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Are you new to spiritual fasting? Are you considering this powerful spiritual discipline for your walk of faith?
I have used spiritual fasting several times during my 30+ years as a Christian, including multiple times of partial fasting using the Daniel Fast. I began writing about the benefits of fasting in December 2007. What I didn’t know is that thousands of other followers of Jesus Christ are now entering the powerful discipline of prayer and fasting. And many have chosen the Daniel Fast as a method of prolonged fasting. But now they needed to know what to do. Which foods are okay and which should be eliminated during the Daniel Fast?
A partial list of foods for the Daniel Fast had been published in Elmer L. Town’s book titled Fasting for Spiritual Advancement. But although the list was useful, it was not complete. Consequently, those who really wanted to do the Daniel Fast with integrity had many questions. Daniel Fast’s new blog seemed like the natural place to get his answers.
After answering hundreds and hundreds of questions, I decided to rewrite the food list to make it more complete. It did not change the practice at all. It was just more comprehensive and eliminated almost all the questions in people’s minds about what they could and could not eat during the Daniel Fast.
So if you have questions now, I encourage you to check out the Daniel Fast blog (see link at the bottom of this article) and I assume most of your questions will be answered. If you still have any questions, feel free to ask them by leaving a comment.
But there are some questions that still seem to leave people scratching their heads! So I am going to list the five most frequently asked questions about the Daniel Fast.
1. Honey is a natural food, can I use it as a sweetener on the Daniel Fast? No, all sweeteners are not allowed on the Daniel Fast. In Daniel 10, the prophet points out that “he did not eat precious food, he did not eat meat, nor did he drink wine.” Honey would have been considered precious during that time. Also, giving up sweet foods is part of the fasting experience of withholding food for spiritual purposes.
2. Can I have tea on the Daniel Fast? No, tea and coffee (including any substitutes) are not allowed on the Daniel Fast. For purists, water is the only acceptable beverage, while some people drink 100% fruit and/or vegetable juice. Most likely, Daniel drank only water.
3. What about people with special dietary needs? How do they do the Daniel Fast? Teenagers, pregnant women, diabetics, athletes, and others who may require special diets should check with their healthcare providers before beginning any fast, including the Daniel Fast. But most health providers will find the Daniel Fast to be a great way to eat, as it includes all vegetables, all fruits, all whole grains, no sugar, no alcohol, no caffeine, and no dairy products. animal. You may be instructed to add chicken or fish to the mix, which would be fine for a special needs diet. Remember, there is no power in food itself, but fasting is consecrating yourself to the Lord so that you can focus on Him in a more specific and concentrated way. So if your health care provider wants you to add animal protein to your diet, you can still have a successful fast.
4. How about corn chips and tortillas? As you read the blog, you will find that I constantly encourage people to READ THE LABEL so they can see the ingredients in prepared foods. I was blown away the first time I read the list of chemicals in prepared tortillas! Corn chips are usually deep fried and all processed and fried foods are not allowed during the Daniel Fast. However, there is a recipe on the natural tortillas blog and it is easy to use this same recipe to make your own chips. The tortillas are made from whole wheat flour, olive oil, salt, and water. You can easily substitute finely ground cornmeal. The tortillas are then “fried” in a dry pan with little or no oil.
5. What about leg and stomach cramps? If the cramps persist and you feel concerned, be sure to contact your healthcare professional. Cramps are probably a symptom of your body detoxing! The typical diet is packed with sugar, caffeine, and chemicals. So when these are removed, the body gets a bit confused and responds with cramps. The best remedy is to drink plenty of water (the best detox there is), increase your vitamin C, and eat more bananas and melon until the cramps subside. This usually ends in a few days. Headaches are also very common, usually a symptom of caffeine withdrawal.