First of all, when I heard about the “Daniel Fast“, what came to my mind was when Daniel and his friends challenged the king’s chef that they wanted to be fed with God’s foods instead of the king’s food.
The “Daniel Fast” was named after the prophet Daniel, who created it to clear his mind for prayer.
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
This happened more than 2,000 years ago. But it seemed to yield amazing weight-loss and health benefits in the modern days. And of course, it works because this is God’s desire for His people that we should be eating “clean and healthy foods”: fruits, vegetables and grains.
According to the Woman’s World magazine (3/26/12 issue):
This “Daniel Fast” diet started when some folks decided to copy a 3-week vegetarian regimen described in the Old Testament. And they were sharing their experiences and success in the internet that they were losing 10, 20 even 40 pounds in 21 days.
Their stories got the attention of weight-loss scientists and began their studies to see if the Daniel Fast works even without a spiritual emphasis.
The results from their lab tests show: “weight-loss along with notable decreases in blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation — all in just 3 weeks!” reveals Richard Bloomer, Ph., D., from University of Memphis.
Vegetarian nutrition expert says:
“This approach pulls no punches in terms of getting to eat healthfully. You’ll see very motivating results in the short term. And I think it has the potential to jumpstart healthy habits for life.”
~Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D., author of Eat to Live
Daniel Fast – A Vegan Diet with a Twist
When we hear the word “fast” we always associate it with with a starvation diet. On the “Daniel Fast,” Bloomer says:
You aren’t restricting the quantity you eat, just the type of food you eat. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and plant-based oils are all unlimited…
The idea is to eat the most natural foods possible. In addition to eliminating animal products, there are no processed foods, white-flour products preservatives, additives, sweeteners, flavorings, caffeine or alcohol.
In spite of these limitations, Bloomer says the Daniel Fast has proven remarkably easy to stick with.
During University of Memphis testing, a whopping 98% of folks completed the diet with little or no cheating.
One Daniel Faster says:
You can have oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch, pasta for dinner. There are a lot of very familiar options.
Reasons Why Daniel Fast Works
Top vegetarian nutrition experts are not surprised from the reports that the Daniel Fast melts fat so fast.
One study showed that Daniel-style eating can help weight-loss-resistant women lose 150% more weight than a traditional diet!
Here are just a few reasons why Daniel Fast works:
1. Slash Calories
During the University of Memphis University study, folks eat all the Daniel Fast foods they wanted — and yet still averaged about 500 fewer calories per day than normal. The average Daniel Faster doubles her daily fiber intake.
Here’s the explanation:
“Fiber has zero calories and yet it’s very filling… You trick your brain into filling more satisfied even though you’re taking in significantly fewer calories.”
~Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D., author of The 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart
2. Burn More Fat
Daniel Fast helps you burn more calories!
Dr. Barnard notes:
We’ve done specific metabolic tests, and after several weeks of a vegan diet, people up their post-meal metabolic rate by 16%.
The exact reason is not known. But one possible reason is that a vegan diet floods the body with antioxidants — many of which are now thought to stoke the body’s internal furnace.
The Daniel Fast, which cuts sweeteners and other processed carbs that can spike blood sugar, has been found to lower levels of the fat-storage hormone insulin.
Dr. Fuhrman explains:
The less insulin the body makes, the more readily fat is burned.”
“Daniel Fast” Diet – Quick Links:
Susan Gregory’s ‘Daniel Fast’ Recipes Samples:
- Daniel Fast: Breakfast Recipes
- Daniel Fast: Salads
- Main Courses
- Soups and Stews
- Daniel Fast: Flatbreads
- Daniel Fast: Snack Ideas
Daniel Fast Menu Samples
Source: Woman’s World, 3/26/12 pp, 18, 19
