Egekent Hospital Dietitian Dyt. Müge Mertcan:
“Because your eating routine changes during Ramadan, pay attention to your nutrition during the holiday”
Emphasizing that returning to routine eating habits after Ramadan should be done with food variety, Egekent Hospital Dietitian Dyt. Müge Mertcan shared important tips on what to watch out for, especially during Eid al-Fitr.
Pointing out that eating habits change during Ramadan, Dietitian Müge Mertcan warned about nutrition and dessert consumption before the upcoming holiday. She underlined that returning to normal nutrition should involve variety:
“During Ramadan, fewer meals are consumed due to reduced meal frequency and prolonged fasting. When the body returns to its normal routine, suddenly increasing both the number of meals and portion sizes can overstrain it. Instead of immediately enlarging portions and switching to a single type of food, it is better to increase food variety gradually,” she said.
**Nutrition and dessert consumption during the holiday**
Highlighting the importance of dessert offerings in Turkish holiday culture, Dietitian Mertcan said:
“The best part of the holiday is family visits and gathering around festive tables. Because time spent at the table is longer, food intake may unknowingly increase, leading to indigestion and shortness of breath after meals. This can cause bowel problems and heartburn during the day. Our holiday culture is precious and famous for its offerings, which often means excess dessert consumption. Likewise, excessive sugar and chocolate intake can cause blood sugar to rise and fall rapidly, leading to imbalances.”
Sharing tips for holiday nutrition, Mertcan advised:
“Starting the holiday morning with nutritious and high-fiber foods will help with appetite control throughout the day. It is important to make selective choices with dessert offerings and avoid heavy or excessive consumption. People with hypertension, heart disease, or diabetes should pay extra attention to their nutrition for a healthy holiday process.”
**The importance of water consumption**
Mertcan also stressed the need to maintain water intake:
“Water consumption is always crucial. During the holiday, alongside the increased intake of tea and coffee, it’s important to balance fluid intake with enough water. Making sufficient daily water consumption a habit will be beneficial.”