What You Can Eat on The Daniel Fast?
Fruit: Fresh or frozen, and low-glycemic fruits in particular are encouraged. Low-glycemic fruits include berries, apples, peaches, grapefruit, cherries, and grapes. Canned fruit is also an option, but only if there is no added sugar, coloring, or other preservatives.
Vegetables: Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables are all allowed on the diet plan, as long as there is no added salt. You can eat these—and even potatoes—in abundance.
Whole Grains: Whole-grain breads and flat breads made without yeast.
Legumes: Dried or canned varieties are both allowed, but canned versions shouldn’t have any salt or other additives. Types of legumes include black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and other bean varieties. Soy products, such as tofu, are also allowed on The Daniel Fast, as long as they aren’t made with any additives.
Nuts & Seeds: All nuts and seeds are allowed, as long as they are raw or dry-roasted without salt.
High-Quality Oils: Plant-based oils are approved on The Daniel Fast, but they should be used in moderation. Canola, peanut, coconut, olive, avocado, sesame, grape seed, and walnut oils are all healthy options.
What You Can’t Eat on The Daniel Fast
Meat & Eggs: Animal protein of any kind is not allowed during the three-week fasting plan, and meat is specifically avoided in the Book of Daniel. Instead, participants are encouraged to obtain protein from legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Dairy: Dairy is also not allowed on this diet, but you can substitute unprocessed or homemade non-dairy milks in recipes.
Processed Foods: Any food that is processed beyond packaging is pretty much off limits on The Daniel Fast. This includes fried foods, many frozen products, and even most vegan-friendly packaged foods. This diet is all about emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods, so you’ll even need to ditch your veggie burgers, unless you can make one from-scratch with approved ingredients.
Sweeteners: We aren’t just talking sugar here, but also maple syrup, honey, and other natural sweeteners. Fruit should be your only source of sweetener here. Dates are a great option for adding sweetness to meals, and mashed banana also is a great way to sweeten a bowl of oatmeal in the mornings.
Chewing Gum & Mints: Since processed foods are not on the list of approved foods, you can assume fruit is your only dessert option for 21 days. Gum and mints—which often contain zero grams of sugar—are no exception on The Daniel Fast. Make sure to read nutrition facts and ingredient lists closely, as the majority of brands are made with chemical additives and sugar alcohols.
Solid Fats: Butter, ghee, margarine, lard, and other shortenings are all off the list for three weeks, so investing in a good-quality vegetable oil will be worth your while. The only exception for solid fats here would be a nut or seed butter, as long as the nut or seed is the only ingredient.
Beverages: Water is the only beverage allowed on The Daniel Fast, meaning you might want to hide the coffee pot for a few weeks. Wine, juices, kombucha, soda, you name it—not allowed. Even flavored seltzer water, such as LaCroix isn’t allowed, due to the flavoring agents.
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