Entering the month of Ramadan, food and beverage preparation are the things that are needed to be served by Muslims during suhoor and iftar. Lecturer of the Bachelor of Public Health Program at Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus), Vilda Ana Veria Setyawati, S.Gz., M.Gizi. warned the public that they should avoid drinking tea and coffee during sohuur.
Both of the drinks will cause a lot of fluid to come out of the human body during the entire day of fasting. Hence, It causes urine to come out faster. Vilda also reminded the local community to avoid eating fried foods, soto, fried noodles, and fried rice during suhoor. Some of the foods she mentions are able to cause thirst.
"If you only have the option to drink coffee or tea, you should avoid drinking them near Imsak time," said Vilda.
Vilda also advised people to avoid activities that are too long under the heat of the sun. Being too long under the sun can cause our body fluid to quickly decrease and weaken our body. Vilda also added, that during iftar we should avoid consuming cold drinks because it may shock our body temperature and decline the food or drink.
“Usually, people who are accustomed to consuming cold drinks during iftar will experience colds and coughs. Sweet and warm food and drinks should be consumed when breaking the fast or iftar. This allows the body to adapt first. Starts by drinking tea or kolak," she explained.
High Calorie
Not only at sohuur, deep-fried foods must also be avoided when breaking the fast during Ramadan. In addition to high calories, oily foods are also bad for health. She suggested, that to avoid our body being dehydrated during fasting, we have to meet the needs of body fluids by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. The right composition is two glasses at sohuur, two glasses at iftar, and four glasses in the evening.
"At least drink a glass of warm teas or dates fruit, and sweet pastries to avoid problems for our body. Otherwise, stomach acid production will rise and trigger stomach disease. Drinking water must also be considered at the time, " she said.
On the other hand, it is also necessary to consume whole milk and consume juicy fruits at suhoor. By eating and drinking as suggested, it can help withstand hunger and maintain the feeling of fullness for a long time. The recommended fruits include melons, oranges, pears, and others.
“Don't eat too much rice during suhoor. Rice can be replaced with bread, cereal, or tubers because rice is a simple carbohydrate so it can cause the feeling of hunger rapidly. Eating complex carbohydrates does not make you full, instead, it will make you feel hungry quickly. And of course, we have to fill it with vegetables too, " Vilda concluded. (Udinus Public Relation/Alex. Photo: PR Udinus)
