What can you eat while fasting? Lent: meals by day with recipes and a complete list of lean foods. What foods are allowed during fasting?

Most people either stop fasting halfway or misinterpret its meaning. All this forces those who want to fast to find as much information as possible about it. The purpose of religious fasting is spiritual purification and abstinence from worldly pleasures. For 40 days, a person disciplines his mind and body in order to grow spiritually and free himself from earthly habits. Nutrition during fasting is the first necessity. It may seem quite strict, especially for beginners. If you don't understand how to comply Lent, this material will tell you how to adhere to it correctly.

Starvation and physical exhaustion are not the purpose of fasting. If you correctly plan your nutrition schedule by day and week, you will be very surprised how varied and healthy lean foods can be.

List of permitted products

Fruits:

Grape

Pomegranate

Apples

Cranberry

Citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits)

All these fruits are eaten raw during Lent, and desserts, various snacks, fresh salads and other dishes are also prepared with them.

Dried fruits:
Pineapples
Bananas
Cherry
Pears
Dried apricots
Dates
Prunes
Apples

Dried fruits can not only be eaten during Lent, but they are necessary. During a limited diet, they will enrich the diet with valuable vitamins and strengthen the immune system. They can be combined with other Lenten dishes, and can be used to make compotes and jelly.

Vegetables:

Carrot

Potato

Beet

Celery

Bell pepper

Cabbage (white cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts)

Sauerkraut and pickled cucumbers are also welcome on the Lenten table.

Greenery

Parsley

Basil
Leaf salad

Spinach
Sorrel

Champignons, oyster mushrooms and other types of mushrooms are rich in protein, which is sorely lacking during the fasting period. Mushrooms will be an excellent alternative to meat. You can use them to make delicious and healthy casseroles with vegetables, soups, pies, roasts and snacks. They are also convenient to combine with cereals and pancakes. Don't neglect mushrooms in your diet.

Legumes

Popular legumes: beans and peas will also become irreplaceable sources of protein during Lent. They are ideal for those losing weight, athletes and anyone involved in heavy physical labor. Legumes are used to make excellent purees and dishes with vegetables. The menu of these products will be satisfying, healthy and at the same time simple. Sports nutrition During fasting, it must be accompanied by vegetable protein.

Cereals

Porridges such as rice, buckwheat, oatmeal and other cereals should become the basis of a lean diet. With the exception of days where complete abstinence from food is recommended, porridge can be eaten every day during Lent. They should be cooked only in water, without oil. Optional, different kinds cereals can be combined with each other and added vegetables, mushrooms, nuts and dried fruits. This diversifies the dietary menu.

Fish

You can eat fish only according to strict rules. During religious fasting, it is consumed on the day of the Annunciation and Palm Sunday.

Beverages:

Compote

Kissel

Animal milk is prohibited during fasting. However, almond milk, coconut milk, and soy milk are excellent substitutes.

The spring season is not rich in fresh vegetables, fruits and berries. You have to buy them in stores, or stock up on them in advance for fasting. Some preparations will be an excellent addition to the main menu:

Beans (can be in tomato)

Green pea

Corn

Lentils

Frozen vegetables, but especially berries and fruits, will come in handy on fasting days. You can make wonderful tea treats from them.

Sweets:

Marmalade

Lenten marshmallows

Oat cookies

Kazinaki

Dark chocolate (bitter only)
Lollipops

Turkish Delight

In addition to these products, you can include the following in your post:

Nuts and seeds;

Pasta (without eggs);

Lenten sauces and dressings (soy, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc.);

Lenten bread (Borodinsky, grain, capital);

Unleavened bread and pita bread;

Flour (rice, corn, oatmeal, buckwheat and coarse wheat);

Seaweed.

During Lent, seafood (squid, shrimp) remains controversial. Some people believe that you should not eat such food during Lent. However, less conservative followers of fasting do not agree with this opinion and believe that seafood is acceptable on non-strict days.

What not to eat during Lent

Meat (sausages, frankfurters, balyki, lard, etc.);

Fish (except on non-strict days);

Milk, cheese and any dairy products;

Alcohol (except on non-strict days);

Sweets and baked goods containing butter, eggs and milk;

Pork fat and meat broths;

Fast food.

