Guide to healthy fasting: Drinks to avoid during Ramadan

16-6-2016/ During fasting, human body loses liquids, which is why one needs healthy drink after or during iftar in order to avoid dehydration in an effective manner.

Dehydration may also cause undesirable side effects such as: constipation, headache, dizziness, tiredness and dry skin.

Avoid tea, coffee:

Avoid having too many cups of tea or coffee as the caffeine leads to loss of water which increases thirst. More so, sugary foods or drinks, get digested very quickly and could leave you feeling hungry sooner than you would expect. Having said that, drinking too much water is also not advisable. It will dilute the stomach acids and lead to bloating and indigestion.

Avoid fizzy drinks:

During the evening hours, resist the temptation to drink aerated cola and soda. When visiting friends or family, ask for glasses of water. Try to avoid drinking fizzy water in Ramadan, because this causes digestion problems and a sense of fullness and decreases the quality of digestion.

Drinking too much of the Ramadan drinks and other soft drinks will fill up your stomach and delay your digestion process Footnote - If you are in the habit of drinking many cups of tea or coffee or caffeine –containing drinks during the day, please start reducing over a period of 1-2 weeks before Ramadan. Tea and coffee contain caffeine, an addictive substance that causes severe headaches on withdrawal.

Why is water important:

Water is the most important fluid that replenish your thirst during Ramadan. Unfortunately though, most people do not drink enough but have only small amounts at iftar. Unlike water, other fluids contain a lot of sugar and can result in you consuming extra calories If you feel like a headache is coming on or light-headed, you’re probably dehydrated. Fresh fruits, juices and veggies with high water content will keep you hydrated.

Coconut water is a great source of electrolytes with simple sugars and minerals that replenish water loss. Add cool foods like cucumbers, pineapple, tomatoes, oranges, melons and onions which help in reducing body heat. Keep away from salty foods as they increase fluid loss in your body.