The FastDay Forum

I'm just now watching with interest tonight's ABC2 Compass http://www.abc.net.au/compass/

and they are featuring a family that practise Ramadan which involves fasting for adults. Full fast. No water or food till sunset.

Anyhow I noticed they break the fast with water and dates.

Is this just tradition or particularly good way to break a stringent, lengthy fast?

Happy Ramadan to those here following the Muslim tradition.

I just watched the same program. It was interesting. Funny thing is I often break my fast with dates very yummy

[carorees]

I would say that dates are not the ideal food to break one's fast as they are so high in sugar. But the Ramadan fast is not very long really so probably doesn't matter too much. A low carb break fast is better.

I live in an area with high number of Muslims. I was once invited to dinner during Ramadan and the amount of food we were given was huge. My colleague reckoned he usually put on weight during Ramadan because of the evening feasts!

It was traditional to break the fast with dates amongst my muslim friends in London in the 90s (mostly East London/Bangladeshi) and if I think of those amazing medjool dates I can understand why - delicious and caramel-like. But that's me and my sweet tooth talking, and I'm sure there are plenty of more healthy ways to break a fast!
And yes, most of these friends would put on weight over Ramadan, and they put it down to the amount of social feasting that is done virtually every night.

[carorees]

The interesting thing though is that most studies of Ramadan fasting find that people's health improves in terms of blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure etc, even if they don't lose weight. This is one reason why fasting is thought to bring additional benefits over and above the weight loss.

I am talking medjool dates and I figure if I have liquid fasted the day prior with cals below 400 and it is a day I am eating I can snack on one of those dates if I have some in the fridge. Fast days are fast days and non fast days I replenish somewhat and take the foot of the fasting pedal. Otherwise I would not continue the WOL as it would be a diet to me. I figure if it's off a tree I will be fine. Used to feel the same about avocados when the science was saying they were bad for us.