Daniel Fast Guidelines

"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled." ~ Daniel 10:2, 3

Fasting is a process in which we abstain from consuming certain kinds of foods for a specific period to connect spiritually with God. Religious beliefs say that associating completely with God is almost impossible until we impose control over our desires. The Holy Bible cites that, 'I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food' (Job 23:12). If you read the chapter of Daniel in Bible, you will come to what Daniel fast is. Daniel believed that, by refraining from royal foods, he was able to associate with God and worship him with a clear conscience. This entire phenomenon came to be known as Daniel fast. You can also implement the same type of diet by observing the Daniel fast guidelines explained in this article.

Guidelines on Daniel Fast

Whether it's a 21 day, 30 day or 40 day guideline, the basic motive and the rules are same. In Daniel fasting you are not supposed to consume animal and meat based foods. The diet restricts you from eating fast foods, junks canned and packaged foods. Any eatables that have been seasoned with artificial preservatives or sweeteners should not be consumed. Alcoholic beverages and caffeine rich products are excluded from Daniel fast menu. Even yeast and baking powder was not allowed.

You will find this diet plan interesting, if you read the Daniel Chapter 1 from the Bible. In this section Daniel's training in Babylon is described. The Israelites were brought as captives to serve the King of Babylon who were given royal treatment with wine and rich foods. Daniel, being one of them, refuted from consuming the royal foods but instead, he ate vegetables and drank water. He said, Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see. After completion of 10 days, Daniel and his companions who took up this diet schedule looked better nourished and healthier than those who consumed the royal food. The main motive behind citing this extract is that, if you follow the similar food habits, you can also get a better built.

The foods that are NOT to be consumed under the Daniel fast instructions are:

• Eggs
• Meat
• White Rice
• Caffeine Beverages
• Carbonated Beverages
• Refined Sugar
• Margarine
• Shortening
• White Flour
• Cheese
• Butter
• Alcohol

The Daniel fast diet is similar to the vegan diet, that gives you the freedom to consume vegetables and fruits in large quantities. The 'Daniel fast guidelines foods' also include whole grains, brown rice, dried beans, black eyes peas, pinto beans, oats, split beans and barley legumes. Basically, consumption of all varieties of fruits and vegetables is the most significant point under the Daniel fast guidelines. Recipes can be prepared by boiling the vegetables or eating them with soups. You can add flavor with garlic, ginger, onions, chili peppers, instead of adding other kinds of spices, sauces, gravies and making it rich. These are certain facts that should be kept in mind while following the Daniel fast guidelines. Drink plenty of water and add fresh fruit juices in your diet. Spring water or distilled water is allowed in your diet. You can also consume herbal teas that are absolutely caffeine free.

The diet is simple and it directed towards improving your health status by consuming pure varieties of foods that also boost up your immune system.