Ramadan health advice: Let’s talk protein

We’re in our first few days of Ramadan. We welcome Ramadan together as an Ummah and showcase the generosity of our global community. Ramadan is shared for all- it is a time for you, them and us. Come together to uplift all this year. It’s also a time for reflection of our daily habits – our body is an ammanah (a trusted blessing from Allah) and how are we taking care of it?

One of the ways we can stay healthy during Ramadan is by ensuring we eat enough protein. Typically, the average human should take their weight in kg and eat that much protein in grams daily. So if someone weighs 70kg, their body needs 70g of protein to maintain muscle.

Protein is important because they are the building blocks of life. When we get protein from wholesome sources, we’re also filling our bodies with vitamins and minerals – for example, yoghurt is a brilliant source of protein with lots of calcium and vitamin B12.

Protein will help you stay fuller for longer, will give you sustained energy, and is an essential part of the process that produces enzymes that are involved in metabolism which means eating a protein-rich diet while making sure you’re staying in a healthy calorie range will prevent excessive fat production.

Protein, however, will not be the cause of you bulking. For women who worry that having protein, lifting weights and other forms of nutrition and exercise that are traditionally used for muscle building will contribute to women having a masculine physique, you have nothing to worry about.

How can we ensure we have enough protein during Ramadan?

Take your daily recommended protein intake and divide it by 2 or 3 and spread it around your meals during the night. For example, a person who should be eating 70g of protein should have 35 grams of protein for suhoor and 35 grams for iftar.

It’s often difficult to split the protein equally based on hunger habits, so those who feel more full at suhoor time should aim to have less protein because realistically that’s when they will be able to eat less.

This can look like having 15g of protein from yoghurt at suhoor time, 30g of protein from meat, eggs, legumes at iftar time and a high protein snack or a protein shake with 25g of protein after iftar.

Don’t force yourself to eat what you don’t like – protein is an abundantly diverse food group, so you can find it in unsuspecting food. Work around what you eat outside of Ramadan and make improvements – eating grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, adding high protein vegetables such as broccoli, kale, peas and mushrooms will help you creep up your protein intake without eating an excess of meat. By incorporating high-protein vegetables, you also ensure you get enough fiber in your diet during Ramadan.

Most importantly, plan your food. You’ll find you have a much more fulfilling Ramadan, more energy to worship and you’ll be creating better health habits that you can take outside the holy month, with the intention of taking care of your body for the sake of pleasing Allah.

Balanced meals are a luxury to millions starving

There are millions of people in crisis this Ramadan and can’t provide nutritious food for themselves.

Our Feed The Fasting campaign is providing healthy and nutritious food to tens of thousands of people so they will have balanced meals for the whole month.

Let your Ramadan be their relief. This month, raise your giving for the sake of us all. Your generosity is their chance to live a life of dignity, independence, and opportunity.

Donate to Feed The Fasting now

Disclaimer: Advice given in this article is not medical advice, nor does it replace advice given by a physician. Please speak to your doctor before trying out any new health plan.