6 Alternative White Rice Substitutes during Ramadan Fasting, Can be a Source of Energy

Kapanlagi.com - When breaking the fast, especially if we continue with our daily activities as usual, we will need a lot of energy to be able to carry out Ramadan fasting smoothly. Usually, during sahur, someone will consume as much rice as possible to meet their daily energy needs, but the fact is that eating a lot of white rice will actually make you sleepy and easily tired, because of its sugar content. In fact, there are several substitutes for white rice during fasting that are even good for the body.

Energy itself will be obtained if we consume foods that are high in fiber. Because high fiber foods are difficult to digest by the stomach, this will ultimately provide us with more energy and of course, make us feel full for a longer period of time. On the other hand, white rice does not have a high fiber content, white rice has a high glycemic starch or sugar content. If consumed excessively for a long period of time, it can lead to a disease, one of which is diabetes.

-----------------------

Ramadan News: Want to Break Your Fast with Celebrities?

Join KapanLagi Buka Bareng, an online iftar event with Jirayut and Rara LIDA on May 9th. There will also be Chef Norman, Danilla, and Adhitia Sofyan. How? Register first here, and fill in your personal data. Everything is FREE. Read the complete guide here.

-----------------------

But that doesn't mean you have to stop, KLovers, you just need to reduce or replace it with other staple foods that have the same function, which is to provide energy for the body. Therefore, as reported from various sources, here are 6 alternative foods for white rice during Ramadan fasting that you must know.

1. Whole Wheat

Alternative food for breaking the fast (credit: Pixabay)

The first alternative food for fasting in Ramadan is whole wheat. Not only does it have high fiber content, but whole wheat also has a variety of other beneficial nutrients for the body. The content of whole wheat consists of vitamin B complex, phytochemicals, carbohydrates, protein, and Vitamin E.

Not only that, whole wheat also contains minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Iron in whole wheat functions to transport oxygen throughout the body and helps prevent anemia, while magnesium helps in bone formation, and zinc is needed to maintain the immune system. Whole wheat has many benefits, KLovers, in addition to providing energy through its fiber content, it can also be used as a remedy for several diseases.

Some of the body problems that can be addressed by whole wheat include aiding digestion, lowering cholesterol levels, reducing high blood pressure, lowering blood sugar levels, controlling weight, and many more. Therefore, whole wheat will be a good alternative to white rice during Ramadan fasting for health purposes.

2. Sweet Potato

Alternative rice food during fasting (credit: Pixabay)

The next alternative food for breaking the fast during Ramadan is sweet potato. Besides wheat, it turns out that sweet potato can also reduce the risk of dangerous diseases such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Sweet potato also contains many nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, Vitamin B, choline, beta-carotene, fiber, and potassium. For example, choline functions as an anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenger. Then there is beta-carotene which functions to delay aging and protect the body from various diseases. Not only that, beta-carotene also functions to prevent and repair eye damage, prevent nerve damage, and strengthen the immune system.

Then there is fiber and potassium which can provide longer-lasting energy and satiety compared to consuming white rice. Having high fiber also helps to prevent sudden increases in blood sugar levels. That is why sweet potato is also included as a good alternative to white rice for breaking the fast during Ramadan.

3. Red Rice

Alternative food during fasting instead of rice (credit: Pixabay)

Then there is red rice that can be a substitute for white rice during Ramadan fasting. Red rice also has many contents such as vitamin B6, fiber, iron, and zinc. The fiber content in red rice is 6 times higher than white rice, then there is iron content that is 2 times higher than white rice, and zinc content that is 6 times higher than white rice. Not only that, red rice itself has many benefits, such as maintaining weight, controlling blood sugar, maintaining immune system, maintaining bone health, natural antioxidants, and maintaining heart health.

Having a lower glycemic index than white rice, of course, red rice does not cause a spike in blood sugar levels. The high fiber content also provides more energy for those who will be fasting throughout the day.

4. Legumes

Alternative food during fasting (credit: Pixabay)

It's no wonder that legumes are also included in the list of good alternatives to white rice during fasting. Despite their small size, these legumes have many beneficial contents for the body. These contents include vitamins, proteins, amino acids, minerals, omega 3, and high fiber. With their high protein content, legumes can be a substitute for meat. If you are a vegetarian, legumes can be a staple food that provides energy to the body.

There are many types of legumes, such as green beans, soybeans, almonds, cashews, peanuts, and many more. Legumes also have numerous benefits, such as maintaining heart health, preventing cholesterol, improving metabolism, neutralizing free radicals, caring for the skin, preventing premature aging, and many more.

5. Berries

Alternative food for breaking the fast (credit: Pixabay)

Another alternative food for breaking the fast during Ramadan is berries. You may wonder why berries can be a substitute for white rice, but it turns out that berries have a high fiber content. And these contents include complex B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K, polyphenol antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenol antioxidants. Of course, all of these contents have many benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease, controlling blood sugar, being a high source of antioxidants, reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes risk, good for eye health, bone health, brain health, fighting free radicals, and many more.

That's why berries can be a good and healthy substitute for rice. Berries also come in many varieties such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, grapes, blackcurrants, blackberries, and acai berries.

6. Potato

Substitute food for fasting instead of rice (credit: Pixabay)

And the last alternative food for breaking the fast in Ramadan is potatoes. We already know that potatoes have been widely used as a substitute for white rice, not only as a staple food for Europeans, but potatoes have also become a staple food for some people in Indonesia. Potatoes contain carbohydrates, fiber, protein, antioxidants, potassium, folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. Of course, potatoes also have many benefits for the body's health, such as improving heart health, controlling weight, facilitating digestion, gluten-free, improving brain and nerve health, containing antioxidants, and being able to convert nutrients into energy.

That's why potatoes become one of the staple foods, because potatoes can convert nutrients into good energy when we are fasting. If you want to make potatoes as a substitute for rice, it is better to eat boiled potatoes, it will be better.

Those are 6 alternative foods for breaking the fast in Ramadan that you can consume. Not only can they provide more energy to the body during fasting, the above foods also have many beneficial contents and benefits for the body's health.

(kpl/dhm)