Local Food as a Healthy and Sustainable Solution for Ramadan Meals
As Ramadan approaches, the selection of suhoor and iftar meal menus becomes a crucial factor in maintaining physical stamina. Dr. Eny Palupi, a nutrition expert at IPB University, emphasises that local food represents an attractive option with balanced nutritional value, particularly amidst the rising influx of instant foods and imported products.
According to Eny, the primary advantage of local food lies in its natural nutrient content, which helps maintain fitness during fasting. Tubers have become particularly notable in this regard.
“Tubers such as cassava, sweet potato, and taro are rich in complex carbohydrates that are digested more slowly, providing prolonged satiety and helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels,” she explains.
This is crucial given the common practice of consuming overly sweet foods and beverages during iftar, which often triggers unstable blood sugar spikes. If continued regularly, such high-sugar dietary patterns can increase the risk of diabetes in the future.
Beyond serving as an energy source, Eny highlights that local legumes such as mung beans, red beans, and peanuts are excellent choices for consumption. These foods provide plant-based protein and fibre, which are important for tissue repair and maintaining digestive system health.
Vitamins and minerals can also be obtained optimally through local vegetables easily found in traditional markets, ranging from spinach, water spinach, winged beans, bitter melon, turi flowers, to moringa leaves. These vegetables contain strong micronutrients to support immune function.
To restore energy quickly after a full day of fasting, local fruits such as bananas, papayas, rambutans, mangoes, and salak are wise choices. Their natural glucose content is easily digested by the body without placing excessive burden on the metabolic system.
“With these various options, local food not only meets carbohydrate, protein, and fat requirements but also provides essential fibre, vitamins, and minerals,” Eny adds.
Furthermore, she explains that freshness represents an added value of local produce. Unlike imported products that often require preservatives due to prolonged transportation and storage duration, local food reaches consumers in superior condition.
From economic and environmental perspectives, consuming local food also supports local farmer livelihoods and contributes to reducing the carbon footprint resulting from long-distance transportation.
“Given all these advantages, local food is well worth recommending for nutritionally balanced iftar and suhoor meals,” she concludes.