Foods and drinks to avoid during Ramadan

Ramadan is a 30-day period during which Muslim fast from sunrise to sunset every day.  During the fasting period, Muslims only have two meals: the Suhoor i.e. a pre-dawn meal before starting the fast) and Iftar i.e.the meal to break the fast.

Because of the long break between meals, a fasting person needs good, nutrient-rich food that provides enough energy to manage tasks and activities right through the long day.

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To break your fast, you need to start by replenishing with fluids, preferably water.  One can take freshly squeezed fruits and milk.

It is also advisable to drink about 1 to 2 glasses of fluid before eating your meal and take at least 10 glasses of water daily so try to drink more water between Iftar and Suhoor to make up for lost time.

.  Avoid eating fried or oily foods while fasting because fried foods make you dehydrated quickly.

Stay away from Salty food (salted nuts, salted crisps, chips etc.) because they cause your sodium levels to fluctuate and this can make you feel thirsty during fasting. Salty foods can make your body retain water and make you feel bloated. 

Also, reduce the intake of processed food like tinned vegetables, savoury snacks, such as crisps, sausage rolls, pies and pastries, meat products, such as bacon, sausage, ham, salami and paté, microwave meals or ready meals, cakes and biscuits, etc.

Try cutting out coffee completely or reduce the amount you consume if you cannot cut it off. This is because coffee has caffeine, which can lead to insomnia and restlessness if you take a lot of it. In addition, drinking coffee does not hydrate and keeps you longing for water the whole day.  Also, reduce or totally cut out drinking tea during Suhoor as this will cause you to urinate frequently and consequently get dehydrated.

Drinking wine is a major sin, and is not acceptable during Ramadan even if one consumes only a drop. [Dhahabi, Kitab al-Kaba’ir] This ruling is established by scholarly consensus. Allah says in the Quran:

“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination of Satan’s handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper. Satan’s plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of God, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?” [The Table: 90-91]

“They will ask you about wine and gambling. Say: There is great sin therein.” [Baqara: 219]

Scholars determine that the legal reason for the prohibition of drinking wine is because it is a drink that intoxicates. Thus, any drink that results in intoxication is also forbidden to consume, like many modern-day alcoholic beverages. [al-Asadi, al-Mujiz]