RIYADH: Many people experience fullness almost immediately after some soup, dates and coffee at iftar, which is likely due to slow digestion and hormonal changes, according to a local nutritionist.
Malak Kandiel, also a chef who designs iftar menus, told Arab News recently: “The stomach digestion process has slowed down due to the long hours of fasting, which causes feeling fuller after eating small amounts of food and takes more time to digest it.”
She elaborated on the broader benefits of fasting: “I always say if you can control your eating habits and portions you can control anything and achieve anything you want.
“Think about it, food is one of the strongest human instincts. Once you are able to gain control over it, you’ll unlock the ability to strengthen self-control in other areas of life.
“It’s not just practicing fasting, you’re also practicing patience, discipline, emotional control, and the feeling of desire but you choose not to act on it. That’s power.”
