15 Best Foods to Eat After Fasting for Optimal Health and Wellness

People fast for various reasons, for religious, for medical reasons and for their health too.⁽¹⁾ However, fasting should be done in the right manner, otherwise instead of benefiting the body, it can cause more harm, such as fatigue, stomach upset and bloating. One mistake which people commit when fasting is at the end of the fasting period many would eat a lot of food which is not good for them, such as pizza and cake, as they think they deserve it as they have completed a successful fast. However this is very bad for your health. Eating such kind of foods will cancel out the positive effects of fasting. So what should you eat then? Read on to know more.

In this article we talk about foods that are recommended to eat upon ending your period of fasting to avail the benefits of fasting and to cancel the negative effects of the fasting.

One should always break their fasting with foods that are easily digestible and which do not contain any sugar or excess carbs and some these foods are:

1. Drink Fluids

   After ending your fast, it is always better to start with some fluids, such as water obviously and other beverages like fruit juices, butter milk and smoothies. Such fluids are easy on the digestive system and also provide nutrition to the body in a gentle manner, especially after fasting.

2. Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar

   Apple cider vinegar is talked about a lot these days for its health benefits and it is one of the better choices to consume when breaking a fast.⁽²⁾ Dilute one to two tablespoons of the ACV in water and drink this concoction after breaking your fast and it will help you in stimulating the digestive tract, which was inactive during the fast.

3. Bone Broth or Soups

   Bone broth and any type of soup is one of the best foods you could think of to eat after completing a fast. Bone broth and soups are rich in electrolytes, which helps in replenishing the lost ones when you fast.⁽³⁾ Bone broth also contains sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium; all of which are conducive to good health.⁽³⁾ Soups and bone broths are also easily digestible and contain protein, making them the best foods to eat after fasting. However, it is recommended to avoid soups and bone broths which contain raw vegetables, high fiber and heavy cream, as it can put a lot of burden on the digestive system; especially after fasting.

4. Smoothies

   Smoothies are also great to consume after fasting, as they would be easier on the digestive system.⁽⁴⁾ Instead of eating whole fruits and vegetables, making their smoothies helps in transitioning from fasting to eating whole foods again.

5. Kale or Spinach

   Leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach are rich in lot of minerals and nutrients, such as B Vitamins and vitamin C, E, K, A; iron, folate magnesium, copper, calcium, manganese and potassium.⁽⁵⁾ These leafy vegetables also benefit in digestion and in preventing constipation. Additionally, spinach and kale also help in regulating blood sugar, the levels of which are affected by fasting. Always eat these leafy greens in cooked form to make them easy to digest after a fast.

6. Eggs

   Eggs are one of the economical and easily available sources of protein,⁽⁶⁾ which makes it one of the best foods to eat after fasting.

   The protein present in eggs is beneficial to eat after fasting, as it helps in preventing muscle loss. Additionally, eggs are also rich in leucine, which is an amino acid known for helping with growth of the muscle.⁽⁷⁾ Eggs are low in calories, easily digestible rich in protein and filling too.

7. Watermelon

   Watermelons contain more than 90% of water, which makes it a great fruit to eat after breaking a fast, as the water present in watermelon helps with digestion and also hydrates the body after a period of fasting.⁽⁸⁾

8. Chia Seeds

   The famous Chia seeds are rich in iron, copper, phosphorus, Selenium and magnesium which make it a great food to eat after fasting.⁽⁹⁾ Additionally Chia seeds are also rich in proteins, healthy fats making them great for replenishing the body after a period of fast where it has not gotten any food for some hours.

9. Nuts

   Nuts are also good to eat when breaking a fast, as they are rich in vitamins and help in restoring the nutrient balance within the body after fasting.

10. Bananas

    Bananas are rich in nutrients and contains little amount of sugar and carbs, which makes it one of the best food to eat after fasting. Bananas also contain fiber, healthy carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, which helps replenish the body after fasting.

11. Fish

    Fish is a great source of healthy fats, vitamin D and protein, thus making it one of the best foods to eat after fasting.⁽¹⁰⁾ One can also start with fish broth, if fish is too much to eat after fasting.

12. Cauliflower or Broccoli

    Cooked cauliflower and broccoli are terrific options for eating after breaking a fast, as they contain B Vitamins along with vitamin C, K, A and magnesium, iron and manganese.

13. Fermented Foods

    Fermented foods, such as kimchi, yogurt, and sauerkraut have lot of good gut bacteria, which provide the gut with enzymes and good bacteria to help with the entire digestive process.⁽¹¹⁾ The probiotics present in yogurt also help with digestion.⁽¹²⁾

14. Avocado

    Avocado is known for its rich content of healthy fats and it is also a great food choice to eat after fasting.⁽¹³⁾ Avocado contains not only healthy fats, but also minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, copper, folate and potassium.

15. Dried Fruits

    Dried fruits, such as raisins, apricots and dates have huge amounts of nutrients, along with natural sugar, and when breaking a fast they should be consumed as a part of a meal that also contains healthy fats and protein to slow down absorption.

Fasting has many befits however what most of us do is break the fast with unhealthy foods which defies the whole purpose of fasting. It is important to eat healthy and easy to digest food when you are breaking your fast and avoid foods that contains lot of complex carbohydrates, sugar, fat and fiber.

References:

Also Read:

• What is an Impaired Fasting Glucose & How is it Treated?
• How Does Fasting & Not Fasting Affect Your Cholesterol Test?
• Is Water Fasting Safe?
• Ways to Stave Off Hunger When Fasting
• 5 Ways in Which Intermittent Fasting Can Benefit our Health
• Intermittent Fasting: Types, Pros and Cons
• What is Dry Fasting, Know its 7 Health Benefits, Side Effects and Complications