Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is a turning point in the body’s metabolism, as it adapts to this new pattern.
With the advent of Eid al-Fitr and the return to the usual breakfast routine, a temporary disturbance in the metabolic process may occur, leading to an increase in appetite or what is known as binging, especially if moderation in eating, organizing meal times, and avoiding fatty foods and sweets are not adhered to after a long period of fasting.
What happens during fasting?
During the hours of fasting, what is known as a metabolic shift occurs, where the body begins to rely on stored fats instead of glucose as the main source of energy, as a result of low levels of glucose and insulin in the blood.
In April 2025, the scientific journal Nature published a systematic review examining the effect of fasting during the month of Ramadan on physical measurements, which included an analysis of 54 studies with the participation of 2,857 people from 21 countries.
The results showed that fasting contributes to a significant decrease in weight and body mass index, especially starting in the second and third weeks of the month, with a slight decrease in the amount and percentage of fat.
The review also recommended the necessity of continuing the healthy metabolic pattern that is formed during Ramadan and considering it a lifestyle, to achieve the best results in fat loss, since the positive effect of fasting does not last for long periods without maintaining this approach.
Back to breakfast
Just as a metabolic shift occurs with the beginning of the month of Ramadan, the body prepares again for another stage of transformation with the return to breaking the fast on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, especially when eating cakes and sweets. The body moves from relying on fat as a source of energy to using glucose, which leads to a gradual rise in the level of insulin in the blood.
In a scientific study published by Nature magazine in 2018 examining the effect of fasting during Ramadan and about a month after its end, it was found that there was a noticeable decrease in several metabolic indicators at the end of the month compared to before Ramadan, such as body weight, body mass index, and fat percentage, in addition to fasting blood sugar and triglycerides. On the other hand, a clear increase in the insulin resistance index was observed at the end of Ramadan.
As for a month after the end of Ramadan and the return to the usual breakfast pattern, these indicators began to gradually rise and return to their previous levels, but they did not stabilize completely.
The study also showed a decrease in consumption of most food groups during Ramadan, with the exception of carbohydrates, which witnessed an increase in consumption.
Feast and gluttony
Many people start the morning of the first day of Eid by eating large quantities of cakes and biscuits, thinking that it is a suitable alternative to breakfast. However, this behavior may cause a kind of “shock” to the body after it has become accustomed to fasting. The level of insulin in the blood rises suddenly, which leads to disruption of the metabolism and difficulty in digestion, in addition to stimulating what is known as binging.
Dr. Nada Fayed, a clinical nutrition consultant, explains to Al Jazeera Net that food bulimia is the desire to eat large quantities of food within a short period of time, without paying attention to its quality, ingredients, or even taste.
She points out that this condition during Eid results from ignoring the changes that the body went through during Ramadan, as it is surprised by large quantities of Eid sweets such as cakes, biscuits, and petit fours, which are rich in ghee, butter, sugar, and flour. When consumed as breakfast, it leads to a sharp rise in blood sugar levels, which prompts the pancreas to secrete large amounts of insulin, resulting in digestive disorders such as intestinal upset.
To reduce the craving for sweets during Eid, Fayed advises not to replace breakfast with sweets, but rather to eat them after a comprehensive meal that contains protein and complex carbohydrates, such as brown bread or potatoes, as this helps reduce the absorption of sugar and fat.
It also stresses the importance of drinking sufficient amounts of water, and consuming herbal drinks that are beneficial for the digestive system, such as anise, chamomile, mint, and ginger.
She warns that excessive consumption of Eid sweets may lead to health problems, especially at the level of the digestive system, such as gas, colon bloating, or diarrhea, as a result of large amounts of sugars.
Children on Eid
Dr. Nermin Abdel Wadud, a certified nutrition coach from Precision Nutrition in Canada, a health and nutrition coach, and founder of the “Lean Leap” program, which specializes in building sustainable healthy habits, explained that during the month of Ramadan, a child – even if he does not fast the entire day – lives on a different diet than the rest of the year; Meal schedules become clearer, exposure to eating becomes less frequent, and the idea of “eating all day” largely disappears. This, in turn, is reflected in the way the body and brain deal with signals of hunger, satiety, and energy.
She added in her statement to Al Jazeera Net that one of the most prominent behavioral effects of Ramadan on children is the decline in random eating, as a result of the food environment becoming more organized. By reducing unplanned feedings, the child becomes more aware of the signals of fullness and satiety, and develops a more regular eating pattern.
With the advent of Eid al-Fitr, a sudden shift occurs in the child’s eating habits, which constitutes a kind of “shock” on the physical and behavioral levels. He suddenly moves into an environment full of temptations such as sweets, chocolate, cakes, biscuits, and juices.
Dr. Nermin explains that this sudden change confuses the child for two reasons: first, there is confusion in the signals of hunger and fullness, and second, that the child begins to eat not only out of hunger, but in response to the available temptations.
Studies indicate that environments rich in delicious and widely available foods make appetite control more difficult, and increase the likelihood of overeating, or what is known as bulimia.
Also, relying on sweets and baked goods rich in sugar, which provide quick energy without giving a stable feeling of fullness, unlike balanced meals that contain protein and fiber, contributes to increasing this hunger.
At the conclusion of her talk, Abdel-Wadud advises parents on the need to preserve the gains that the child has achieved during Ramadan in regulating hunger and satiety signals, and to work to invest and continue them as a healthy pattern to protect children’s health.