Can You Eat Nuts and Nut Butters on the Daniel Fast?
Are nuts part of the Daniel Fast?
Can I eat peanut butter on the Daniel Fast?
Maybe you’ve asked. these questions and the short answer is yes. Most modern interpretations of the Daniel Fast include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. Essentially, anything that is a whole, unprocessed, plant-based food.
With that being said, you should be careful about the kinds of nuts you consume on a Daniel Fast (or in general) by reading nutrition labels and measuring your portion sizes.
Peanut butter comes in varieties that contain purely peanuts, and others that have added sugar and oils. As you read ingredient labels, you can ensure you’re picking the best option for your Daniel Fast meal plan.
Here are a few tips for choosing the right kinds of nuts and nut butters on a Daniel Fast!
Read Your Ingredient List
One common rule of thumb when you’re on a Daniel Fast meal plan is: avoid packaged foods.
This applies to processed snacks, but most nuts also come in packages :) and nut butters certainly do, so the key is being aware of anything else that has slipped in during processing.
Check the ingredients and avoid nut varieties with added sugar, oil, preservatives etc. Although these add some tasty flavor, when fasting you want to avoid additives and consume food in the most pure form.
Ingredient lists are usually below or to the side of the Nutrition Facts table. The Nutrition Facts show the macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and although those facts are important, they don’t display everything that is in the food.
Two versions of a food may have identical nutrition info but different ingredient lists. Consider this example for almonds.
Chili Flavored almonds
These almonds are delicious, but in addition to the actual “almonds” there are multiple other ingredients including oils, sugars and more.
Raw Almonds
This package has comparable calories, fat, protein, fiber etc. but note there is ONLY ONE INGREDIENT: ALMONDS
Also note the amount of vitamins and minerals in these raw nuts compared to the package above. Roasting nuts can diminish the quality of vitamins and minerals available for your body to absorb. An added nutritional bonus for eating raw nuts!
Nut Butters
When it comes to nut butters such as peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter, etc. the same principles apply when you’re on the Daniel Fast. Check ingredient lists and choose the option with the least number of ingredients, preferably just nuts.
Many grocery stores have a natural food section where you can process your own nut butter. This is by far the best option for a Daniel Fast, because when you use the nut grinders you ensure that your nut butter contains only almonds or peanuts.
With natural nut butters, you do need to stir them up well every time because they will separate.
Can you eat too many nuts?
If nuts are so healthy, does that mean you can eat as many as you want?
Moderation is always key, whatever diet or meal plan you are following. Although nuts are healthy, they are a very energy dense food - lots of calories and fats in a small serving size.
One cup of walnuts has almost 700 calories and 68 grams of fat
That is a lot for your body to process! So as you consult the nutrition facts, note the serving size for what you’re consuming. This can vary depending on if your nuts are shelled, whole, halves & pieces, etc.
standard serving Sizes
1.5 ounces of nuts
2 tablespoons nut butter
What about corn nuts on a Daniel Fast?
Corn nuts are not technically nuts, they are whole, toasted corn kernels. They are usually made by soaking in water and then deep frying, and often come coated in seasonings. Deep fried snacks foods should be avoided on the Daniel Fast. Instead, you can consider snacking on whole corn kernels (in moderation) or nuts.
What Kind of Nuts Should You Eat on a Daniel Fast?
In summary, look for RAW nuts to eat on a Daniel Fast. These are unsalted, not roasted, and don’t contain additional seasonings or preservatives.
Nuts and Seeds to Eat on the Daniel Fast Include:
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Filberts
Hazelnuts
Macadamia
Peanuts
Pecans
Pistachios
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Natural nut butters
When Daniel decided to alter his diet, it was for the purpose of not defiling himself with King Nebuchadnezzar’s food. He asked the captain of the guard to, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink” (Daniel 1:12).
Our modern food supply contains many more options than were available in Daniel’s time. Like Daniel, our goal in fasting is not to nitpick over the types of food we eat, but to set our hearts toward God, separate from the world, and remain undefiled.