Daniel decided not to defile himself with the royal rations, which included meat that may not have been drained of blood, as required by Jewish law, or that was likely often used as ritual offering to the Babylonian god Marduk and his divine son Nabu.
"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled." Daniel 10: 2-3.
A later passage implies that Daniel did drink wine at times, though it may not have been the king's. Similarly, Judith refused the Assyrian general's wine, though she drank wine from the stores she brought with her.
The Daniel Fast is a widely utilized fast based on the Biblical book of Daniel. It involves a 21 day ad libitum food intake period, devoid of animal products and preservatives, and inclusive of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
They were chosen to serve in the king's court and become his wise men. The king gave Daniel and his friends food and wine. But they would not eat the king's food or drink the wine. It was against God's commandments.
The passage in Chapter 1 refers to a 10-day test wherein Daniel and others with him were permitted to eat vegetables and water to avoid the Babylonian king's food and wine. After remaining healthy at the end of the 10-day period, they continued the vegetable diet for the three years of their education.
Daniel lived in captivity in Babylon along with his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Though they faced pressures to conform to Babylonian society and give up the ways of their people, they stood strong in their faith, and God blessed Daniel with wisdom and the ability to interpret dreams.
Only water is an approved beverage on the Daniel Fast. No alcohol, tea, coffee, juice or soda is consumed.
On the Daniel Fast, you can eat all the potatoes you want. Potatoes are one of the healthiest foods on the planet, but that depends on how you prepare them.
One who smokes is considered to be polluting the "Temple of the Holy Spirit" (i.e., the body), which has been sanctified by the reception of the Sacred Mysteries (Sacraments). In Orthodox cultures, various derogatory terms have developed to describe smoking, such as "incense of Satan".
Asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, veggie burgers, etc.
Daniel 1:1–7—Daniel and his friends are trained in the king's court. Daniel 1:8–16—They eat plain food and refuse the king's wine (Note: Pulse means foods made from seeds and grains). Daniel 1:17–21—God gives them knowledge and wisdom.
Because of Daniel's faith and testimony, he was thrown into the den, (vv. 16-17), but the lions didn't devour him. Daniel distinguished himself from the authorities of the king, by standing on the fundamental guiding principle of his faith –vv. 21-22.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine that he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
But if you are embarking on doing the Daniel Fast, the question of whether you can eat eggs may be at the top of your list. In this case, neither the chicken nor the egg is on Daniel's plate. This stays consistent with the fact that eggs are an animal product, and no animal products are included in the Daniel Fast.
Many have experienced decreased insulin resistance and LDL cholesterol readings. Others who have fasted have attested to having more energy and sleeping better at night. Making better eating choices and adhering to the Daniel Fast food list have helped some men and women lose weight.
If you don't have the book, at minimum, check out the Daniel Fast food list. Breakfast is super easy on this fast because you can eat fresh fruits, seeds, and nuts. What is this? From those ingredients, you can also make a healthy recipe for breakfast bars and even muffins.
Peanut butter may be included in the Daniel Fast so long as it doesn't contain added sweeteners or artificial flavorings. Many popular and widely available peanut butters contain added sweeteners such as corn syrup, agave, molasses, cane sugar, and honey.
Nut and seed butter is allowed provided nut and seed are the only ingredients. Avoid milk chocolates, dark chocolates, and all kinds of chocolate syrups. Coffee, tea, energy drinks, alcohol, and even flavored seltzer water are not allowed on the Daniel Fast. Even zero sugar chewing gums should be avoided.
Foods to Avoid on the Daniel Fast
All meat & animal products – bacon, beef, buffalo, eggs, fish, lamb, poultry, and pork. All dairy products – butter, cheese, cream, milk, and yogurt.
If you've been fishing around trying to figure out if fish is included on the Daniel Fast, then you came to the right spot. Like all other animal products excluded on the Daniel Fast, fish is no exception. Any kind of seafood is not a part of the Daniel Fast.
Daniel is a story of a person being faithful to God. More importantly, the life of Daniel recorded in the Old Testament gives evidence of God's faithfulness. God knew Daniel – He knew Daniel's needs and what Daniel was struggling with – and it's clear that God cared for Daniel.
Daniel in the lions' den (chapter 6 of the Book of Daniel) tells of how the biblical Daniel is saved from lions by the God of Israel "because I was found blameless before him" (Daniel 6:22).
He was in Babylon serving various kings through the seventy years of the Jewish captivity (see Jeremiah 25:11; 29:10). Though there is no indication of his age at the time of his captivity, Daniel 1:21 shows that he lived to at least the age of eighty.