How to Eat During the Baha'i Fast
by Susan Gammage, Baha'i Life Coach
The Bahá’í month of fasting is an excellent opportunity to assess our behavior and habits and to adjust to a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Through fasting, we learn how to control our manners and our eating habits. It is also a good chance for the stomach to have a break and allow the body to eliminate accumulated toxins.
Many of us wonder what is best to eat during the Fast and how to stay healthy and get the maximum benefit from the fasting process. A quick review of the physiological changes that occur during fasting will help us determine what should be consumed before dawn and after sunset.
What happens in our bodies during fasting?
When the body enters into a state of fasting (approximately twelve hours after the last meal), it draws upon the glucose stored in the liver and muscles as the main source of energy. Fat is used
next, as a source of energy once these stores of glucose are used up. This process promotes weight loss and also prevents muscle wasting.
After a few days of fasting, toxins stored in the body fat are broken down and hormones, such as endorphins, appear in the blood in higher levels, improving vigilance and inducing an overall feeling of well-being.
What to eat during the Fast?
A balanced nutritious diet containing adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water is vital between fasts in order to ensure a healthy state of mind and body.
As the fast approaches, many of us wonder if fasting will be “too difficult to do.” Here is a practical guide of how we can make fasting both easier and more spiritually rewarding:
1. Make your intention to abide by the will of God:
It is important for the acceptance of any act of worship to do it solely for the pleasure of God. If you sincerely want to fast for Him, He will make it easy for you.
2. Stock up on groceries a week in advance:
Fasting requires two major meals each day. If you buy the food you’ll need for the week, you won’t waste time and energy shopping when temptation might be high to buy more than you need.
3. Prepare yourself:
Read the compilation The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting to understand more about this spiritual obligation.
Make sure you have a printed timetable of dawn and sunset times in your area for the entire month in a place where you can easily refer to it.
You’ll want to avoid caffeinated drinks such as coke, coffee or tea during the fast, because caffeine is a diuretic. Three to five days before the Fast, gradually reduce your intake of these drinks, since a sudden decrease in caffeine prompts headaches, mood swings and irritability, which you’ll want to avoid when you are fasting.
If you are a smoker, you won’t be able to smoke during the daylight hours, so consider cutting down gradually starting a few weeks before the Fast starts. Smoking negatively affects the utilization of various vitamins, metabolites and enzyme systems in the body, so if you smoke, consider how you can replace these things during the Fast.
4. Prepare your family:
This is especially important if you have non-Baha’i family members. Let them know how their lives might be affected while you are fasting and what you expect of them.
5. Go to bed early:
In order to wake up refreshed and on time for the pre-dawn meal, go to bed early during the Fast.
6. Eat Moderately:
Contrary to popular opinion, nutritionist and dieticians suggest that people tend to gain more weight during the Fast compared to the rest of the year, as a result of following incorrect and unplanned food practices. To avoid the widespread occurrence of digestive and stomach-related problems, there are many eating habits that should be followed during the Fast.
There is no need to consume excess food before dawn. Some Baha’is eat more than usual at breakfast, thinking, “this is my last chance to get as much food into myself as I can, before having to starve till sunset”. Fasting is not the same as starving the body, so eat in moderation.
The body has regulatory mechanisms that activate during fasting. There is efficient utilization of body fat. Basal metabolism slows down during the Fast. A diet that is less than the normal amount of food intake, but contains all the required minerals and vitamins is sufficient to keep a person healthy and active during the Fast.
7. Don’t skip breakfast:
Some people, hating to get up so early, prefer to eat till well after midnight and sleep late, skipping breakfast altogether. Eating breakfast minimizes the feeling of hunger during the day and provides the body with all its nutritional needs.
8. Go about your normal daily routine:
Some people assume that since they can not eat or drink till sunset, they should “sleep off” the fast and awaken only a few hours before the evening meal. They draw their curtains, pull their comforters over their heads or put on the air conditioner, and sleep till the evening. They get up to eat and then dive back into their beds. This is not the aim or spirit of the Fast. Fasting does not curb energy for productive work, except in the last two hours of the fast, so continue to work or study as usual till 2 or 3 hours before sunset. If you have a chance to lie down and rest for a while for an afternoon siesta, this will help you get through.
It is recommended that everyone engage in some kind of light exercise, such as stretching or walking. It’s important to follow good time management practices to ensure you have enough time for prayer, sleep, studies, job, and physical activities or exercise.
9. Breaking the fast:
The dinner meal is the high point of the day for everyone who fasts. This meal, unfortunately, is also the cause of most of the excess and extravagance that takes place during this month.