In addition, it is necessary to exclude spices, too spicy, salty, sour and heavy foods that stimulate an unhealthy appetite. These are all the things you can’t eat during Lent.

Lent is considered the longest and most demanding season of the year. The first and last weeks before Easter are considered the toughest. Some lay people follow strict rules for eating.

It is advisable to spend Clean Monday (the first day of fasting) and Great Friday (the penultimate day) without food.

On other days, the consumption of permitted products follows the schedule:

Contraindications to fasting

The Orthodox Church does not force all Christians to observe strict fasting. It is important to consult your doctor before following a diet plan. Pregnant and breastfeeding women can eat some prohibited foods during fasting.

The main contraindications to fasting are:

Small and sick children;

Elderly people burdened with physical ailments;

People who have undergone surgery;

People suffering from serious illnesses.

fast ,

In the photo: vegetable salads on the Lenten menu are not only tasty, but also healthy

What foods will help maintain health during fasting and how not to gain weight during fasting?

What can't you eat during Lent?

According to Orthodox traditions, during fasting it is forbidden to eat any products of animal origin.

The large list of products includes: meat, poultry, fish, milk and dairy products (sour cream, cottage cheese, kefir, cheese, butter, yogurt, etc.), as well as eggs.

Regarding seafood (shrimp, mussels, squid, oysters, etc.), various denominations have not come to a common agreement. Thus, according to the Greek statute, seafood is equated to mushrooms, since they have plant and animal cells. And you can eat seafood occasionally.

In the photo: Greek regulations equate seafood to mushrooms, so you can occasionally eat seafood

Vegetable oil (sunflower and olive) is allowed only on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

You should also exclude mayonnaise, beloved by many, during fasting.

You cannot drink any alcoholic beverages during fasting.

You should also exclude rich white bread, a variety of pastries made from wheat flour and sweets from your diet.

What can you eat during Lent?

You can eat any products of plant origin: potatoes, cabbage, pumpkin, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, turnips, radishes, beans, mushrooms, nuts, various berries, fruits and dried fruits.

In the photo: salad from sauerkraut, bell pepper, onions and cranberries

In our stores you can also find “Lenten Menu” brands, which were developed with the participation and blessing of the Danilov Patriarchal Monastery.

Not everyone can withstand dietary restrictions throughout the entire period of fasting, especially if you decide to fast for the first time.

Doctors pay attention to this fact: during Lent, some may... gain weight.

It would seem: you deliberately refuse meat and other animal products, but you gain several kg in weight per month.

Reasons for gaining weight during fasting

1. Fast carbohydrates

The reason for obesity during fasting: a large amount of fast carbohydrates.

You feel hungry, which is quite natural, and drink tea with sugar and bagels, eat instant vegetable soups, snack on white bread with homemade jam. All this leads to the release of insulin, and this hormone is known to synthesize fat and increase appetite.

You feel hungry, consume fast carbohydrates, are hungry again and eat again. Eventually - excess weight.

2. Don't forget to have breakfast

Be sure to have breakfast. Brew yourself oatmeal in the morning, eat buckwheat, millet, bulgur, egg, couscous, spelt and polenta.

In the photo: what could be better than tasty and boiled buckwheat porridge?

Try making a salad with quinoa, a very fashionable plant native to South America today. The Incas called it "golden grain."

Quinoa contains a lot of protein and about 20 amino acids. This plant also contains many important microelements: iron, calcium and phosphorus.

Pictured: quinoa and vegetable salad

Even chefs of fashionable restaurants prepare warm vegetable salads and soups with quinoa.

Remember that at breakfast you should eat a third of the daily value.

If you didn't have time to have breakfast, then at lunch and dinner you will eat much more than your body needs.

The norm of calorie consumption for women is no more than 1500 kilocalories, for men engaged in physical labor - 1900 kilocalories.

10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) – 161.

3. Frequent snacking

Many people believe that when they feel hungry, they can snack on nuts and dried fruits. Yes, these products are very rich in various microelements, but they are also very high in calories. 100 g of nuts contain on average up to 600 kilocalories.

In the photo: the Lenten menu may include dried fruits and nuts. But remember that this is a high-calorie food, so in order not to gain excess weight, you should not eat them daily

The same applies to oil. Do not generously pour vegetable (olive) oil over all dishes. As doctors note, the rate of oil consumption is no more than 1 tablespoon per day.

