Products that are forbidden to be eaten during fasts, all for the production of which raw materials of animal origin were used. First of all, the ban applies to meat and any meat products, as well as poultry and eggs. Under the ban milk and everything connected with it: butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, dairy products and drinks, cheeses. In fasting, it is forbidden to eat pasta, white and rich bread, cakes, cookies, waffles and any pastries that contain butter, eggs and milk. Do not forget, there is also mayonnaise, because eggs are also used for its preparation.
Some foods, such as fish and vegetable oil, can only be eaten on those days of fasting, which are considered non-strict, although vegetable oil does not have an animal origin. The ban also applies to chocolate and fast food, which are high in fat. Alcoholic beverages, including beer, should not be consumed during fasting.
Post by day of the week
On some days of the week, fasting may be more strict, and on some, including those that fall on, some indulgences can be allowed. So, Monday, Wednesday and Friday are the days of strict fasting, dry eating. These days, you can only eat foods that have not been cooked, and the addition of vegetable oil is also excluded. On the days of strict fasting, you can eat only black bread, vegetables and fruits, washed down with water or unsweetened compote. If you will be salads these days, you can use only lemon juice mixed with a little honey for dressing.During fasting, you should not starve, especially if you have not denied yourself food before. This is fraught with problems with bile secretion and erosive processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
Hot meals can be eaten on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but on these days it is forbidden to add oil to them. But Saturday and the days of relaxation, when you can finally fry fish or vegetables in vegetable oil, add it to salads.
Proper nutrition during fasting
And while fasting, your food can be healthy. Replace the animal protein missing in the diet with products that contain vegetable proteins. First of all, these are mushrooms and legumes: lentils, peas, chickpeas. The missing fats are found in nuts, and iron - in apples, buckwheat, bananas.Remember that while observing religious fasts, one should not fall into the sin of gluttony immediately after they are completed, this is harmful not only for the soul, but also for health.
Lactating and sick people during fasting are allowed to eat milk and products from it. For those who suffer from diabetes, kidney failure, anemia and weakened immunity, the church allows meat to be eaten, not considering it a sin.
Under the ban are all products of animal origin:
- meat, poultry, fish (only allowed on certain days) and all their derivatives;
- dairy products;
- eggs;
- animal fat and butter.
Vegetable oil is allowed only on weekends, and hot food is only allowed a few times a week.
All these prohibitions complicate the task of eating a balanced diet. What is there! Even a regular salad in this situation is difficult to prepare. Starting to write this article, I broke my head thinking about how to replace oil in a salad. And my experience in cooking and drawing up different meal plans is serious. What can we say about ordinary people!
A diet can be called balanced if it contains the right amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. But in those products that first come to mind as an alternative to everything forbidden, there is clearly not enough fat and protein. After all, what does a person usually eat if meat, dairy, fat and hot are not allowed? That's right: bread, sweets, fruits, pasta, potatoes with mushrooms and cereals (on days with hot food). And such nutrition cannot be called right, whatever it may be.
How to replace vegetable oil and fats in general
- Nuts and seeds- excellent replacement to other sources of fats. Add them to porridge, muesli on the water, salads. You can even sprinkle them on vegetable soup! Delicious.
- Avocado. Yes, I am aware that the price of it has increased obscenely, but you are already saving on meat. Therefore, I suggest at least occasionally pamper yourself with this super-useful product.
- Coconut milk. You can make a great dessert or breakfast from it (for example, according to this simple recipe), it can be added to hot dishes.
- coconut chips. Much healthier than regular and even dried fruits. For a long time saturate, rich in healthy fats and fiber. They can also be sprinkled on porridge and muesli.
- Olives. They are rich in healthy fats and will perfectly complement a salad without oil.
How to replace dairy products
plant analogues. For example, soy products are good. In general, I am an ardent opponent of dairy products, so this ban on fasting is closest to me. Of course, life without cheese is a bit boring, but besides it, there are so many delicious things. It's time to try something new. For example, vegetables with various pesto sauces. They will just approach the wine, which, oddly enough, is allowed on some days of Lent.
