On March 14, the strictest and most important period in all Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches began - Lent. It will last until April 30, followed immediately by Easter. The main message for every believer these days is abstinence from food of animal origin. But nutritionists and clergy unanimously insist that an unprepared person should not approach this with fanaticism. You cannot spend all the days of fasting in a hungry and faint state. In order for Lent 2016 to be successful, you should eat foods that help avoid loss of strength.
What foods are forbidden and which can be eaten during Lent
First, let's determine which foods are strictly taboo during Lent in 2016. The prohibited list includes all products of animal origin, namely:
- meat of any animals;
- fish;
- eggs;
- dairy products.
In addition, you should not consume vegetable oil, mayonnaise and any sauces with eggs, baked goods, alcohol and tobacco.
Lent 2016 nutrition is always a challenge, but if you create a menu correctly, then the feeling of hunger will not annoy you, because you can lean on:
- vegetables;
- fruits;
- mushrooms;
- nuts;
- porridge and legumes.
On certain days you can have a little oil, fish and alcohol.
To get the necessary vitamins, add fresh or dried herbs to your dishes, as well as healthy and tasty seasonings.
List of products for loss of strength
So, what foods should you eat to feel full of energy during Lent in 2016? Nutritionists recommend cooking:
- Beans. It contains a huge amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals that are perfectly absorbed by the human body. Beans are an ideal alternative to animal products.
- Olives and olive oil. Despite the low calorie content of olives, their oily structure helps quickly saturate the body. Olive oil, in turn, does an excellent job of protecting the walls of the stomach, compensates for the lack of fats, and also has an enveloping effect necessary for the successful functioning of the tract.
- Fish. You can eat twice during Lent - on the Feast of the Annunciation and on Palm Sunday. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity and cook fatty fish. It will replenish your body with essential amino acids, which will increase its performance.
- Oatmeal. Anyone who is used to eating oatmeal for breakfast feels its healing effect. It not only gives you a feeling of satiety, but also energizes you for the whole day. This porridge contains calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin B1, the deficiency of which can cause weakness and fatigue.
- Spinach. The leaves of this plant are rich in vitamin C, which is responsible for increasing immunity and the body's resistance to infections. In addition, spinach contains a lot of iron, which is a means of fighting fatigue.
- Bananas. This product is saturated with a high concentration of vitamin B6, which stimulates the production of the “joy hormone” (serotonin). It is a great source of energy!
Who is useful and who is contraindicated in fasting?
Nutritionists believe that, from a scientific point of view, fasting is an ideal option for cleansing the body of heavy animal fats and proteins, as well as toxic substances. During Lent, a person arranges “fasting days” for himself, eats vegetables and fruits, thereby nourishing his body with fiber and vitamins.
But experts warn that fasting is only beneficial for healthy people. Believers who have health problems should not be subjected to such a strict diet. Nutritionist Oksana Skitalinskaya told who should not fast:
“Fasting cannot be observed by children, adolescents, pregnant women, nursing mothers, persons who have undergone surgery or suffer from severe infectious diseases, as well as diabetes.”
On March 11, 2019, after Forgiveness Sunday, Lent begins for Orthodox Christians.
Lent is a period of the liturgical year that helps the believer prepare for the main event of the church calendar, the Holy Resurrection of Christ (). Dedicated to the memory of how Jesus Christ fasted for 40 days in the desert after his baptism. Alone, tempted by the Devil, he coped with all the trials. Without succumbing to sin, the Son of God defeated Satan through humility and proved by his obedience that people can keep God’s commandments.
Different faiths require adherence to certain restrictions for believers in order to prepare mentally and physically for Easter, but in Orthodoxy this fast is considered the strictest.
The duration of Lent is 48 days:
- 40 days or four decades, ends on Friday of the sixth week, in memory of the fast of the Son of God;
- Lazarus Saturday, celebrated on Saturday of the sixth week in honor of the resurrection of the righteous Lazarus by Jesus;
- Palm Sunday is the day of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, Sunday of the sixth week;
- 6 days of Passion (seventh) week, the betrayal by Judas, the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ are remembered.
On these days, Christians pray, attend services, read the Gospel, avoid entertainment, and refuse food of animal origin. Such measures help believers to cleanse themselves of sinfulness. Thinking about God helps strengthen faith and calm the human soul. Having temporarily limited themselves to the usual, learning not to indulge their carnal desires, those who fast go through the path of self-improvement, getting rid of addictions, freeing their souls from sinful thoughts.
