Nutritionist Says Sahur Don't Come From Kenyang

Illustration of eating suhoor (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Nutritionist Fitri Hudayani, SST., S.Gz, MKM, RD reminded people who will perform fasting to get rid of the perception of eating suhoor as long as they are full who only rely on large amounts of carbohydrate consumption.

Eating suhoor is important in the hope that a person can store energy to face fasting for a day. Carbohydrates are indeed the main intake, but Fitri also reminded that carbohydrates become a source of energy that is processed by the body first so that energy deposits will run out faster.

"It's just that these carbohydrates are processed into energy first, here, the fastest is produced and run out the fastest. Therefore, don't just eat carbohydrates," Fitri said as quoted by Antara, Monday, March 20.

Given this, Fitri underlined the importance of obtaining energy sources from other types of foods that contain protein, both animal and vegetable protein, limited amounts of fat, to fiber from vegetables and fruits.

"In order to feel full that is not quickly lost, the last digest is the source of fiber. We take the source of the fiber from vegetables, from fruit," said Fitri.

Fibers in vegetables and fruit can also help release blood sugar more slowly. That way, said Fitri, the condition of blood sugar does not immediately increase high when a person eats suhoor or breaks the fast.

"So the release is slow (on fiber) and that also affects us getting more stable energy," he said.

Ahead of fasting, Fitri also reminded the importance of a person to get used to eating regularly, maintain a healthy diet, and keep exercising so that the body remains fit until the time when fasting.

During the fasting month, changes in meal hours will indeed occur and a person tends to be tougher to endure hunger and become weak at the beginning of fasting. However, Fitri said, the body will begin to adapt over time.

A person's nutritional needs when fasting are no different from the nutritional needs on a normal day. What distinguishes only the shift in eating time from daily activities that do not change significantly. Therefore, said Fitri, eating suhoor with sufficient nutrition must be a focus so that the body remains fit, especially for workers.

"Drink water if at dawn don't forget, it's at least two glasses of drinking water. That way enough we can carry out normal activities. So later the blood sugar will not, for example at 10 or 11 o'clock, has dropped and is already weak," he said.

"Hopefully, by eating enough at the time of dawn, it will be maintained so that until we reach sunset we are still in a fit condition," concluded Fitri.