Muslims break their fast by eating three to five dates with a glass of water. Dates consist of 80 per cent sugar, while the remainder constitutes protein, fat and minerals, including copper, sulphur, iron, magnesium and fluoric acid. They are high in fiber and are an excellent source of potassium so they compensate for the sugar and other elements the body loses during the day.
After the dates and water, they offer prayers with a light stomach and a thankful, attentive heart, and then return to the table to eat in moderation, which prevents them from overeating as soon as the sun sets. Starting with a hot vegetable and lentil soup alerts the stomach, facilitates the digestive process and provides the body with needed energy from the fiber and vitamins.
The main meal should contain vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates to give the body the nutrition it needs. Meat, chicken and fish, should be provided to make up for the loss of nutrition while fasting. It’s also important to eat small helpings of fruit for dessert, to give the body the required amounts of sugar. These should be eaten two hours after the main meal, to facilitate digestion and prevent gastrointestinal problems.
Fruits and mixed nuts may be eaten as a snack before going to bed, and make sure you drink sufficient water, to prevent dehydration.
The first week of fasting settles the body into fasting mode, and by the mid-point most of us have settled into a new routine. The second half of the fast can be used to intensify our focus on prayer and our spiritual connection with God. Consistent fasting does take its toll on the body, so during the last few days of the fast, you might find you need to spend a portion of these days sleeping or resting more than usual.
In summary, an intake of a balanced diet is critical to maintaining good health, sustaining an active lifestyle and attaining the full benefits of the Fast.
What would you like to share about eating during the Fast? Post your comments here:
Click here for more Tips for the Baha’i Fast.
Susan,
This may be my favourite posting! Oh my goodness. There have been questions in my mind for decades
about eating well during the Fast and this article answered so many of them.
I especially like the dates and water idea. And lentil soup just sounds wonderful. This Fast
will be different for me already, I can tell.
It’s too bad I didn’t read about weening off of coffee last week because I would have done that. Oops…oh well, I’ll be okay.
I’m going to go read your next blog posting on Tips.
p.s. I came to this blog from the tag you put on your email. Thanks!
Here’s a tip that I didn’t see up there –
To avoid thirst I make sure to drink plenty in the evening. Water before dinner, water 2 hours after dinner, water before bed. I’m lucky and don’t usually have to wake up to use the washroom and I find that doing this, in combination with 2 large glasses in the morning helps so much.
For the past 10 years every Fast I eat nearly the same thing, or some variation of it:
-oatmeal, toast with jam or honey, an egg (if I still fell hungry…I was vegetarian for this time and ate a lot of protein in the evening. Oatmeal was made more hearty with tons of goodies…nuts, seeds, raisons, apples, cranberries etc. Granola worked really well too).
This year, I am gluten-free and am going to miss my oatmeal. So I’m thinking of going with dinner for breakfast to make sure I’m getting everything I need. Also, I have benefitted from fortified protien drinks that have all the vitamins and yummy goodness that my body needs.
I think I’m going to keep my breakfasts simple and put a lot of care into dinner. DATES!! That’s just brillant and I am going out tomorrow to get some. My mouth is watering already actually.
I’ve recently discovered the miracle of Chia seeds. They’re a superfood high in protein, omega 3 and 6, fibre and antioxydents among other things! So I’m eating them with lots of water in the morning or will add them to my shakes. I love breaking my fast with dates too!
Thanks for your posts. I have a few comments, so thanks also for the opportunity… When fasting, I always eat yoghurt with lots of fresh fruit for breakfast and I am never hungry during the day; only headachy for the first few days, but that is mainly from my caffeine withdrawal, which by the way, I’ve learned to reduce before the Fast begins. The other thing important is to clean out the liver before the Fast – too late for this year (2011) as it should begin a few weeks prior. The best diet I know of for the liver is vegan and raw food. Also many would not agree with your statement about ‘needing’ meat for nutrition. I hope we all read all that Abdu’l-Baha says about meat-consumption before publishing to other Baha’is. I have been a vegetarian for 19 years – including during Fasting. I am 57 and much healthier now than with I was 37. Just wanted to add this comment.
Thanks Melanie, You’re absolutely right! ‘Abdul-Bahá says:
I appreciate that reminder!
People should eat or not eat anything they want.
It is not ours to dictate what they should and shouldn’t.
Fasting is not about food in reality.
It’s about how we act, improve our character.
If you eat what you like but give up a lot of excesses of anything we are re better off health wise too.
Whatever gives you energy but avoiding both HIGH SUGAR and HIGH SALT. Salty foods do make us thirstier.
A lot of Coffee nauseates before fast..
But a little will help ease the caffeine headaches.
and Sugar rush weakens us after the fact.
But anything nature has created is good for us
We should also be careful not to offend others if they wish to eat meat or whatever, it is their choice.
