Amman, Feb 22 (Petra)- With the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, the suhur meal emerges as a fundamental pillar for the fasting person, as it is a prophetic practice and a nutritional support that helps the fasting individual endure long hours of self-discipline and abstain from everything that invalidates the fast, especially food and water.

Speakers told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the previous generation experienced suhur as a moment of daily solidarity, accompanied by the joy of the month during the last third of every night and the preparation of foods that required time to make, such as hummus fatteh, fava beans and "egg omelette," in addition to exchanging dishes among neighbours.

Associate Professor of Sociology and Communication Maysa Al-Rawashdeh explained that sociological observations show how generational changes are reflected in the way suhur is practiced. Traditionally, suhur was an integrated ritual celebrated within extended families, but it has shifted to a more flexible practice within nuclear families. She noted that the previous generation experienced suhur as a moment of daily solidarity, often accompanied by traditional, nutrient-rich foods that required significant preparation time, such as hummus fatteh, fava beans, and egg omelettes. Additionally, there was a practice of exchanging dishes among neighbors.

She clarified that traditional suhur practices formed a deep collective memory among those who grew up in large families, where the meal was an opportunity for family gathering and shared rituals. The current generation, however, experiences suhur at a faster pace, with wider dietary diversity and the growing presence of technology, which has led suhur sometimes to become less ritualistic and more individualistic, with transformations in consumption patterns and family relations associated with it.

She pointed out that several structural factors contributed to this change, such as urbanization, the shift from extended families to nuclear families, women’s entry into the labor market, and the pressures of the modern economy. She noted that technology played an important symbolic role, as the digital alarm replaced the traditional "mesaharati," moving from a collective awakening experience heard by the entire neighborhood to an individual experience. The presence of smartphones at the suhur table also reduced face-to-face conversation and reshaped the ritual within the logic of modern individualism.

Al-Rawashdeh said that the fast-paced lifestyle created what can be called "social time pressure," with the time allocated for family gatherings shrinking, leading some people to suffice with a quick or light meal. Some traditional dishes that require time and effort have declined in favor of ready-made meals or adherence to calorie-controlled healthy diets among some groups, transforming the relationship with food from a social celebratory act into a functional or health-oriented choice.

She added that differences in work and night shift schedules have reorganized family time during the fasting month, as it is no longer easy for everyone to gather at the same time, which has affected the collective character of the meal. Fatigue from work also led some individuals to settle for light meals, while emphasizing that the religious dimension of suhur remains constant, as it is a religious practice, a sunnah, a blessing and a spiritual preparation.

Al-Rawashdeh noted the changing social framework and the decline of some forms of family interaction due to smart devices and differing schedules, as children today may not experience the collective waking-up experience that previous generations lived through, which weakens the shared ritual memory. Dietary values have also changed with the increase in processed foods. She called for achieving balance between modernity and preserving the religious, social and health dimensions of suhur and reactivating the spirit of family solidarity within the context of modern life.

Housewife "Um Amir" is keen during the month of Ramadan to prepare a healthy suhur meal for her family in an effort to provide a balanced and integrated meal that supplies them with energy and makes them feel full for the longest possible period during the fasting hours, which extend for slightly more than 12 hours.

She said that her children find it difficult to fast if the suhur meal is absent or if they consume foods that do not meet their bodies’ nutritional needs, pointing to the challenge posed by the variety of unhealthy food options and some people’s preference for them.

Um Amir confirmed that she strives to try new and varied recipes while ensuring that they contain essential nutritional components to make the suhur meal both healthy and tasty, as well as enjoyable for children who try to fast as much as they can by mimicking adults and then break their fast whenever they wish.

Nutrition expert Nasser Eleimat stressed the pivotal role of suhur in helping the body adapt to long fasting hours, reducing hunger, thirst and fatigue symptoms, and improving mental and physical performance during the day. He noted that the importance of suhur lies in shortening the duration of food deprivation between the last meal and the start of iftar, which helps reduce drops in blood sugar levels and limit feelings of tiredness, dizziness and headache. Choosing appropriate food components at suhur also helps maintain stable energy levels and reduces severe hunger attacks that often lead to overeating at iftar.

Eleimat explained that suhur is a positive, healthy habit because it supports the body’s ability to continue performing its vital functions efficiently during the day and maintains better fluid balance, especially when water intake is properly distributed. It also directly affects activity and concentration levels, as a balanced suhur helps stabilize blood sugar, reduces headache and lethargy, improves mental performance during morning hours, contributes to mood stability, reduces irritability associated with severe hunger, supports digestive health, reduces constipation, limits muscle mass loss during fasting, improves sleep quality when avoiding sugars and heavy meals, and reduces overeating at iftar.

Eleimat called for including four main nutritional components in the suhur meal to make it effective and integrated, such as complex carbohydrates (slow absorption), including oats, whole wheat bread, bulgur, fava beans, chickpeas and lentils, noting that these are characterized by slow digestion, providing the body with gradual energy, helping stabilize blood sugar levels and delaying the feeling of hunger compared with white sugars and starches, and high-quality protein such as eggs, milk, yogurt, labneh, low-salt cheese, and tuna or chicken in appropriate quantities.

He explained that hunger during fasting often occurs due to choosing an unbalanced suhur meal that relies on sugars or white starches, leading to a rapid rise in blood sugar followed by a quick drop, and thus an early feeling of hunger. In contrast, a balanced suhur that combines protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates provides the body with stable energy and reduces hunger sensations for a longer period.

Eleimat said thirst is directly related to the amount of salt and caffeine, in addition to poor fluid distribution, as excessive pickles and salty foods or drinking coffee immediately before fasting leads to increased fluid loss and thus stronger thirst during the day. He advised drinking water gradually from after iftar until suhur instead of drinking large quantities at once, while reducing salt and limiting diuretic beverages such as coffee and strong tea before abstaining from food.

//Petra// AF

22/02/2026 21:52:20