Recently, there has been a revival of interest in religion, Russians are rediscovering those age-old traditions that, after all, could not be eradicated during the years of Soviet power, and are trying to follow them. One of these traditions is the observance of numerous church fasts, in which believers cleanse not only their souls, but also their bodies, excluding meager food from their diet.
Foods that are excluded during the fast
The list of foods that the church prohibits eating during fasting includes all those 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. Milk and everything connected with it are prohibited: butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, dairy products and drinks, cheeses. During fasting, it is forbidden to eat pasta, white and rich bread, cakes, cookies, waffles and any baked goods that contain butter, eggs and milk. Do not forget that you cannot eat mayonnaise either, because eggs are also used for its preparation.
Certain foods, such as fish and vegetable oil, can only be eaten on non-strict fast days, although the vegetable oil is not of 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.
Fasting by day of the week
On some days of the week, the fast can be stricter, and on some days, including those falling on church holidays, some relaxation can be allowed. So, Monday, Wednesday and Friday are the days of strict fasting, dry food. These days, you can use only those products that have not been cooked, the addition of vegetable oil is also excluded. On the days of strict fasting, you can only eat black bread, vegetables and fruits, washed down with water or unsweetened compote. If you will be making salads these days, you can only use 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 not allowed to add oil to them. But Saturday and Sunday are 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 diet can be healthy. Replace animal protein that is absent in the diet with products that contain plant proteins. First of all, these are mushrooms and legumes: lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas. Missing fats are found in nuts, and iron - in apples, buckwheat, bananas.
Remember that, while observing religious fasts, one should not immediately fall into the sin of gluttony upon their completion; this is harmful not only for the soul, but also for health.
Nursing mothers and sick people are allowed to eat milk and milk products during fasting. Those who suffer from diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, anemia and weakened immunity are allowed by the church to eat meat, not considering it a sin.
