Health Benefits of Eating Dates During Ramadan Iftar
Fasting is mandatory for Muslims during Ramadan to observe spiritual and physical well-being.
Muslims eat three dates to break their fast.
Eating dates on Iftar has a lot of health benefits.
Fasting is a mandatory religious obligation of Muslims. The Holy month of Ramadan is for its family, delicious food, and special sweets served on Iftar. Traditionally, breaking the fast is done by eating dates. After sundown, Muslims break their fast with dates and water or milk. Dates are mentioned many times in the Qur’an, the Prophet said that the best way to break the fast is by having dates. After having the dates, they could also choose to eat a small amount of food. Then, after the daily evening prayer, they eat a full Iftar meal. So what are the advantages of eating dates for Iftar?
To have a healthy Iftar, we recommend breaking your fast with two to three dates and some water. This step gives you a boost of energy and hydration before your main meal. This will also be helpful if you suffer from headaches that are usually caused by fasting for long hours.
Dates and energy
During fasting hours, the body starts using its stores of fat and protein to produce energy. Dates are found rich in sugars, mainly fructose and glucose. 100 g of dates can provide an average of 314 kcal which makes them a great source of energy after fasting.
Dates and minerals
After long hours of fasting, energy is drained so eating dates will boost the body. Dates are rich in iron, magnesium, calcium, and copper making them the best choice to include in your diet. Additionally, the seeds contain aluminum, cadmium, chloride, lead, and sulfur in various proportions. Fluorine, found in dates, is useful in protecting teeth against decay and selenium prevents cancer.
Dates and digestion
Breaking the fast with dates will ease up digestion. Fibers are good for digestion and help prevent constipation. Luckily dates are high in fiber, (8.0 g/100 g).
Dates and antioxidants
Antioxidants are molecules that help prevent or reduce cell damage. Dates are a good source of antioxidants, mainly carotenoids, phenolics, and vitamin C are found in dates.
Adding dates to your Iftar
Dates can be stuffed easily once the pits in the center are removed, then they can be stuffed with different ingredients such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, cheese, or even peanut butter. Or you can add them with salads, pit and chop the dates and then add them on the top of salads. Try combining dates with walnuts and apples or with grapes, and cottage cheese.
During the fasting period of the Holy month, you need to find the right balance in foods. Including a healthy Iftar is the first step. Breaking the fast with dates will keep you energized until the next day. It will also help you nourish your body with minerals and fibers. This Ramadan, let’s work on our mindset!
Summary
Iftar meals help us to re-energize our hydration and drain energy from the body. Lavish meals at Iftar times usually start with dates. This is because of their many benefits.
SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION:
Iftar: The meal eaten by Muslims after sunset during Ramadan.