Where to get protein
In vegetable products, and these are all legumes: peas, lentils, beans of all conceivable and inconceivable species, chickpeas ... I suggest that on those days when hot food is allowed, cook not porridge and potatoes, but a wide variety of dishes from legumes. So you stock up on protein for the future, and also make up for the lack of B vitamins, which, by the way, is important. B vitamins are directly involved in the process of energy production by cells. That is, if in a simple way, we need them so as not to nod off all day. Of course, there are many more rules that will help you stay alert, but this is a topic for another article.
Nuts are also a good source of protein. So continue to sprinkle them on porridge, muesli, and salads with a generous hand.
Rules to help you stay in line while fasting
1. Do not get carried away with fruits. 2-3 per day is your maximum. Fruits sharply raise blood sugar and, if consumed excessively, harm the liver due to the large amount of fructose. It is best to combine them with nuts. This will slow down the release of sugar into the blood, and the feeling of satiety will stay with you longer.
2. - your everything. Here you can come up with whatever your heart desires, both for dry days and for hot dishes.
3. Cereals are a good thing, but in moderation and always accompanied by nuts, seeds and other permitted sources of fats from the list above. Most preferably buckwheat and oatmeal. The former has a very low glycemic index compared to other cereals, while the latter is rich in protein. That is why oatmeal is so loved by trainers, who often make meal plans for their clients based on it.
If you are lucky and next to you are selling newfangled quinoa, then feel free to bet on it. It is good for everyone: it is rich in B vitamins, contains a lot of protein and at the same time has a low glycemic index.
4. Less bread, gentlemen! He, of course, is the head of everything, but ... The presence of yeast in it makes it not the best product on your table. I do not call for rushing from one extreme to another and avoiding it altogether, but I know many people who not only did not lose weight during fasting, but, on the contrary, gained a lot of weight. The reason for this is just bread, cereals and fruits in wild quantities. Don't repeat their mistakes.
5. Choose Fatty Fish on Fish Days: mackerel, sardine, herring, salmon, salmon. Why? I suspect that you are not getting enough fat in your diet, so I suggest replenishing your reserves, and at the same time enriching your body with extremely useful omega-3 fatty acids. It is in fish oil that these acids are the most valuable (they are also found in plant sources, but their effect is not quite the same).
6. Do not abuse sweets.
Lent implies the rejection of food of animal origin. You can not eat meat, fish, eggs, as well as milk and dairy products. On the one hand, temporarily abstaining from milk is not at all difficult. On the other hand, if you are used to this product, the question arises - what can replace milk in fasting? There are many alternatives to cow's and goat's milk in stores that fit under the category of plant products. And they, of course, are allowed during fasting.
Can you drink milk while fasting?
Milk and its derivatives are products of animal origin, which means food that is unacceptable during Lent. An exception is not made even for Saturdays and Sundays - days when fasting people can eat dishes with vegetable oil. Permission to consume dairy products can be asked from a priest if a person is seriously ill or very old. Also, relief is made in relation to people on the way. The church also allows pregnant and lactating women to drink milk, because the health of the child depends on it.
As for children, they are not required to fast at the age of seven. In the future, this remains at the discretion of the parents. Remember that a strict fast for a child can result in poor performance at school - in order to study well, you need to eat well. If a child is accustomed to eating meat, eggs and dairy products, a sharp rejection of them will lead to a decrease in activity and concentration.
Having decided to fast, you must be aware that the refusal of cow's milk is your voluntary desire. Fasting is only a period of time, but at the same time it is an opportunity to experience the strength of the spirit and humility. Fasting is not a restriction in food - it is a way to purify the soul and thoughts.
If you are wondering if milk is allowed during fasting, a list of products that can replace animal milk can help you.
What can replace milk during fasting
The foods listed below do not contain animal fats and are considered lean. They can be eaten throughout Lent.
Soy milk
It is a plant-based product made from soybean, a leguminous plant widely distributed in Asia. The composition of soy milk may vary, depending on the manufacturer and the market where it is sold. So, as a rule, soy products with a sufficient content of protein and fat are imported to Russia. This allows, if not completely, then very effectively to replace goat or cow's milk with this product. Soy milk during fasting is added to coffee, porridge and other dishes are cooked on it, and they are also drunk in its pure form - it is tasty and perfectly quenches thirst. Some priests are ambivalent about the use of soy products, because they are some kind of illusion of food that is forbidden to eat. Thus, everyone makes a choice for himself - whether to keep himself in strictness or afford such a replacement.
