The Daniel Fast is a type of dieting program that is getting popular each day and is being used by most celebrities such as Chris Pratt.
Unlike other types of fasting such as Intermittent Fasting and many others, the Daniel Fast is a 21-day diet that restricts your normal food intake to only include plant foods.
The diet itself is based from the book of Daniel found in the Bible’s old testament.
Is The Daniel Fast the perfect diet regimen for your weight loss program? Read on and learn its history, benefits and many more in this short but detailed article.
What is The Daniel Fast?
As mentioned above, Daniel Fast is a 21-day diet that emphasizes eating fresh, organic and unprocessed foods. But the diet itself can be as short as 10 days.
This means that your diet will consist a lot of fruits, vegetables and light on meat, but no alcohol, preservatives, sugar, additives, caffeine, and other rich foods.
Also known as the Bible Diet, the original eating plan was drafted thousands of years by the four Hebrews that were outcast to Babylon when Jerusalem got destroyed.
Yes, this Dead Sea Scrolls – old diet plan is one of the most popular weight loss craze right now! And thanks to Chris Pratt for sharing his Bible-inspired diet.
Though this centuries-old story wasn’t written to be a weight loss fasting method, it was the inspiration behind the Daniel Fast developed by Rick Warren, a pastor and author of the bestselling book “The Purpose Driven Life”
According to this article (1), the Daniel Fast is a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise program. This diet got more famous with the help of celebrity doctor Mehmet (Dr. Oz), and authors Mark Hyman and Daniel Amen.
Basically a religion-based fasting plan, The Daniel Fast is popular among Evengelical Prostestans in the United States. The aim is to abstain from eating “royal foods”, which include meats and wine, as described in the book of Daniel.
Due to its “healthy” eating method, The Daniel Fast has the potential to reduce bad cholesterol, blood pressure, C-reactive protein and of course body weight.
History of The Daniel Fast
This fasting method has scriptural basis going all the way back to 604 BCE, where King Nebuchanezzar II was the king of Chaldean Empire (Babylon, modern day Iraq).
When he invaded the Israel’s capital of Jerusalem, many Jews became captives and slaves in Babylon. But some Jews were brought in to be used as “wisemen” in the king’s court. This include Daniel and three more Hebrews.
King Nebuchadnezzar offered the three Hebrews royal foods and wine in conjunction of their years of education.
Daniel and his three companion decided not to defile themselves with royal foods which consists of meat that have not been drained of blood (a Mosaic Law given by Jehovah to Israelites).
One more reason why they refuse to eat such foods was that, they were already offered to pagan gods of Babylon, most likely Marduk and Nabu.
The four Hebrews politely asked for vegetables, fruits and water instead.
And the Bible said that these four Hebrews were far more healthier and stronger than any other students in the king’s court at that time, suggesting that their type of diet was more ideal for overall health.
Ideal Foods for The Daniel Fast
Since the Daniel Fast is a plant-based diet, it is ideal for long-term use. It basically consist of 50 percent of daily food as non-starchy vegetables, 25 percent of vegetable protein, and 25 percent starch or whole grains (2).
Fruits can be added as a side dish. Though this diet doesn’t allow sugars or preservatives, you may take natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup or stevia extract. Some healthy meat, coffee, tea and butter are also allowed.
Here are the detailed food lists that you can eat.
Vegetables
If you plan on following the Daniel Fast, you have to commit yourself in eating mainly plant-based foods such as vegetables, which are the key focus of this diet plan.
Of course, eating vegetables is obviously healthy for you as it can help lower your risk of stroke, cardiovascular problems and cancers. Plus, vegetables are rich in antioxidants, fiber, minerals, vitamins and other essential nutrients that are beneficial for your health.
Fiber for example, can help reduce cholesterol levels, improve digestive functions and gut health. It also plays a big role in weight loss.
The Daniel Fast recommend two types of vegetable groups – starchy and non-starchy vegetables.
Starchy vegetables include corn, potatoes, peas, pumpkin and many others. Non-starchy vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, mushrooms, radishes and peppers.
Remember that all vegetables are allowed for this diet, just not those vegetables that are frozen, with added salt or preservatives.
Fruits
Like vegetables, fruits are good sources of vitamins, fiber, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes and many others that are all good for overall nutrition.
Most fruits are packed with vitamins C and A, which are potent antioxidants. These antioxidants are known to protect our body from disease-causing free radicals that invades our body and helps strengthen our immunity.
Fruits are also low in calories and fat, making them ideal for any weight loss diet programs.
Some of the best fruits that you can eat while on Daniel Fast include apple, pineapple, watermelon, banana, grapes, strawberries, oranges, kiwi and many others.
Whole Grains
The Daniel Fast only allows whole grains and not refined grains. This include oats, popcorn, wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa, barley and rye.
Whole grains are much more healthier than refined grains. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, magnesium, copper and zinc.
Experts suggests that whole grains can help reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, colon, pancreatic and gastric cancers.
Dietitians recommend that you don’t add dairy milk, chicken or beef and broths to your whole grain meals. Just use water to make your meal more tasty.
Beverages
Like most diet plans, The Daniel Fast require you to consume adequate amount of liquid. But what kind of liquid?
