Which food does not allow biblical fasting ?

When engaging in biblical fasting, the types of food not allowed depend significantly on the specific fast being observed and the Christian denomination or tradition. While some fasts involve complete abstinence from food, others focus on restricting certain food groups.

The foods not allowed during biblical fasting vary widely depending on the type of fast and the specific Christian tradition or denomination. Generally, common restrictions include meat, dairy products, eggs, alcohol, and rich or indulgent foods, with some fasts extending to all food except water.

Here's a breakdown of common restrictions across different biblical fasts and Christian practices:

General Christian Dietary Restrictions

The New Testament specifies general dietary restrictions for Christians to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals" (Acts 15:29). Early Church Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen, also preached for believers to follow these guidelines. While Paul the Apostle suggested discernment regarding food sacrificed to idols, he recommended abstaining if it caused another Christian to stumble.

Fasting Periods and Denominational Views

Many Christian denominations observe periods of fasting where certain foods are restricted. These fasts are often for spiritual discipline, prayer, and seeking God's guidance.

• Meat-Free Days: Christians in Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and Orthodox denominations traditionally observe Friday as a meat-free day in mourning of the crucifixion of Jesus. Many also abstain from meat on Wednesday in memory of the betrayal of Jesus.

• Lent: The liturgical season of Lent is a significant fasting period. For strict Greek Orthodox Christians and Copts, all meals during this 40-day period are prepared without animal products, essentially making them vegan. In Western Christianity, many communicants of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, Anglican Communion, and Methodist Churches observe fasting during Lent.

  • Roman Catholics are required to abstain from meat (all animal flesh and organs, excluding water animals) on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent, including Good Friday. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also fast days where one main meal and two half-meals are eaten, with no snacking. Canon Law also obliges Catholics to abstain from meat on Fridays outside of Lent unless another penitential act is substituted.

• Orthodox Christian Fasting (OF): This incorporates voluntary abstention from specific foods for 180-200 days per year. Meat eating and OF are incompatible, as fasting excludes meat eating. The Holy Tradition advises avoiding olive oil, meat, fish, milk, and dairy products every Wednesday and Friday. Additionally, four principal fasting periods per year forbid meat, dairy products, and eggs. Seafood such as shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, lobster, crab, and snails are allowed on all fasting days. The exclusion of meat is linked to spiritual achievements, such as gaining mastery over oneself and conquering the passions of the flesh, as meat is considered a "fatty food" that can "tickle the flesh and raise a war of wanton appetites and desires against the soul."

Specific Types of Fasts

1. Full (Complete) Fast: This involves the abstinence of all food and liquids except water. Queen Esther called for this type of fast in Esther 4:15-16. This fast is recommended with extreme caution and not for extended periods.

2. Partial Fast: Similar to a full fast, this involves abstaining from food for a short period, with only water consumption.

3. Daniel Fast: This is a partial fast based on the biblical Book of Daniel, where Daniel and his companions abstained from "royal foods" and ate only vegetables and water. It is essentially a vegan fast, avoiding meat, dairy, alcohol, and other rich foods to be more sensitive to God.

   • Foods to Avoid on the Daniel Fast:

     • Meat: Bacon, beef, bison, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey, fish.

     • Dairy: Butter, cheese, cream, milk, yogurt.

     • Eggs: Prohibited.

     • Added Sugars: Agave nectar, artificial sweeteners, brown rice syrup, brown sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, honey, malt syrup, molasses, raw sugar.

     • Yeast and Leavened Bread: Any edible grain that has yeast in it, such as most breads.

     • Refined Grains: White flour, white rice.

     • Processed Foods: Those with artificial flavorings, chemicals, food additives, and preservatives.

     • Fried Foods: Corn chips, French fries, potato chips.

     • Solid Fats: Butter, lard, margarine, shortening.

     • Chocolate: Milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate syrup, cacao.

     • Caffeinated Drinks: Alcohol, coffee, caffeinated tea, energy drinks.

     • Vinegar: Pickles are generally not allowed due to being prepared in vinegar.

   • Foods Allowed on the Daniel Fast: Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and water. Plant-based oils are allowed in moderation.

4. Total Fast: This involves abstaining from both food and drink, as seen with Moses in Exodus 34:28 and Paul in Acts 9:9.

Other Denominational Restrictions

• Seventh-day Adventist Church: Follows the Old Testament's Mosaic Law on dietary restrictions, similar to Jewish dietary laws. They only eat meat of herbivores with split hooves and birds without a crop and webbed feet. They do not eat shellfish and only eat fish with scales. Other animals are considered unclean. All vegetables, fruits, and nuts are allowed.

• Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Eritrean Orthodox Church: Maintain traditional dietary restrictions, including washing hands before and after meals, followed by prayer. Slaughtering animals for food often involves a trinitarian formula.

• Alcohol: While most Christian denominations condone moderate consumption of alcohol (Anglicans, Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Reformed, and Orthodox), some traditions like Adventist, Baptist, Methodist, Latter-day Saints, and Pentecostal encourage or prohibit abstinence. All Christian churches condemn drunkenness as sinful.

Alternatives to Food Fasting

For individuals with health issues or eating disorders, or those who simply wish to fast in other ways, alternatives include fasting from:

• Sugar & Caffeine: Avoiding unhealthy sugars and caffeine for a specific period.

• Technology: Abstaining from television, cell phones, or social media to dedicate more time to scripture and prayer.

Fasting, in its various forms, is a practice aimed at drawing closer to God, fostering spiritual discipline, and seeking personal transformation.