Daniel Fast Guidelines:
General Guidelines for the Daniel Fast
The guidelines for a Daniel fast are based on the commitment of Daniel and his friends to not defile themselves with the king's choice food and wine. Instead they asked for "some vegetables to eat and water to drink" (Daniel 1:8-20).
Daniel Fast Guidelines:
- Drink only water
- Eat vegetables - defined as plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
- Abstain from all other foods - meat, animal products like dairy and butter, any processed foods, baked goods, sweeteners, artificial ingredients, etc.
Foods to Avoid on a Daniel Fast
Animal Products: meat, fish, eggs, dairy (butter, cheese, milk, yogurt)
Sweets: any form of sugar, agave, honey, molasses, syrup or artificial sweeteners
Baked Goods: leavened breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, etc.
Refined and Processed Foods: any artificial additives/chemicals/preservatives, packaged snacks like bars, chips, pretzels, cookies, white breads
Drinks other than Water: alcohol, coffee, carbonated beverages and sodas, energy drinks, tea, juices that aren’t 100% natural
Foods to Eat
Here is a long list of foods included within a Daniel fast. Try to eat a variety of foods, vegetables of different colors, and fruit in moderation (since it does contain sugar).Fruits and VegetablesAll fruits and vegetables are included on the Daniel Fast: fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. Examples include
Apples
Avocado
Bananas
Berries
Dates
Figs
Kiwi
Grapes
Lemons and limes
Melons
Pears
Pineapples
Oranges
Artichoke
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Ginger
Greens
Lettuce
Onions
Potatoes
Squash
Tomatoes
Etc…
Whole Grains
Barley
Bulgur
Brown Rice
Grits/Polenta
Millet
Oats
Quinoa
Legumes
Canned or dried
Beans: black, kidney, pinto, white
Black eyed peas
Lentils
Peas
Soybeans
Nuts and seeds
Almonds
Brazil Nuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Peanuts
Pecans
Pistachios
Walnuts
Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Other
Olives
Fresh or dried herbsfhrty
Spices
Optional ItemsThe following items could be considered "controversial" on a Daniel Fast. People who have decided to follow a purely whole food, unprocessed plant-based plan may omit the following foods. Others, especially if brand new to fasting, may choose to include some of the following items.
Plant based oils (olive, grapeseed, sesame)
Nut butters: Almond, cashew, peanut
Non-dairy milk substitutes: Almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc
Vinegar
Flat Bread
Sea salt or Himalayan salt
Soy Sauce