4. Food at night

Have dinner at least 4 hours before bedtime. Salad with vegetables and herbs, durum wheat pasta with vegetables, fish or seafood on non-strict fasting days, beets, grain porridge with pumpkin - all this contributes to normal digestion.

And don’t forget about greens: parsley, dill, mint, green onions, arugula, pea pods, spinach help cleanse the body of toxins.

And the lack of fats and proteins can be compensated for with fish oil, which is now available in capsules. In pharmacies you can also buy fish oil with wheat germ, sea buckthorn and rose hip oil.

In the photo: Omega-3 fish oil with wheat germ, sea buckthorn and rose hip oils

Lent is approaching, which helps to cleanse the body and soul of a person. During it, believers eat only lean foods. Before you start fasting, consider the following tips.

What not to eat during fasting

The main condition that fasting people must observe is to give up meat products (pork, chicken, beef, fish, lamb). You should also not include the following components in your diet:

Candies;

Dairy cheeses, butter, fermented milk and, strictly speaking, milk).

So, what should your diet be like and what lean foods are best to use in your diet during Lent?

Grocery list

As you know, you cannot consume products of animal origin during Lent, but only on the shelves of supermarkets and markets you can find a large assortment of such products. Before you go shopping, take with you a list of lean foods:

Cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat, rice, bulgur, pearl barley, corn, wheat, barley);

Vegetables (beets, spinach, potatoes, asparagus, carrots, peppers, cabbage, garlic, onions);

Mushrooms (porcini, champignons, honey mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles) can be consumed in any form - fresh, dried, or frozen.

Legumes (peas, green and green beans, lentils, mung beans, chickpeas);

Vegetable fats: olive, flaxseed, 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, hazelnuts, hazelnuts);

You can use any fruit, even exotic ones;

Sweets (jams, kozinaki, preserves, halva, honey);

Black and green olives;

From durum wheat;

Malt and bran bread;

Beverages ( green tea, fruit drinks, cocoa, compote, juices, jelly);

Soy products (milk, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream).

These are the types of lean foods you can eat. The list is quite wide. We advise you to adhere to it during fasting.

Soy meatless products

Stores also sell prepared meat and dairy products made from soy. They are enriched with vitamins, Omega-3 acids, microelements, and isoflavones. These lean foods have many advantages:

1. They do not need to be stored in the refrigerator.

2. They cook quickly.

3. Soy can be considered a complete source of protein.

4. Reduce the risk of breast tumors and cardiovascular diseases.

5. Regulate cholesterol in the blood.

6. Improve brain activity.

But doctors still advise caution when using these products. After all, most soybeans are grown using transgenic technologies. When choosing soy products, consider whether these simulants are really necessary.

Example of a Lenten menu

Before you start cooking, purchase provisions. As mentioned above, lean products for fasting can be bought in supermarkets and markets. So, here are a couple of menu options that exclude components that are prohibited in Lent.

For breakfast: wheat porridge cooked exclusively in water. Add finely chopped pumpkin to it. The drink is green tea.

Lunch: vegetarian borscht, light salad of fresh cabbage with finely grated carrots.

Afternoon snack: cook potato rolls with mushrooms in the oven. The drink is apple compote.

Dinner: stew turnips with carrots. As a dessert - cranberries, which are mixed with honey.

Here's another option.

Breakfast: potato pancakes, radish salad. The drink is green tea.

Lunch: broccoli soup, salad of celery root, apples, rutabaga.

Afternoon snack: vegetable stew. The drink is 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, and microelements.

Benefits and contraindications

For some people, dietary restrictions are extremely contraindicated. The following categories of persons are exempt from office:

Anyone who has recently undergone a complex operation or serious illness;

Aged people;

Pregnant women, nursing mothers;

Patients with diabetes;

People suffering from high blood pressure, kidney failure, serious illnesses 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 have a fasting day.

Fasting is also beneficial for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. When eating lean food, harmful toxins and waste are removed from the body. The intestinal microflora is restored. Cholesterol and sugar levels are reduced, and excess fluid is removed. During fasting, many people lose weight. Many people dream about this. After all, excess weight puts a strain on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system. The Lenten menu is rich in fruits and vegetables, which saturate the body with vitamins.

