One of the terms that often comes up during the month of Ramadan is ‘break your fast with something sweet’. The term is often interpreted as a recommendation to consume sweet intake. So, is frequent consumption of syrup during iftar bad for health?
Nutrient Content of Syrup
Before knowing whether it is safe or not to break your fast with syrup, it’s better to know what the ingredients are in it.
Please note, the nutritional value of syrup varies depending on what type of syrup you choose. An average 1 cup (334 grams) of fruit-flavored syrup contains:
- 1139 calories.
- 284 grams of carbohydrates.
- 0.3 grams of fiber.
- 177 grams of sugar.
- 27 milligrams of calcium.
- 23 milligrams of potassium.
- 0.13 milligrams of iron.
Also Read: Is it Dangerous to Drink Sweet Ice Tea for Iftar?
In addition, the food coloring used in the syrup is Tartrazine (CI 19140) and Ponceau 4R. As for sugar, it is not only granulated sugar that is used.
The sweet taste of syrup can be obtained from artificial sweeteners such as sodium cyclamate. In addition to sugar, syrup contains fruit flavoring and food coloring in large quantities.
Iftar with syrup-based drinks, is it safe?
Basically, consuming syrupy drinks is not dangerous as long as you consume them in moderation.
However, if you drink syrup too often when breaking your fast, it can have a negative impact on health, such as increased blood sugar levels, triggering tooth decay, obesity, and digestive disorders.
Besides being dangerous for diabetics, drinks made from syrup are not recommended for consumption by people with gastric disorders, especially if taken on an empty stomach.
Also Read: 11 Fruits for a Fasting Diet that Make You Full Longer!
Refusing cold drinks that contain syrup is often difficult. Therefore, knowing the limit of sugar intake per day is something important. In women, the recommended daily sugar requirement is 25 grams, while men are no more than 30 grams.
Meanwhile for diabetics, the use of syrup on the iftar menu should be completely avoided. If you want to break your fast with something sweet, it’s better if it’s real fruit based.
Some experts also recommend consuming water when breaking the fast. If you need sweet intake to restore body energy, try consuming dates.
If you really want to consume drinks that contain syrup, make sure to only drink it once in a while so as not to have a bad impact on the body.
- Anonymous. Fruit Syrup (Nutrition Fact). https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Fruit_syrup_nutritional_value.html. (Accessed February 15, 2023)
- Mehra, Salma. Preparing for Ramadan. https://www.knowdiabetes.org.uk/blog/preparing-for-ramadan/ (Accessed February 15, 2023)
- Villalines, Zawn. 2019. Is Agave Syrup the Best Sweetener for Diabetes?.https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317167. (Accessed February 15, 2023)
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