Coconut milk
In terms of taste, this drink is not similar to cow's milk - it is more watery and, of course, contains significantly less protein. You can drink coconut milk during Lent. In addition, it is used to make soups and other Asian dishes.
nut milk
Milk made from nuts is a plant food. It tastes similar to soy and has a higher protein content than coconut. It also contains calcium, which is useful at any age. You can make desserts, smoothies, pancakes and more with it. The most popular is almond milk, it is suitable for dietary nutrition and intolerance to cow and soy milk. The shops also sell milk made from cedar and hazelnuts.
Other types of vegetable milk are also presented on the shelves of supermarkets: rice, oatmeal, poppy, etc. All of these drinks are lean.
What can not replace milk in fasting:
- Condensed milk. This product should not be consumed by fasting people, as it is made on the basis of cow's milk.
- Whole milk powder or skimmed milk powder. Powdered milk is based on animal protein. Even fat-free, it is not suitable for a lean table. There is a plant-based milk powder, but it is less common.
- lactose free milk. Its difference from the usual one is the absence of milk sugar. In other respects, it is identical to the usual cow's milk. Thus, it is a product of animal origin.
How to make your own lean milk
Plant-based milk can be prepared at home. The technology is simple, the main thing is not to forget that homemade milk is stored for no more than 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
Soy Milk Recipe:
- Rinse thoroughly with 100 g of peeled soybeans (the water should become clear). Soak them in cold water for 24 hours.
- Mash the swollen beans with a little water. You should get a homogeneous mixture, similar in consistency to liquid sour cream.
- Take a large saucepan, put the mixture into it and pour four liters of cold water. Add 2-3 teaspoons of sugar and a pinch of salt, stir. Cover the pot and leave for 4 hours. During this time, stir the mixture occasionally.
- Strain the milk, squeeze out the cake and boil the drink for 10-15 minutes.
Almond Milk Recipe:
- Soak 1 cup raw almonds in cold water overnight. If you use unshelled nuts, the milk will turn out beige. By cleaning them, you will achieve a lighter shade.
- After the night, drain the remaining water, place the nuts in a container suitable for making milk and add three glasses of cold water.
- Beat the mixture with a blender until smooth. Strain and pour into a bottle or jar with a lid.
The answer can be very simple - of course you can. After all, the unconditional requirement of observing Great Lent is the use of only plant foods and the complete exclusion from the diet of food of animal origin. And soy is a leguminous plant, the same as peas, beans and others. And if people have learned through various manipulations to give these beans the shape of cutlets, goulash and other meatballs - what difference does this make? It may be objected that fasting is not only abstaining from animal food, but also from delicacies. This, of course, is correct, and even lean food should be eaten in such a way as to exclude any pleasure from the process of eating. But in practice, I don't even know how to do it. I remember one priest told how, after the first days of fasting, observed according to all the statutory rules, with dry eating, he finally allowed himself to cut off a slice of black bread, pour it with sunflower oil, salt it and eat it. “Never in my life,” he said, “have I eaten with such pleasure any cake, any cake!” So with a delicacy, everything is not simple. The stricter you fast, the more you eat what you can eat without breaking the fast. It is known after all that the best seasoning for any dish is hunger.
Great Lent is approaching, which helps to cleanse the body and soul of a person. During it, believers consume only lean foods. Before you start fasting, consider the following tips.
What not to eat while fasting
The main condition that fasting people must observe is to refuse meat products (pork, chicken, beef, fish, lamb). And also you can not include in your diet the following components:
Candies;
Dairy cheeses, butter, sour-milk and, in fact, milk).
So, what should be the food and what lean foods are best used in the diet during Lent?
Grocery list
As you know, products of animal origin cannot be consumed during fasting, but only on the shelves of supermarkets, markets, you can find a large assortment of such products. Before you go shopping, bring a list of lean foods with you:
Groats (oatmeal, buckwheat, rice, bulgur, barley, corn, wheat, barley);
Vegetables (beets, spinach, potatoes, asparagus, carrots, peppers, cabbage, garlic, onions);
Mushrooms (porcini, champignons, mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles) can be consumed in any form - fresh, dried, and frozen.
