blame. Sugary foods that people consume are on average high in fat as well and contain a lot of calories (calorie density foods) while having a low amount of protein and fibre. The absence of which results in low satiety and makes those foods less filling which leads us to consume even more of it,” he remarked.
Lastly, touching upon the increase in fatigue cases in the UAE, Viktor believes the main issue is “food accessibility.”
“Everything and anything is one click away,” he was quick to highlight.
“The second issue is that people in UAE often eat out and consume a high amount of fast food. That automatically drives calorie consumption through the roof since meals out are made with much more oils, marinades, butter, and other flavor-enhancing techniques, which makes it super hard to control portions,” he elaborated.
Tips to consider:
Try to find healthier versions of meals that you enjoy and use cooking techniques that save calories, such as air frying, oven baking, steaming, etc.
Fatigue and inflammation can chronically result from a combination of factors:
- Poor sleep quality
- High levels of stress
- Bad dietary patterns (as discussed above)
- Regular consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, or vapes