Mistakes of fasting people

Under no circumstances should you eat once or twice a day. The body ceases to receive sufficient energy sources. As a result, performance may deteriorate immune system, and hormonal balance will be disrupted. Be sure to include not only carbohydrate foods in your diet, but also protein foods. Otherwise, it will lead to the accumulation of fatty tissue. Excessive consumption of raw fruits and vegetables, nuts can cause colic, bloating and even exacerbation of intestinal disease. Be sure to include the first dish in your Lenten menu every day.

The main thing in fasting is not limiting yourself in food, but completely cleansing the soul. And you shouldn’t go to extremes and make your menu only from water and bread.

Doctors do not advise entering into a multi-week fast without preparation. This can lead to nervous breakdowns and health problems. All this arises due to the feeling of hunger. It's best to prepare yourself throughout the year. Have a deload once a week. Meals should be frequent and small. 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.

Fasting is abstinence from certain types of food in order to reunite with God, therefore at such a time it is assumed not only to limit food, but also to renounce external impressions and pleasures.

Proper nutrition during fasting: essence and features ^

The essence of fasting is to abstain from everything that can bring pleasure: festivities, festive gatherings and, of course, certain foods. When people are just getting ready to fast, they are often interested in the question: what can’t be eaten during fasting?

First of all, animal proteins, which are found in meat and meat products, fish, poultry, and eggs, are strictly prohibited.
You should not consume cheeses, sour cream, kefir, yogurt and other dairy products, as well as milk chocolate, pasta, white bread and alcohol.

In fact, nutrition on fasting days completely excludes any protein foods, but on non-strict days it is allowed to eat fish and vegetable oils, which contain mainly fats.

Now let’s learn more about what you can eat during Lent:

Any vegetables and fruits;
Legumes;
Porridge;
Confectionery and bakery products prepared without eggs and dairy products;
Nuts;

Nutrition rules during fasting

It’s not enough to just find out what you can eat during Lent; it’s also important to follow some food rules:

You cannot overeat, even if it is permitted foods, otherwise the whole essence of fasting is lost;
It is necessary to give up all carnal pleasures, because... spiritual limitations are of great importance;
The first and last weeks of the Great Orthodox Lent are considered the strictest, when you can eat crackers, kutya, and drink water. On the first day - only water.

What you can and cannot eat: sample menu ^

What is possible during a strict fast?

The Great Fast is considered the strictest: its duration is 40 days, during which a person must refrain from watching entertainment programs and attending such events, and also comply with the following rules:

On the first day of fasting and on Friday, any food is prohibited;
In the first and last week you can eat vegetables, fruits and bread, and drink water;
The rest of the time you are allowed to eat honey, nuts, marmalade and any food of plant origin.

Fasting on Wednesday and Friday: what you can eat

Many people prefer to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year: on these days, small indulgences in food are allowed if they do not fall during other fasts.

What you can eat during fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays:

Fish;
Vegetable oils;
Fruits and vegetables.

Is it possible to eat sugar during fasting?

Despite the fact that sugar contains albumin, its use during Lent is not prohibited by the church. What other sweets are allowed:

Bitter (dark) chocolate is one that does not contain milk and is filled with prohibited ingredients. Many delicacies are made on the basis of dark chocolate - almonds in chocolate glaze, paste using soy milk, and glazed cookies;
Dried fruits - all without exception. The abundance of offers can satisfy any gastronomic taste. Want even sweeter? Prunes in dark chocolate - for real gourmets;
Kozinaki are any nuts pressed using molasses, sugar or honey. Homemade kozinaki should be prepared without butter;
Marmalade, marshmallows, marshmallows, pectin jelly. Gelatin is made from animal collagen, which is found in bones, cartilage, tendons, and pectin is of plant origin. The most popular pectin is apple pectin;
Honey is considered to be a lean product, because it is a product produced by insects and does not contain animal proteins or fats. For some, honey becomes the only consolation during this time. hard time spiritual and physical limitations.

When can you eat fish during Lent?

Fish is on the list of prohibited foods, except for the following cases:

Petrov fast: Tuesday, Thursday and weekends;
Dormition Fast: only on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord;
Nativity fast: on weekends, i.e. on Saturday and Sunday;
Lent: on the Feast of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God and on Palm Sunday.

Is it possible to eat vegetable oil during fasting?

