Motivated by both faith and fitness, many protestant Christians are occasionally limiting their diet for 21-day increments.
There are a lot of diet trends out there, but this one might literally be a Godsend. In case you’re not familiar with the Bible’s Old Testament story of Daniel, here’s the lowdown:
A Jewish noble named Daniel and his companions were captured by the Babylonians and forced into the service of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. The Babylonians offered Daniel and his men rich food (“the King’s meat” and wine), but Daniel was wary of God’s prohibition of “unclean foods.” So Daniel said he and his friends would eat a diet of only vegetables (“pulse”). After 10 days, they grew healthier and stronger than the Babylonians, and his diet became a small demonstration of his opposition to the King’s power.
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While generally, the Bible passage is used to encourage Christians to resist the temptations of the outside world; several years ago, some Protestant churches began to take the “diet” aspect of Daniel’s story literally.
Motivated by both faith and fitness, many protestant Christians are occasionally limiting their diet for 21-day increments to:
- Fruits
All fruits are considered good to eat. - Vegetables
All vegetables qualify as permitted foods. - Whole grains
Whole grains such as grits, plain oatmeal, brown rice and wild rice can be consumed whole on the Daniel Fast. Refined grains, such as enriched flour or most cereals, are not allowed. - Liquids
Although water is the only liquid you can consume, Daniel-Fast.com notes that you can also juice, puree or blend fruits for your drinking pleasure. - Protein
Since the 21-day Daniel Fast restricts meat and seafood, you can derive your protein from permitted sources, such as beans, seeds and nuts.
Curated from these sources:
Patheos.com – “What Is a Daniel Fast?”
The Atlantic.com – “The Diet From God”
Livestrong.com “Food List For the 21 Day Daniel Fast”