Nutrition during Lent
Nutrition during Lent has the principle of a limited and meager diet. These days it is allowed to eat only foods of plant origin: cereals, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, dried fruits, honey, nuts. During the main period of fasting, milk and dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, and alcohol are prohibited. There are exceptions to these rules. For a description of the sample Lent menu by day, see below.
- It is recommended to spend the first day (Clean Monday) and Friday of Holy Week in fasting, cleansing the body.
- On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Orthodox Christians eat only raw food that has not been exposed to temperature - nuts, fruits, vegetables, honey, water, and bread is allowed. This stage is called dry eating.
- On Tuesday and Thursday, hot dishes are prepared, no oil is added.
- On Saturday and Sunday you can season cold and hot food with oil, drink 1 glass of grape wine (excluding Saturday of Holy (seventh) week).
- The Orthodox holidays of the Annunciation and Palm Sunday are accompanied by the opportunity for believers to diversify the Lenten table with fish dishes. On Lazarus Saturday, it is allowed to include fish caviar in the menu.
It should be noted that clergy recommend that Orthodox Christians take a reasonable approach to food restrictions associated with fasting. A person should not experience weakness or loss of strength while following traditions. Strict adherence to established restrictions is mainly available to healthy people and clergy.
You can contact your confessor and work with him to develop an individual nutrition program during Lent, taking into account your characteristics.
- To old people;
- children;
- persons with illnesses should consult a doctor before making a decision;
- people on business trips or travel;
- during hard physical labor.
Lent in 2019
Due to the difference in the calculations of the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the time of Lent in 2019 is different for Orthodox and Catholics.
Catholicism and the Resurrection of Christ are celebrated on different days in 2019:
- April 21 is a holiday for Catholics;
- April 28 is a holiday for the Orthodox.
Lazarus Saturday and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) on March 20 and 21, respectively.
Many days of fasting, physical and mental restrictions allow you to learn how to control negative emotions, anger, curb your tongue, stop foul language, slander, and lies. Having prepared in this way, believers greet the main event of religion with pure hearts and sincere joy.
Lent is the longest and strictest of all fasts - 50 days. In 2012, fasting began on February 27 and will end on April 15 - Easter. However, this does not mean that abstaining from heavy and rich dishes during the Lenten period should always be dogmatic.
Not only nutritionists, but also clergy warn fasting people against blind obedience to the rules: each person himself determines how much food and drink he needs per day. What lean foods will help you avoid loss of strength best?
Even in Tsarist Russia, during Lent, housewives prepared vegetable cutlets from potatoes with prunes, cabbage, beets, carrots with raisins, onions, and mushroom filling. We cooked porridge: rice, pearl barley, buckwheat with onions, mushrooms, vegetable oil. You can and should add seasonings, fresh and dried herbs to almost all dishes, which will help improve the taste of even the leanest treat. Every day, doctors recommend eating at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruits per day. Moreover, more than half are fresh, because heat treatment destroys many living vitamins and biologically active substances. The most beneficial are dark green and yellow-red vegetables, orange-yellow fruits and dark red berries.
Beans. Very filling and healthy, beans contain a record amount of easily digestible proteins, which makes this product an ideal alternative to meat. In addition, beans contain almost all the vitamins and minerals the body needs.
Oatmeal. Rich in complex carbohydrates, it energizes you throughout the day and gives you a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Oatmeal contains a lot of phosphorus and calcium, as well as vitamin B1, the deficiency of which causes fatigue and weakness.
Spinach. Spinach is a real storehouse of valuable vitamin C, which is responsible for the body's resistance to colds and infections. This product is also extremely rich in iron - the number one remedy in the fight against fatigue.
Bananas. A great source of energy. Bananas are quickly absorbed by the body, giving an instant boost of energy. And thanks to the high concentration of vitamin B6, bananas, like chocolate, improve mood by stimulating the production of serotonin, the hormone of joy. At a time when you have to limit yourself in many ways, this is especially important.
Fish. Fatty fish are rich in amino acids that increase performance. Therefore, on those days when fish is allowed, it must be included in your menu.
Olives. Olives are perfect for any fast. Like all other plant fruits, they do not contain animal fats, and the oily structure of these fruits contributes to rapid saturation, despite their low calorie content.
Olive oil. Plant foods - a necessary attribute of any fast - can aggravate diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Olive oil, which has an enveloping effect, protects the walls of the stomach and duodenum, normalizes acidity and compensates for the lack of fats necessary for the normal functioning of the tract.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, having taken captive the Jewish youths of the royal family, showed mercy to them by assigning food from the royal table and wine. Daniel and his three comrades: Ananias, Azariah and Misail - decided not to defile themselves with food, but to fast and asked to be given only vegetables and water. The servant was afraid that the faces of the young men would become thin and the king would accuse him of poor maintenance of the captives. But after ten days, the faces of the young men turned out to be more beautiful, and their bodies were fuller than all those youths who did not fast.
