There Are Still Many Misconceptions About Breaking the Fast, Doctor Debunks This Myth

There are still many beliefs about food during breaking the fast that are trusted by many, even though some are not entirely true. Dr Ida Gunawan, a clinical nutritionist at Pondok Indah Hospital, MS, Sp.G.K, Subsp.K.M., FINEM, says several habits when breaking the fast are influenced by mistaken myths about energy needs after fasting. ‘The first is that everyone who fasts will experience low blood sugar, so when breaking the fast you must consume a lot of sugar. That is a mistaken myth,’ Dr Ida said when contacted by Kompas.com on Tuesday (24/2/2026).

According to her, misperceptions about the body’s energy requirements often lead people to eat excessively at iftar. This belief leads some people to immediately drink or eat very sweet foods when breaking the fast. In reality, not everyone who fasts experiences a drop in blood sugar. Excessive sugar intake can increase calories without providing balanced nutrition. ‘The most important thing is that fluids are sufficient and the sugar should come from natural sources; that’s best,’ she said. The natural sweetness from fruit helps the body obtain energy without too high a sugar spike.

A common example is breaking the fast with fried foods in large amounts. Fried foods are believed to quickly restore energy after a day of fasting. Ida stressed that consuming fried foods is not completely forbidden, but should be limited. Fried foods contain high fat and can significantly raise calories. ‘Not that you can’t eat fried foods, but breaking the fast with two or three pieces of fried foods is often mistaken,’ she explained.

In addition to increasing calories, oily foods when the body is dehydrated can also cause discomfort in the throat. This condition can trigger itching or inflammation in the throat.

Various myths about foods during breaking the fast often make eating patterns unbalanced. Choosing natural sugars from fruit and limiting fried foods helps maintain calorie intake in check. This approach helps make breaking the fast healthy without causing energy excess during Ramadan.