Jakarta. Earlier this month, Muslims in Indonesia celebrated Eid al-Fitr as Ramadan came to an end.
On Eid, Indonesian Muslims usually have a feast of traditional dishes ranging from rendang —slow-cooked beef simmered in coconut and spices— to the Indonesian chicken curry opor ayam. Many also serve their visiting guests with snacks such as the cheese crackers kastengel and the sweet putri salju. While all these dishes are mouth-watering, they are actually heavy in calories. So after a fantastic Eid feast, it is best to eat healthy again.
Indonesian technology company Tokopedia and nutritionist Elfina Rachmi recently shared some tips for eating healthy after Ramadan and Eid. Here are the tips, as cited from Tokopedia's press release:
Pay Attention to Sugar, Salt, Oil Intake
Limit your sugar, salt, and oil intake. Do pay attention to your weight and have regular medical check-ups. Get enough sleep and don't forget to manage your stress.
The Diet Formula
Locally known as the 4J Diet, this dietary principle pays attention to how much and when we eat, what type of food, and how we cook the meal. Make sure you have a balanced diet. Keep a regular eating schedule so you can maintain your metabolic process. Adopt healthy cooking methods. So rather than frying, try to steam, boil, grill or even pepes — an Indonesian cooking method of using banana leaves as wrappers to be later grilled or steamed. Limit frying your meal to just twice a week.
Choosing Food Types
Make sure that all your macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein or fat), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) and daily fluids are met. Go for complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole grain bread or oatmeal. Choose healthy fats and reduce your intake of saturated ones such as fried or junk food. Don’t forget to eat veggies and fruits for fiber.
Stay Hydrated
Make sure that you drink at least 2 liters or 8 glasses of water a day. Do not drink too much of sweet, carbonated, and caffeinated drinks like coffee as they cause you to urinate more and can prevent calcium absorption.
Stay Active
Aim to work out between three and five times a week. Start by light exercise such as walking around the house to stretch those muscles after having not worked out in a long time. Then schedule your workout routines according to your needs and the condition of your body.
Ramadan: A Great Moment for F&B MSMEs
Ramadan has been a sweet moment for food and beverage micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially those who are on Tokopedia. Pipiltin Cocoa, a small business selling chocolate products on Tokopedia, was one of the local MSMEs that was thriving during Ramadan. Pipiltin Cocoa empowers more than 2,000 cocoa farmers from Aceh to Papua. According to its founders Tissa Aunilla dan Irvan Helmi, Tokopedia's parcel campaign has helped boost Pipiltin Cocoa's sales.
"Pipiltin Cocoa's sales jumped by more than threefold thanks to the Tokopedia Parsel Ramadan campaign," Tissa and Irvan said.
Throughout Ramadan 2022, Tokopedia launched a number of campaigns, including the Tokopedia Ramadan Extra.
Tokopedia’s External Communications Head Ekhel Chandra Wijaya said, “these [campaigns] have made food & beverages, fashion, and household items as the three favorite [Tokopedia] categories by users.”
“Honey, dry snacks, and coffee are the most popular F&B products on Tokopedia Nyam!,” Ekhel said, while adding that instant noodles are also a popular suhoor meal choice on Tokopedia Now.
Tokopedia also reported that its sales of prayer items also soared by almost fourfold. Headscarves, modest robes or gamis, and peci (black caps commonly worn by Muslim males in Indonesia) were the most sought-after.
According to Ekhel, snacks, prayer items, and body care products for parcels were the most popular options on Tokopedia Parsel Ramadan.
"The furthest distance for parcel delivery was from Pekanbaru to Jayapura," Ekhel said.
Many also made their Ramadan donations and charities via Tokopedia. Tokopedia collected more than Rp 15 billion in donations, zakat, wakaf, and fidyah.
