On 2 April, the most important month in the Islamic calendar begins: Ramadan. For thirty days many people of the Muslim faith will fast between dawn and dusk.
Ramadan is the commemoration of the first revelation of the Prophet Muhammad and is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with faith, prayer, almsgiving and the pilgrimage to Mecca. This holy month changes according to the Islamic lunar calendar, and the dates for Ramadan in 2022 are between 2 April and 2 May, corresponding to the crescent moon on the ninth month of the traditional Islamic calendar until the next crescent moon.
As we have mentioned, next month Muslims who are fasting will not eat or drink any food or water from sunrise to sunset. This is very demanding and requires a great deal of physical and mental discipline.
It is important to fast properly in order to avoid ailments or possible complications associated with lack of food and fluid intake during daylight hours. They may only eat before sunrise, a meal known as suhur, and at sunset: a feast known as iftar.
Due to the change in our routines and mealtimes, we must adapt our diet so that this fasting does not have an impact on our day-to-day life, reducing our energy and ability to cope with all the activities we have planned.
During the first meal of the day, the main goal is to rehydrate the body and fully energise it, which is why eating fruit is essential. We already talked to you in our post about pineapple and the benefits of this superfruit, but it is worth pointing it out as one of the best options due to its high vitamin C, protein and mineral content. Milk and dairy products are also one of the most recommended products to start the day.
As for iftar, the feast we share with our friends to end the day, it is not so different from a meal celebrated outside this holy month. It must include complex carbohydrates such as pasta, potatoes, lentils, oats, rice or quinoa, accompanied by animal or vegetable proteins: fish, chicken, lamb, beef, eggs, chickpeas or tofu, for example. Another key food to fill us up both during Ramadan and for your regular diet is vegetables; broccoli, spinach and carrots all contain a high amount of vitamins that will improve our physical well-being.
Life Smoothies, your greatest ally
Our smoothies have therefore become a must during this celebration, as they combine the benefits of milk, fruit and vegetables in a delicious drink that you can enjoy anywhere and is quick and easy to prepare.
- Refresh’mint: One of our new additions to the smoothies catalogue: an unbeatable combination of avocado, pear, lime, mint and mango.
- Beet the Heat: Just arrived, you can’t miss this blend of beet root, ginger, pineapple and blueberries. Delicious!
- Green Machine: Our green smoothie: spinach, pineapple, mango, broccoli and celery. Nothing is more on trend than detox smoothies.
- Mango Paradise: When it comes to hydration, this is the smoothie that comes to mind: mango, pineapple and passion fruit. Want to try it?
And what combination would you add to your meals? Looking forward to reading them 😉