Vegetable oil is one of the main products included in the list of permitted: it is used to cook vegetable dishes, to mushrooms and baked goods. There are only a few days when it is prohibited:

Monday: dry eating is observed in honor of angelic powers;
Wednesday: in memory of the betrayal of the Savior;
Friday: as a sign of sorrow over the crucifixion of Christ.

Is it possible to eat honey during fasting?

Honey is not a plant product, but the modern church allows it for consumption. Only Old Believers and some monks are against this, but in most cases clergy do not exclude it from their diet. Which honey is better to choose:

Buckwheat: contains many amino acids and vitamins;
Acacia or linden.

Is it possible to eat bread during Lent?

During fasting, the use of this product is allowed only if it does not contain vegetable oils, eggs and milk.
In this case, white bread and any other varieties of it are prohibited if ingredients included in the list of restrictions were used in their preparation.

Is it possible to eat sweets during Lent?

Sweets are allowed during fasting, but they should be eaten in moderation.
Lenten chocolate, candied fruits, dried fruits, chocolate-covered nuts, caramel, lollipops, and chocolate grilled vegetables are allowed for consumption.

Orthodox fasting: how to eat for the laity

Calendar proper nutrition during Lent it looks like this:

Good Friday: nothing can be eaten until the shroud is taken out;
Lazarus Saturday: you can eat some fish caviar;
Palm Sunday: fish is allowed to be added to caviar;
Annunciation: all permitted products, as well as fish.

Sample menu for strict fasting days:

We have breakfast with tea with a slice of black bread, eat a portion of porridge;
We have lunch with vegetable salad and lean soup;
For an afternoon snack we drink compote and eat fruit;
We have dinner with stewed vegetables.

What role does nutrition play during fasting?

According to church clergy, observing all food prohibitions during fasting is secondary: first of all, a person needs to cleanse himself spiritually and try to find the path to God.

That is why you need to fast not for the sake of fashion trends or the cleansing of the body that occurs thanks to fasting, but in order to receive spiritual enlightenment. Without true faith in God and keeping the Commandments, the whole essence of fasting is lost.

After graduation Maslenitsa comes Lent- a time of strict abstinence and prayer. Lent is called upon to prepare believers for the main Christian holiday - Happy Easter Christ's.

When does Lent begin and end in 2018?

Lent begins on Monday, February 19 and lasts until Saturday, April 7, inclusive. Easter,Bright Resurrection of Christ- comes April 8.

The meaning of Lent

Lent is not a diet. Main meaning fasting - cleansing the soul through imposing restrictions on oneself. At the beginning of Lent, the great penitential canon of the saint is read in churches Andrey Kritsky, which talks about sin and God's forgiveness, which cleanses the soul and body of a person.

Rules of Lent

During Lent, believers not only limit themselves in food, but also try not to be distracted by vain things, including various entertainments. It is appropriate to give up idle entertainment - watching entertaining television programs, computer games, going to the movies to watch comedies, noisy gatherings in a group, etc.

At this time, meat and all meat products, milk and dairy products, as well as eggs and dishes made from them are prohibited.

Limiting himself in food and entertainment, a true Christian should not be proud of this, either in front of himself or, especially, in front of others, otherwise it makes fasting meaningless.

Who should not fast

If you are going to observe all the strictures (considerable) of Lent, it is better to first consult with a doctor and a priest. You should not be overzealous in fasting if you have chronic diseases- gastrointestinal tract, hematopoietic organs, oncological, etc. Pregnancy, weight loss, anemia are conditions in which you also need to be careful when limiting your food intake.

Under no circumstances should children be forced to give up dairy products - this can be dangerous, especially in the spring. It is better to ask the child, for example, to voluntarily give up sweets. As for meat products for children, this issue can be left to the discretion of the parents - a temporary refusal of meat is not dangerous to health.

The Church officially grants relaxations in fasting for the sick, those who work hard, and those traveling - they are allowed permission to have milk, and in case of some illnesses, even for meat or meat broths. You can ask a priest for such permission.

Lent calendar 2018

We offer the so-called monastic food option during Lent - it is the most strict and not obligatory for the laity. During fasting you should eat more vegetables and fruits, legumes, potatoes, etc. You should also pay attention to porridges, lean soups, dried fruits, nuts, honey, jelly and fruit drinks, etc.