At this point in Ramadan you may be running out of suhur ideas. Or just plain bored of scrambled eggs and watermelon. So we asked the amazing Aïcha Sebaa, a Doctor of East Asian Medicine and functional medicine clinician specializing in women’s health to hop onto the blog. Dr. Sebaa is here with three unique suhur ideas we've never come across before! We hope you enjoy her wonderful insight: 

While we live in a time of excessive consumption and dwindling activity, consecutive days of fasting allows us to press the reset button for inner-cleansing and self-healing.

One of the best ways to do so is starting your day with a healthy suhur. Keep your meals light and avoid excess sugar. If you spike your blood sugar in the morning, you're likely to crash by the afternoon. This will leave you feeling hungrier, lethargic, and overall unwell. Protein and healthy fats are better choices if you enjoy a more filling suhur. Incorporating more fiber during this time while focusing on hydration is key.

Here are three Islamic-inspired options worth trying for suhur: 

1. Figs soaked in olive oil: A combination inspired from the Qur’an. Figs are rich in phenolic antioxidants and nutrients while olive oil improves cognitive function and is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats. They pair so well. It's no wonder the ayah (95:1) includes them together.

2. Cucumber with Dates: A simple combination from the sunnah: The Holy Prophet ﷺ used to “eat qiththa (wild cucumber) with rutab (fresh dates).” [Tirmidhi At'ima 37]. Both are rich in fiber and assist with hydration. This is also a balancing combination as cucumbers are cooling and dates are warming. It’s a wonderful treat.

3. Nabidh: A wonderful drink for hydration, which happens to be a favorite of The Beloved ﷺ. Nabidh is an infused water from the steeping of dates or raisins. It's incredibly refreshing and so easy to prepare. Soak dates (or raisins) overnight and drink the water portion at suhur. The water holds many of the wonderful water soluble vitamins and minerals from the dates or raisins. You can use the soaked dates or raisins in a smoothie or other recipes.

If you want an in depth video on these recipes, check out my IGTV video here.

There you have it! Wishing you a beautiful Ramadan in every way!

With care,

Aïcha Sebaa

Thank you Dr. Sebaa for inspiring us with these super easy & nutritious suhur recipes! Dr. Sebaa is our go to for everything wellness and skincare. She is also a certified herbal skin-care formulator, embracing the beauty of nature both from the inside-out and outside-in. Check out her IG @drsebaa for a fantastic resource, her IGTV Ramadan series is everything.