Sahur, also known as ‘pre-dawn meal’, is a meal consumed by Muslims who are fasting during the month of Ramadan every year. As the fasting period lasts for a period of over 12 hours, it is vital that the choice of meals for sahur should be foods that provide the individual with much needed energy to function normally throughout the day. While fasting has many purported health benefits, it can be detrimental when not observed correctly.

For example, certain individuals find themselves able to function throughout the day and not feel cranky or weary. But the very same individuals are the ones who tend to overeat during buka puasa in order to compensate for the energy levels that would have been provided by their consumption of sahur.  When sahur is skipped, it often leads to feelings of fatigue and dehydration that causes us to consume more food and beverage than we should during buka puasa meals. It is also important to note that not having a pre-dawn meal is the equivalent of an unhealthy extension of the fasting period. When done on a daily basis, this can lead to variety of health problems, both short and long-term.

Foods like whole grains, fibrous foods, fresh fruits and vegetables offer many nutritional benefits, in addition to helping us feel energetic and full in a satisfied manner without having to consume more. Making the effort to include adequate amounts of protein and healthy fats into our pre-dawn meals provide us with the energy needed to carry out our daily obligations without leading to feelings of lethargy.