Meat is not banned in the faith. Their choice.
Honey, oatmeal, soy milk, Bananas, Apples, nuts,
all healthy and we don’t have to cook lots.
Many like their fruits veggies raw, yogurt
Dates with milk are excellent! Almonds, lentils,
Soupes, liquids smoothies that are quick and easy and nourishing and take little time.
The Faith is not about a diet.
Moderation in all things is the middle way!
We also don’t want to turn people away from the faith by being too fanatical in our actions or visions.
In matters of health, particularly regarding diet and nutrition, the House of Justice advises the friends to seek the help and advice of experts and doctors. This is what Bahá’u'lláh has recommended and He does not indicate which school of thought or practice they should belong to. However, as you particularly ask about references in the Old Testament as they relate to meat and fish, the House of Justice has asked us to quote for you the following excerpt taken from a letter written on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary to an individual believer:
“…there is nothing in the teachings about whether people should eat their food cooked or raw; exercise or not exercise; resort to specific therapies or not; nor is it forbidden to eat meat.”
(19 June 1977, written by the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)
All the teeth of man are made for eating fruit, cereals and vegetables. These four teeth (the canines), however, are designed for breaking hard shells, such as those of almonds. But eating meat is not forbidden or unlawful, nay, the point is this, that it is possible for man to live without eating meat and still be strong. Meat is nourishing and containeth the elements of herbs, seeds and fruits; therefore sometimes it is essential for the sick and for the rehabilitation of health. There is no objection in the Law of God to the eating of meat if it is required. So if thy constitution is rather weak and thou findest meat useful, thou mayest eat it. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, From a Tablet to an individual believer, in Health and Healing, p. 9.)
Thanks for all these helpful reminders, Maria! I certainly agree that we shouldn’t tell people what to do, but educate them as to what the Writings have to say. I hope this posting hasn’t come across as dictatorial!
There is some anxiety out there about how to make sure we eat properly during the Fast, because we want to make sure we are strong enough to be able to withstand going without food and water for so long; and we want to make sure we get enough of what our body needs in the meals we have before sunrise and after sunset. Many of us are changing the way we eat during this time, and are interested in hearing what works from others. May you have a happy and blessed fast!
Susan Gammage
Thank you for the article on fasting. This is much needed.
I start practice and preparing for the fast in Jan,
Thanks Alice Mahomes
I understand that this webpage it is to help people deal with some of the discomforts of fasting. But remembering also that it needs to be a time of detachment and a reminder. I often think of those fasting in the prison, the needy and the homeless, and those that go without, and if I experience some discomfort, so be it. One African friend said, I only eat one meal a day because that is all I can afford. It can be a time to help others, and be less self-centered. Donate some of the funds that we save on food to help the homeless or more needy.
I’ve found over the course of years of trial and error that what works best for me is a protein-heavy breakfast with some light fruit mixed in. I avoid most kinds of bread as they seem to be quick-burning calories that just take up space. For example, my breakfast this morning was bacon, english muffin with peanut butter and honey, dates (with some peanut butter), string cheese, cottage cheese and applesauce (about 1/3 cup of each), almonds (salted, not my preference but they’re okay), chocolate milk and tea. Sometimes I’ll swap out the cottage cheese and applesauce for some Greek yogurt which is chock-full of protein. My rule of thumb is 5 to 6 servings of protein.
I have to be very careful not to drink too much liquid or I’ll be sick for hours. 12 ounces of chocolate milk and 12 ounces of tea/coffee is about all I can handle.
While it’s a larger-than-average breakfast, everything’s in moderate quantity and I’m not over-full when I’m done. My body uses protein slowly; so while I’m hungry by mid-day and beyond, I rarely experience severe hunger or a sudden drop in blood sugar (so no mood swings or lethargy).
By the time dinnertime rolls around, I’m just hungry enough to eat a normal meal. Overeating at that point actually makes me far more uncomfortable than it normally would; the hardest part is simply deciding what delicious food to break the fast with! So many choices!
I always forget to hydrate the night before–this is a practice I just discovered last year–so I need to start remembering to do that.
Thank you for this great article!
Susan, your posting did not come across as dictatorial. You provide very helpful tips, and it is much appreciated. Thank you.
Great post – thank you! I start the mornings with a hot water and lemon, a green smoothie with avocado and leaves (and now chia – thanks for the reminder!) and a raw food bar – I felt great today and need to remember not to eat so much come dinner time!! Much love x
we find taking 300-400 mg of alpha lipoic acid with breakfast helps a great deal. Instead of being really hungry by 10 AM during the Fast, hunger is delayed until 2 pm or so.