Legumes (peas, asparagus and green beans, lentils, mung beans, chickpeas);
Vegetable fats olive, linseed, sunflower, pumpkin);
Pickles (cucumbers, apples, cabbage, tomatoes);
Greens (basil, dill, mint, leek, parsley) are used dried and fresh or as a spice;
Dried fruits (raisins, candied fruits, dried apricots, figs, prunes);
Nuts (cashews, walnuts, forest, hazelnuts);
Fruit can be any, even exotic;
Sweets (jams, kozinaki, preserves, halva, honey);
Black and green olives;
From durum wheat;
Bread malt and bran;
Drinks (green tea, fruit drink, cocoa, compote, juices, jelly);
Soy products (milk, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream).
These are the foods you can eat. The list is quite wide. We advise you to stick to it during fasting.
Soy Lean Products
The stores still sell ready-made meat and dairy products that are made from soy. They are enriched with vitamins, Omega-3 acids, trace elements, isoflavones. These lean products have many advantages:
1. They do not need to be stored in the refrigerator.
2. They cook quickly.
3. Soy can be attributed to a complete source of protein.
4. Reduce the risk of breast tumors and cardiovascular disease.
5. Regulate blood cholesterol.
6. Improve brain activity.
But doctors still advise to be careful with these products. After all, most of the soybeans are grown using transgenic technologies. When choosing soy products, consider whether these simulants are necessary.
Lenten menu example
Before you start cooking, get provisions. As mentioned above, lean products for fasting can be bought in supermarkets, markets. So, here are a couple of menu options where components that are prohibited in the post are excluded.
For breakfast: wheat porridge cooked exclusively in water. Add finely chopped pumpkin to it. The drink is green tea.
Lunch: vegetarian borscht, light fresh cabbage salad with finely grated carrots.
Afternoon snack: cook potato rolls with mushrooms in the oven. Drink - compote from apples.
Dinner: stew a turnip with carrots. As a dessert - cranberries, which are mixed with honey.
Here is another option.
Breakfast: potato pancakes, radish salad. The drink is green tea.
Lunch: broccoli soup, celery root salad, apples, swede.
Afternoon snack: vegetable stew. Drink - apple-cranberry mousse.
Dinner: stewed cabbage rolls with rice and carrots. Drink - tea with jam. Dessert - candied fruits.
Now you are convinced that it can be varied and, most importantly, useful. All dishes are balanced and include a sufficient amount of vitamins, proteins, trace elements.
Benefits and contraindications
For some people, dietary restrictions are extremely contraindicated. The following categories of persons are released from office:
Anyone who has recently undergone a complex operation or a serious illness;
Aged people;
Pregnant women, nursing mothers;
Patients with diabetes;
Suffering from high blood pressure, kidney failure, serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, stomach ulcers, gastritis;
People who are engaged in heavy physical labor.
As for the rest, doctors welcome their desire to fast. After all, at least once a week you need to arrange a fasting day.
Fasting is also beneficial for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. When eating lean food, harmful toxins and slags are removed from the body. The intestinal microflora is restored. The level of cholesterol and sugar decreases, excess fluid is excreted. During fasting, many lose weight. Many people dream about it. After all, excess weight puts a strain on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. The lenten menu is rich in fruits and vegetables, which saturate the body with vitamins.
Fasting Mistakes
In no case should you eat once or twice a day. The body ceases to receive a sufficient amount of energy sources. In this regard, the work of the immune system may worsen, and the hormonal background will be disturbed. In the diet, be sure to include not only carbohydrate foods, but also protein. Otherwise, it will lead to the accumulation of adipose tissue. Abundant consumption of raw fruits and vegetables, nuts can provoke colic, bloating, and even exacerbation of intestinal disease. Be sure to include the first course in the lenten menu for every day.
The main thing in fasting is not limiting oneself in food, but a complete purification of the soul. And do not go to extremes and make your menu only from water and bread.
Doctors do not advise entering a multi-week fast without preparation. This can lead to nervous breakdowns and health problems. All this arises from the feeling of hunger. It is best to prepare yourself throughout the year. Arrange once a week unloading. Meals should be frequent and fractional. Eat five times a day. Avoid fried foods. Steam, boil, stew and bake.
After reading the article, we hope you understand that lean foods are nutritious, healthy and appetizing, and not at all tasteless.