Your first option is of course water, as it can make you stay hydrated in the course of your 21-day Daniel Fast.
But if you are so bored with water, you can make your own natural fruit juice. Strawberries, watermelon, coconut milk and many other fruits are great alternatives to water and good sources of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants.
Fruits as your beverage is a good way to give your diet some flavors.
Protein and Fats
If the Daniel Fast don’t allow meats, where can you get your protein and fat?
First off, proteins from vegetables such as beans, seeds, nuts, and grains, are great alternative sources of protein for you. According to people who are in Daniel Fast, it is possible to get enough protein from these foods.
Not all plant-based protein sources have complete amino acid profile to provide protein. Such plants include legumes, bean, seeds, nuts and grains. But quinoa and soy have complete amino acid profile, so make sure that you add these two in your Daniel Fasting program.
On the other hand, The Daniel Fast do permits you to take plant-based oils and fats. Healthy oils include extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil and peanut oil.
These oils provide huge amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important in heart health, mental function and even helps prevent cancers.
The Daniel Fast Benefits
As mentioned above, the food selection that The Daniel Fast allows, are all known beneficial to all our body systems.
It offers mental, emotional and physical benefits (3). Here are some possible health benefits of Daniel Fast.
- Helps relieve anxiety and nervousness
- Increase peace and calmness
- Removes harmful toxins
- Promotes healthy weight loss
- Improves skin health and delays aging
- Promotes healthy hormonal balance
- Supports healthy inflammation response
- Elevates energy levels
- Improves mental function
- Helps suppress appetite and reduces sugar cravings
- Regulates digestion and healthy elimination
Are there Any Health Concerns with The Daniel Fast?
Like most diet plans out there, Daniel Fast also has its drawbacks though it seems to promotes dozens of health benefits for you.
First of, if you follow the Daniel Fast longer than the recommended 21 days, some adverse health effects may occur.
One major concern was published by NCBI (4). According to their study, both traditional and modified Daniel Fast improved the risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
This is in particular with the decrease of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). As you know, one must have high levels of good cholesterol to fight off the bad effects of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
Another health concern is vitamin B12 deficiency. If you are still not aware, vitamin B12 can only be acquired in animal foods and Daniel Fast don’t allow vitamin supplementation. So following this diet will make you vitamin B12 deficient.
People lacking this vitamin is at high risk of developing anemia, constipation, fatigue, weakness and many other diseases.
Another concern is iron deficiency. Sure, plant-based foods does have iron but they are not easily absorbed in the body. Unlike heme iron from animal foods that are well absorbed in the body.
But there is a walk-around to avoid iron deficiency with Daniel Fast. To make your body absorbed iron efficiently, you need to increase your intake of vitamin C, which can be found in fruits such as strawberries, oranges, kiwi and many others. Vitamin C can help your body absorb iron better.
Again, if you are unsure if Daniel Fast is safe for you or not, I encourage you to consult your doctor first before you follow this fasting program.
Bottom Line
Daniel Fast is an enticing diet plan not only because it is practiced by celebrities and hyped by doctors, but due to its potential for achieving successful weight loss.
And this diet plan isn’t just ideal for weight loss, it can also improve your overall health – cardiovascular system, digestive function, mental well-being, immunity and many others.
Eating a plant-based diet seems so healthy and Daniel Fast doesn’t allow any preservatives, additives or harmful chemicals, making it ideal for anyone.
It is probably designed by God himself for humans to enjoy good health. It is written in the Bible so there is no doubt that Daniel Fast is beneficial. Thousands of people now recommends this diet plan and provided positive reviews.
Of course, you have to be cautious when following any diet program, Daniel Fast included.
As I mentioned above, eating plant-based foods may lead to nutrient deficiencies so you have to consult a dietitian or your doctor first before you start Daniel Fast.
Plus, ensure you only follow this diet for just 21 days. Going longer beyond this time may trigger undesirable adverse health effects.
But overall, I believe Daniel Fast can be beneficial for your weight loss program. It is much more ideal compared to more popular diet programs that are too restrictive with regards to calorie intake.
At least in Daniel Fast, you can enjoy fresh and organic plant foods without minding your caloric intake. So if you are vegetarian, Daniel Fast is the perfect fasting plan for you.
If you want to learn more about Daniel Fast or want to start the diet itself, you can choose from these programs from Amazon:
Daniel Fast Ultimate Guide List
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References:
Photo Credit by JW.org
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102016069
The Daniel Fast: History, Benefits and Diet
by: Beliefnet.com
https://www.beliefnet.com/wellness/health/the-daniel-fast-history-benefits-diet.aspx
Health Benefits of Dietary Whole Grains: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analysis
by: Marc P. McRae
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5310957/
Both a Traditional and Modified Daniel Fast Improve the Cardio-Metabolic Profile in Men and Women
by: Rick J Alleman Jr, Innocence C Harvey, Tyler M Farney and Richard K Bloomer
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3729546/
Effect of a 21 Day Daniel Fast on Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Men and Women
by: Richard J Bloomer, Mohamnmad M Kabir, robert E Canale, John F Trepanowski, Kate E Marshall, Tyler M Farney, and Kelley G Hammond
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2941756/
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