Lent is a period of fasting, and therefore, an occasion for a short abstinence from meat, eggs and dairy products, while enriching our daily diet with foods with a high content of antioxidants, which protect against cardiovascular diseases.
Also, the standard fasting menu is a slightly stricter variation of the Mediterranean diet and can go along with an effort to lose or maintain weight, without depriving our body of valuable nutrients.
What foods do we avoid during Lent?
In fasting, food of animal origin such as meat, fish, dairy and eggs is avoided and the basis of the diet consists of enough legumes, fruits and vegetables, seafood, starches (bread, rice, spaghetti, potatoes, cereals) and oily foods.
The nutritional benefits of fasting
Research from the University of Crete has shown that those who reverently observe the fasts of the Christian tradition and fast a total of up to 180 days a year have 20% lower bad LDL and 15% lower total cholesterol than people who do not fast. Also because these people use a lot of olive oil, tahini and halva, nuts and seeds and seafood as the main fats in their menu, avoiding animal fats that are rich in saturated fat, they have increased good HDL cholesterol, which protects against atherosclerosis.
The nutritional disadvantages of fasting
When fasting lasts a long time, there is a risk of experiencing iron, calcium and protein deficiency due to the exclusion of meat from the daily menu. For this reason, fasting is not indicated for young children who are developing, athletes who have an increased percentage of muscle tissue in their body, and lactating women who have increased energy needs.
That's why you need to turn to alternative sources and smart food combinations.
Which foods star in the fasting diet?
- Legumes, nuts and seafood are rich in protein.
- Legumes, nuts and spinach contain iron. However, the iron contained in plant foods is not as well assimilated by the body, compared to the one you take in from animal foods, and that is why it is good to accompany your food with orange juice or other foods rich in vitamin C, which facilitates its absorption.
- Finally, broccoli, nuts, green leafy vegetables, tahini, sesame, halva and soy milk are rich in calcium.