KUALA LUMPUR - The public is advised to consume foods containing complex carbohydrates, especially during the El Nino phenomenon, to avoid heat stroke while fasting.
Community Health Department Senior Medical Lecturer Dr Suhainizam Muhamad Saliluddin said that consuming such foods, like dates, would be slowly digested, resulting in longer satiety compared to consuming white sugar.
"Food containing white sugar is good for maintaining energy, but one to two hours after sahur, energy decreases due to rapid digestion," he said on Bernama TV's Ruang Bicara programme recently.
He said heat stroke is a disease caused by extreme heat, preceded by heat cramps followed by heat exhaustion, which includes symptoms such as increased body temperature, rapid heartbeat, dizziness or headache, and extreme fatigue.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (METMalaysia) previously announced that the El Nino phenomenon, which began in the middle of last year, could continue until mid-this year.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the viral post on social media on eating dates with butter, Dr Suhaizam said it should not be made a dietary practice.
"Dates are good because they have complex sugars but when combined with butter that contains high fat, it can cause other problems.
"The same goes for the viral post on drinking water with Celtic salt, the danger is that if the amount added in the drink is not appropriate, it will cause other problems," he said. - BERNAMA