I have aged out of fasting, but 40 years of practice taught me several things.
Go to bed early so you can get 8 hours sleep and still have time to make a good breakfast.
Make sure you eat a good breakfast – a good protein, complex carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates (sugars) and fats.
Always include 10g or so of sugar. It doesn’t last long, but it makes you feel satisfied. As it wears off, quite quickly, the complex carbohydrates come into play, maintaining the blood glucose level. After them, the fats are digested.
Complement this w/ an evening meal that closely approximates proportions of the USDA recommendations, including plenty of vegetables.
Thank you soo much ma’am,
Its Lovely guide for fasting, Especially the i love dates , which im thinking of adding into my fasting menu..
By the way, im sharing mine shedule
150gms of rice with yougurt (curd) as breakfast
and
break the fasting with Orange or any fruit juice afterward routine dinner…
Thank you for this posting. I really appreciate the information as fasting has always been very difficult for me. Now, if I could just figure out how my health issues (depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, and asthma) fit into it all, I’d be in good shape.
This is such an important question, Becka. I’m working on a new book based on the teachings of Henry Wright, who claims that 80% of all physical ailments has a spiritual origin. You might find my series on disease helpful. It starts at: http://reasonsandremedies.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/disease-a-bahai-perspective-part-1/” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”> http://reasonsandremedies.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/disease-a-bahai-perspective-part-1/
Thanks so much for the well-stated article. It is much appreciated and well received. I am happy to know that someone has put some thought to this year’s end Fasting activity.
Thank you Ms.Susan for your information about our Baha’i fasting,very thoughtful of you,happy fasting.
What is most important about fasting? ATTITUDE. It is not about rigid time schedules. It is not about eating. It is about not eating. About not focusing on food. It is about not focusing on the things of this world. It is a time for purification. It is the time of letting go of the things of this world for which the not eating of food and drinking water is a symbol, a reminder. A reminder of the sufferings of Baha’u'llah and the sacrifices that He had to make in His life time. “These are Thy servants, O my Lord, who have entered with Thee in this, the Most Great Prison, who have kept the fast within its walls according to what Thou hadst commanded them in the Tablets of Thy decree and the Books of Thy behest. Send down, therefore, upon them what will thoroughly purge them of all Thou abhorrest, that they may be wholly devoted to Thee, and may detach themselves entirely from all except Thyself….”
(Baha’u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u'llah, p. 144)
Fasting is good for one’s physical health. Fasting is good for one’s spiritual health. Fasting is good for one’s physical transformation. Fasting is good for one’s spiritual transformation.
Fasting teaches. Fasting transforms. The fast teaches; PATIENCE UNDER TRAILS.
If you learn that food has no power over you and that you can control your appetites then you can learn that money was no power over you. Power has no power over you. Sex has no power over you. Death has no power over you. Vain imaginings have no power over you. You have power over yourself, your desires, your wants. You can separate needs from wants. And you can gets some understanding of what it is like to be poor and hungry.
“Fasting is the cause of the elevation of one’s spiritual station.”
(Compilations, The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting)__Abdul’Baha
In the realm of worship, fasting and obligatory prayer constitute the two mightiest pillars of God’s holy Law. Neglecting them is in no wise permitted, and falling short in their performance is of a certainty not acceptable.
(Compilations, The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting)__Abdul’Baha
Regarding the subject of eating fruit.
What is the correct way of eating fruits?
FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.. The same way one should drink water or liquids. Before your meals. Not
during or after. If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to
detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.
FRUIT IS an IMPORTANT FOOD.
Let’s say you eat a meal and then some fruit.
Since fruit needs no digestion in the stomach and is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.
This causes the whole meal to rot and ferment and turn to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach it dilutes the digestive juices,and directly interferes with the digestive process and the entire mass of food “spoil”. Digestion of this meal, the breaking down of it’s nutrients becomes very ineffective.
So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or 20-30 minutes before your meals!
You have heard people complaining — every time I eat watermelon I burp; when I eat apples my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc — actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!
There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the knowledge of longevity and health.
When you need to drink fruit juice – drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don’t drink juice that has been heated up. When eating or drinking cooked fruits or juices you don’t get the nutrients at all. You only get the sweet taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.
If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.
Best wishes in health and happiness,
Justice
Hi!
Thanks for starting this! a great idea! I have fasted for many years and this was still quite useful! I realize the fast is not about food but if we don’t pay enough attention to it while fasting i think it might distract from the spiritual aspect – so everything in moderation. I found the quote from AB on eating meat quite interesting as i had never seen it before or heard of the subject presented in such a way.
My only complaint here is that I am reading this during the fast (my fault) and all this talk about yummy food is making me hungry!!!