The main meaning of this biblical example is how necessary prayer is during fasting, which strengthens human nature with the help of God. But this same example also shows that fasting is not intended to harm health. However, during fasting, especially strict fasting, the diet changes significantly. How to fast so that fasting does not lead to exhaustion? Answered by Valentina MESHCHERYAKOVA, Doctor of Medical Sciences, nutritionist at the Clinic of the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
— Why do people often gain excess weight during fasting? Is it all about changing the menu or is the reason purely psychological in nature - for example, a person is afraid that he won’t get enough and tries to eat more?
“This is due to a change in the structure of the diet. The fact is that our feeling of fullness is mostly provided by protein and fatty foods, but during fasting a person eats more carbohydrates - bread, cereals, potatoes. Those who fast often try to use sweet sauces and some kind of Lenten desserts. Carbohydrates are substances that stimulate the release of insulin, and this hormone stimulates appetite. As a result, a person eats too many carbohydrates, “overeats” the total number of calories, and those carbohydrates that were not spent on physical and mental work begin to be stored in the body as fat.
True, there are such happy people whose body itself feels while eating when it has received enough calories, and at that moment they feel full. However, most people do not have such restrictions, and they inevitably eat more than they need.
— It happens that during fasting a person periodically experiences a loss of strength, and nuts and dried fruits, which quickly restore strength, are not useful for everyone...
— Loss of strength should not normally occur in a person during such periods. But if there are too many carbohydrates in food, then a person produces a lot of insulin, and in some people this causes a decrease in blood sugar, which can provoke a feeling of weakness. In this case, you can advise eating less sweets. Anyone who suffers from low blood pressure can experience a similar feeling. During this period, a hypotensive person just needs to drink coffee.
— How to cope with protein deficiency?
— You need to add more legumes to your diet: lentils, peas, soybeans, as well as cereals and bread. And then there will be quite enough vegetable protein in the diet. But due to the fact that animal protein is not used during fasting, a deficiency of eight essential amino acids may occur, the source of which can only be meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. When there is a deficiency of essential amino acids in food, the body disintegrates its own protein structures, which are their supplier for the constant self-renewal of body tissues. And with the participation of these amino acids, as if with the help of bricks, new complete proteins are built. After the end of fasting and when switching to a nutritious diet, the amino acid balance in the body is restored.
— How long can you go without animal proteins?
— It depends on the person’s age, the nature of his work activity, and lifestyle, but speaking in general terms, it is undesirable to give up proteins for more than a month. If fasting involves eating (at least once a week) fish dishes, there is no particular deficiency of essential amino acids in the body. By the way, small amounts of these substances are found in legumes, especially soy, which is called “plant meat,” so it is advisable to eat enough beans.
— Soy products: cheese, milk, even soy “meat” are quite popular now, but how safe are they?
— Only genetically modified soybeans are dangerous (by the way, not only soybeans, but also potatoes, tomatoes, and corn can contain genetically modified organisms). In general, soy as such is a very good and healthy product: it has many medicinal effects and is quite widely used in medical nutrition: for example, it lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and has a choleretic and diuretic effect.
— What else, besides protein, may the body lack during fasting?
— First of all, iron and vitamin B12. It is also present mainly in animal products. People suffering from anemia may not have enough of it, and this deficiency can also lead to the development or worsening of anemia. Therefore, those who are at risk should consult a doctor - perhaps he will recommend some vitamins or nutritional supplements.
— Are there any diseases for which fasting is contraindicated?
— These are almost all severe chronic illnesses, for example, malignant tumors, peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. Those who have undergone operations and suffer from anemia should not fast.
— During fasting, many people eat porridge. Which is the healthiest and low-calorie?
— If we talk about the content of protein and B vitamins, then buckwheat, oatmeal and wheat porridge are richest in them, but semolina contains few useful substances. Rice also contains less nutrients, but it also contains less fiber; in terms of nutritional value, rice is not the best grain.
— How to properly balance the fasting table? What goes well with what, and what doesn’t go well at all? What products cannot be combined?
— Classical dietetics believes that incompatible products do not exist at all - there are only traditions, habits, and features of a particular national cuisine. If a person does not know these prohibitions, he combines products that are supposedly incompatible, and his body copes with this perfectly. But you need to know the proportions, for example, be careful with hot spices. But this applies to healthy people. If a person has certain problems with the functioning of the digestive system, allergies, etc., he may be intolerant to one or another combination. And here we cannot give any general recommendations regarding combining products, since all this is very individual. People with the same illness can react differently to certain dishes, for example, milk with fresh cucumber...
