If you are fasting and would like to know what you can eat during this period and what is prohibited, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the list of products. Do not think that by fasting you will go hungry and not eat enough. A properly selected menu and knowledge of the main products containing fats, carbohydrates and proteins will allow you to easily carry out the holy cleansing, and even lose extra pounds.

You can eat any fruits and vegetables during fasting:

1. Potato
2. Cabbage, including sauerkraut
3. Mushrooms
4. Radish and radish, turnip
5. Beet
6. Carrot
7. Onion and garlic
8. Greens and lettuce
9. Eggplants and zucchini
10. Bell pepper
11. Cucumbers, including pickles
12. Pumpkin
13. Apples
14. Pears
15. Bananas
16. Tangerines, oranges, grapefruit and lemon
17. Persimmon
18. Plum and grapes
19. Peaches and apricots
20. Any berries

Vegetables and mushrooms can be boiled, stewed, baked without adding butter. A huge number of salads and snacks can be made from vegetables. Fruits can be eaten fresh, or baked, or made into salads. Adding vegetable oil is allowed only on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

During Lent you can eat any cereals and porridges:

1. Buckwheat
2. Oatmeal
3. Pshenka
4. Pearl barley
5. Lentils, peas and beans
6. Corn porridge
7. Semolina

You can also eat dried fruits, nuts, pasta, cookies and bread (without eggs or egg powder). You can prepare delicious pastries and pies, most importantly without adding animal fats or eggs. Fish is allowed twice during the entire Lent: on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and on Palm Sunday. If it is difficult for you to fast without fish, then it is better to replace it with soy products. Even on holidays, you can drink a small amount of wine.

During fasting you should not eat products of animal origin:

1. Meat and all meat-containing products
2. Bird and eggs
3. Milk and all dairy products (sour cream, cottage cheese, yoghurts, kefir, cheeses and milk drinks)
4. Baked goods and pasta with eggs and butter
5. Mayonnaise
6. Chocolate
7. Fast food because it's high in fat
8. Fish and vegetable oil, excluding weekends and holidays
9. Alcohol, with the exception of small amounts of wine on holiday

In fact, modern priests, speaking about fasting, note that this is a limitation that a person must make for himself. For some people, it is enough to give up only meat, while eating dairy products, while others need to adhere to fasting according to all the canons.

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 do not understand how to observe Lent, this material will tell you how to observe 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 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. If desired, different types of 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 ,

By voluntarily giving up food and not taking part in entertainment, a person fasts. Usually Christians make this decision, knowing what they can eat during Lent and adhering to the correct diet, they can, even without fast food, maintain vigor and strength for work and a full life.

Some beginning Orthodox Christians sometimes make the mistake of thinking that fasting means a complete refusal to eat. Not at all. To begin with, you should avoid all kinds of events where a person is just having fun without doing anything:

• no holiday celebrations;
• do not watch entertainment programs;
• avoid all kinds of negative actions and misconduct;
• don't make love;
• do not swear;
• do not discuss anyone or gossip.

Only after this should you eat the specified food during Lent, refusing the fast food.

What to eat during fasting - list of staple foods

Anyone who wanted to fast should not hesitate to familiarize themselves with the list of the most popular foods allowed for consumption.

You can eat the following during Lent:

• Almost all varieties of cereal products: from semolina to pearl barley.
• All possible vegetables.
• Dishes of fruits and berries in any form (raw, fried, baked, boiled, canned).
• Nuts, whatever is available.
• Any mushrooms.
• Spices from plants and vegetables (ground and whole pepper, herbs, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, etc.).
• Honey and other bee products.

It is mandatory to eat during the fasting period, because no one forces you to undergo a strict survival test. This is just a certain test for the believer. In order for the body to function properly these days, it will need protein. What sources can there be if food of animal origin is prohibited?

It's simple. Vegetable protein will be a lifesaver. The diet includes peas, beans and other available legumes. They will help you fast deliciously. It won’t be difficult to cook a nice soup from vegetables, some cereals, chickpeas and season it with your favorite spices. However, even such a dish should be eaten in moderation, using it only to satisfy hunger.

When is it permissible to eat fish during fasting?

This product is prohibited in some cases. This applies to days during strict fasting. To avoid mistakes, you need to know how to use it correctly.

The inclusion of fish products in the Lenten diet is not prohibited if the fast itself coincides with a major church holiday. Usually this

• Annunciation
• Lazarev Saturday
• Sunday before Easter
• Transfiguration

During the Nativity fast, fish is allowed on the dinner table on Saturday and Sunday. On these same days of the week you can eat it during Peter’s Fast, plus on Thursday and Tuesday.

If your health is too weak, it is better to eat fish on all days, having previously discussed this with the priest.

Meals on different days of the week

There are certain rules that dictate eating differently on different days. In some cases they don't eat at all. Sometimes relaxation is possible.

The strictest fast falls on three odd days:

1. Monday
2. Wednesday
3. Friday

If you have the strength, it is better to refuse food or eat raw foods without adding any vegetable oil.

The main thing is what the meal will consist of:

• bread, preferably rye;
• jelly or compotes, without sweet additives;
• fruits vegetables.

Days allowing boiled or fried food without vegetable oils are Thursday and Tuesday.

On weekends, you are allowed to pamper yourself with soup prepared using sunflower or any other vegetable oil. Fish is not forbidden.

Some rules for eating during Lent

For that. To observe the strictest fast, first of all you need to calculate your strength. The health status of the person who is going to endure it plays a big role. Sometimes mothers who are breastfeeding babies are allowed a small amount of meat products. The same applies to those suffering from serious illnesses.

What do you give up during Lent?

• seafood;
• meat;
• any fish;
• milk and everything that is made from it
• egg;
• any baked goods containing additives from the above;
• sauces, mayonnaise of any kind, if they contain milk or eggs, egg powder;
• alcohol.

An important rule: do not eat food on Fridays and on the first day. The first and final weeks are the most difficult. They drink only water and eat fruits and vegetables. At other times, honey is allowed, and in some cases, fish dishes with vegetable oil.

Can I have sweets?

Sometimes the question arises: is it permissible to drink tea with sweets or chocolate? Yes. If bitter, without milk and in small quantities. It is not forbidden to eat kozinaki, dried berries, and marmalade.

More strict Orthodox Christians, especially monastics, are against the use of honey. However, clergy do not prohibit it. According to their advice, in order to have a good source of vitamins, it is better to eat linden honey or buckwheat.

Approximate one-day menu

For those who decide to fast, we can recommend a proven meal plan:

• In the morning, have breakfast with porridge (250 g) from any cereal, boiled in water and a piece of bread, preferably black.
• You can have lunch with a light salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce leaves, salted and sprinkled with lemon juice.
• They have an afternoon snack with fruit and berry compote.
• It is recommended to have dinner with a stew made from a combination of potatoes, carrots and cabbage.

By abstaining physically and spiritually, a person becomes closer to the Creator.

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 follow 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 in this difficult time of spiritual and physical restrictions.

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 of the Blessed Virgin Mary 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 products: it is added to prepare vegetable dishes, 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

The calendar of proper nutrition during Lent 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.

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, leeks, 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;

Drinks (green tea, fruit drink, 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;

Suffering from high blood pressure, renal 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 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 systems. 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. In this regard, the functioning of the immune system may deteriorate and hormonal levels may 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.