The Holy month of Ramadan means late night shopping, eating out at night, jam packed roads and stores, and more. It also means an evening full of the unhealthiest food to eat on an empty stomach! In an attempt to not ruin any cultural traditions in Ramadan foods, no one is asking everyone let go of your favorite samosas, peyajus or begunis at Iftar. But, what you must know is that it’s possible to bake them instead of fry, so consider that preparing them another way could help tame keep heartburn at bay. You might be able to bake, broil, grill, or roast some foods instead of frying them. And you could trim extra fat off meat and poultry, and cut the skin off chicken.
When something is fried in oil, it increases the caloric density a lot which means bad fats and empty calories to your food. Many assume that deep-fried vegetable like mushroom or cauliflowers are nutritious. But the fact is, the deep-frying process can actually obliterate a lot of beneficial minerals and vitamins, as nothing that’s been deep-fried will ever be even close to healthy. If any food in oil is submerged, whether it’s a potato or some flour items, oil increases the calories, as fat is soaked up into every accessible space, in the food being fried. Oil also steals the natural mineral and oxidants required for our body, and turns the food into a tasteful dish with nothing to offer. It destroys the good nutrients in the food so we end up eating empty calories. There is nothing in it our body can use to improve its functions. And as we all know extra fat leads to obesity, which itself is the cause of many diseases. Fried foods are heavy in oil and that makes them harder to digest, especially when they’re the first foods to be eaten after a long fast. Let’s put aside the fried sweets for Eid ul Fitr (the celebration that comes after the month of fasting) and try to stick to fresher desserts like fruit salads, or custards.
So now that we know the know-hows of how oily food is affecting us so terribly, maybe we can cut back on the favourites on Ramadan and keep it aside for later, at least when our stomachs aren’t as empty. Maybe start off with some desi cereal to cool down your stomach, try some hydrating fruits, form a layer of healthy food in your stomach before you drop down bits of fried food, and you should be safe enough. Now, you can have a heartburn-free Ramadan!
Source: The Daily Star