By the way, it would be nice for everyone who is fasting to remember such a wonderful dish as oatmeal jelly. Such jelly was very widely used in traditional Russian cuisine, but now they are somehow forgotten, but in vain: this dish is very healthy.
- How to cook them?
— Hercules is filled with water and boiled. Then filter and boil until a thick jelly is obtained. Since some stores now sell ready-made oatmeal, you can use it after mixing it with water in the required proportion. The resulting jelly is poured into plates and cooled. In Rus', it was customary to eat such a dish with vegetable oil - hemp, flaxseed (the technology for their production has now been resumed, so you can buy them if you wish), olive oil is also suitable.
In general, if your diet includes legumes, unsweetened baked goods (those that are allowed during fasting), as well as dishes with nuts and dried fruits, vegetable oil, vegetables and fruits, cereals and oatmeal jelly, then the result will be fairly nutritious food.
Interviewed by Anna BELOVA
How to fast correctly? My head is spinning from fasting. Is it possible to weaken the fast if you have poor health or heavy physical labor? - These are the main questions that people ask priests during Lent.
Lent, which was established by the Church before Easter, is the strictest and longest of the year. The total duration of fasting is 7 weeks (49 days). According to church regulations, you cannot eat meat and dairy products on these days; Eating fish is permitted only on the Feast of the Annunciation on April 7 and on Palm Sunday. On Lazarus Saturday you are allowed to eat fish caviar. On Saturday and Sunday it is allowed to cook food with vegetable oil. On other days - dry eating, that is, without oil.
Many people are frightened by such strictness of fasting, and therefore they either do not fast at all, or, citing poor health and hard work, they reduce their fasting to a minimum. Others begin to strictly follow the letter of the church charter, but quickly damage their health: someone’s stomach ulcer worsens, someone’s blood pressure rises or falls, and they, according to doctors’ orders, are forced to stop their fast.
Why is this happening? Does the Church really impose unbearable burdens (excessive demands) on people? But we, Christians, all believe that the Church, like a loving mother, cares about the salvation (the correct order of life) of all people.
The fact is that during the period of godlessness, Church Tradition was largely interrupted. Our generation, brought up on materialism, does not know about the culture of fasting. For some reason, non-church and even church people believe that fasting consists of a very meager diet of just bread, water, crackers, potatoes, cabbage. Therefore, those who live rather poorly, when you advise them to fast, boldly declare: “We already fast every day, we have nothing to eat at home.” Also, for example, when on a Lenten day our seminarians come with a missionary concert to some secular educational institution or enterprise, there, out of ignorance, they begin to be fed the above “Lenten” set, and after the concert, hungry, they barely make it to their homeland alma mater.
In reviving monasteries and theological schools, there is also often very meager food, which the authorities sometimes justify by the need to lead a strict ascetic life. But such “asceticism” does not contribute to increasing the number of monastic and student brethren. Novices are afraid to stay in such monasteries, and students lose all interest in studying.
So, by fasting, excluding meat, milk, and fish from our diet, which contribute to inflaming mental and physical feelings and passions, we must try to replace them with good lean foods. They should be prepared in advance for fasting in summer and autumn. Among such products are various berry jams, potatoes, beans, beans, peas, pickles from cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, and cabbage. In spring, you can grow greens on a window, even in a city apartment. These are all products that have little impact on mental and physical feelings, almost do not contribute to the arousal of passions, but quite well compensate for all the energy expended by the body.
What should those who do not have the opportunity to prepare all these products do? In this case, they can limit their fast by excluding at least meat and milk from their diet. Next year you will definitely need to work hard to prepare all the products necessary for Lent. If you try, then with a good desire, with God’s help, everything can be done.
In addition to practice, fasting has its own theory (ideology). If you fast only for yourself, for the sake of your health, then it will be very, very difficult for you to bear such a fast. In this case, your fast is no different from the diet prescribed by a doctor for illness. But if you can follow a diet because of illness, then you will not be able to fast with such a mood, because you do not feel any illness. One must fast, first of all, as they usually say, for the glory of God. We must fast with the thought and pain of our neighbors, with whom, due to passions, we often cannot find a common language, with the thought of the unfortunate and disadvantaged people who need our help and support. That is, fasting should help soften our evil and cold hearts, curb our mental and physical feelings. Fasting should increase in us the measure of love for God and people. This kind of post will be pleasant and saving for us.