What is the Daniel Fast? Your Quickstart Guide
What is the Daniel Fast, and is it simply another diet? The Daniel Fast is a Christian fast that is based on the biblical book of Daniel and is used to help draw closer to God. Daniel fasting isn't just about the food. It's a period of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection intended to help you strengthen your relationship with the Lord. It's about improving your spiritual and physical health.
This post will outline what the Daniel Fast is all about, what the Bible says in the book of Daniel, and how you can start a Daniel Fast yourself. Let's dive in!
Defining the Daniel Fast
The Daniel Fast is defined as a partial fast which means you don't abstain from all food, as is typical in most examples of biblical fasting. Instead, you abstain from certain types of foods and eat only plant-based meals.
You could also restrict the times of day you eat or limit the number of meals you eat per day, which is similar to intermittent fasting. However, most people don't limit the amount of food they consume, but the types of food they eat when on the Daniel Fast.
When it comes to what you can and cannot eat while on the Daniel Fast, foods that come from animals are off-limits, including eggs and dairy products. This means a vegan diet should be followed. However, other restrictions include avoiding refined sugars, processed foods, caffeine, preservatives, baked goods, and alcohol.
Sometimes referred to as the Daniel Fast diet or Daniel diet, this fasting method has become increasingly popular over the past few decades. The majority of Christians don't fast regularly, so the Daniel Fast can be a good starting point.
Additionally, the Daniel Fast is a great option for people who…
Are intimidated by the idea of fasting but would like to start somewhere.
Have health complications or take medication and need a certain level of food intake.
Consume a standard American diet and would find the transition to water-only fasting to be too abrupt for their bodies.
Have demanding jobs or family obligations.
Ultimately, a Daniel Fast isn’t about following a diet plan. Fasting nourishes your spirit and strengthens your relationship with God. The Daniel Fast is designed to help people remove distractions, focus on God and their spiritual well-being, and nurture their bodies with healthy foods. It's easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life and neglect caring for your health.
The Daniel Fast helps you break from worldly preoccupations and focus on your spiritual well-being. But fasting is also an act of prayer, worship, and communion with the Lord. As you read the Bible, you’ll see how vital a humble heart is when you start your fasting journey.
If you want to learn even more about the biblical basis for fasting, get more in-depth information on what to eat, and find a 21-day meal plan with recipes, then consider picking up a copy of the Daniel Fast Journey book.
Now let’s dive into scripture and see what the Daniel Fast is!
What does the Bible say about the Daniel Fast?
The Bible has a lot to say about fasting! The Old and New Testaments are full of stories of people fasting for different lengths of time and for various reasons, including mourning, repentance, and seeking direction and clarity.
The term “Daniel Fast” is not mentioned explicitly in the Bible, but we do see examples of Daniel fasting at different times and under different conditions. There are three instances of Daniel restricting food or fasting in the book of Daniel.
3 Verses on Fasting in the Book of Daniel
“Please put your servants to the test for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink.” (Daniel 1:12)
“So I gave myself to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3)
“In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.” (Daniel 10:2-3)
So these three different examples show times when Daniel abstained from food. Lengths of time include ten days, twenty-one days, and an unspecified length of time in Chapter 9.
The first example, from Chapter 1, is the basis for our modern Daniel Fast. But Daniel called it a “test,” not a “fast.” Also, it wasn’t about a spiritual cleanse or reset, but avoiding what he felt would defile his conscience. At the time, Daniel and his friends were captives who had been taken from Jerusalem to Babylon to serve in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar. They were appointed a daily ration of food and wine from the king’s table, but Daniel asked to abstain from this food and eat vegetables instead so he would not defile himself.
Theologians agree that his concern and desire to remain “undefiled” was probably because this food had been offered to idols and/or not prepared according to customary Jewish law. And one thing that was consistent about Daniel throughout His life was this: He worshiped God at all times and without compromise, always putting Him first.
Is Fasting for Me?
In different instances, Daniel fasted to remain undefiled, to repent for the sins of his people, and to remain close to God. We can apply these same principles and motivation in our own fasting journey. You may ask yourself the following questions:
Do I need to separate from the worldly culture around me in order to seek God’s heavenly kingdom? (See Daniel 1:5-12)
Am I aware of and broken by the sin and unrighteousness in the world around me, and is my response to seek God in prayer and fasting? (See Daniel Chapter 9)
Have I set my heart to understand God’s word and humble myself before Him? (See Daniel 10:12)
Many people decide to fast because they want to see a breakthrough or get an answer to prayer. These aren't bad reasons to fast and pray. We should all seek to become wholly healthy and well, and pray for guidance and clarity from the Lord. But there's also more to it.
Remember, fasting isn't about striving to get answers or capture God's attention. He's already present and hears our prayers. The Lord doesn't require religious acts like fasting for us to prove our worth or righteousness. Reading Romans chapter 4 and Ephesians chapter 2 provides a good reminder of what Jesus did for us and the importance of faith – not works.
Still, the Bible outlines numerous times that godly men and women fasted. Fasting can be an expression of faith and grow more sensitive to God’s voice; not just for our current situation, but for the long-term too. Fasting helps us to gain perspective and clarity and can restore a healthy relationship with our bodies.
The Daniel Fast isn't about what we give up; it's about discovering new spiritual depths with God.
You can read many other examples of fasting all throughout the Bible in this post: 52+ Amazing Verses About Fasting in Scripture.
Note: if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have any health conditions, take prescription medication, or have a history of eating disorders, you should consult a medical professional before fasting and surround yourself with proper support.
What do I eat on the Daniel Fast?
As we’ve already mentioned, the Daniel Fast is a partial fast. Daniel asked to abstain from the king’s choice food and wine. Our modern diet and the options available to us vastly differ from what existed in Daniel’s time and geographical location. The modern Daniel Fast removes all animal products, alcohol, sweets, and baked goods while fasting. It’s essentially a plant-based diet, but restrictive.
The modern western world has created a plethora of packaged food options, and the vast majority of these are cut out while on a Daniel Fast. You should aim to eat foods that are in their whole, unprocessed, natural form. Read ingredient labels carefully and avoid items with additives and preservatives.
If you’re worried about getting enough protein on the Daniel Fast, check out this post: Best Plant-Based Sources of Protein.
The word translated vegetables in Daniel 1:12 is translated as “pulse” in the King James Version, and this word includes plant-based foods or foods that originate from seeds. So, people include eating foods like whole grains, legumes, and general plant-based foods on the Daniel Fast, which includes the following.
Vegetables
You can eat any fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables. Just be sure they don't contain any sauces. Examples include asparagus, artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, green beans, kale, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, and others.
Fruits
Eat any fresh or frozen fruit (or dried fruit) on the Daniel Fast except for canned fruits in sweet syrup. Some examples include apples, bananas, blueberries, cherries, grapes, melons, oranges, pineapples, pears, nd strawberries.
Whole grains
Whole grains are permitted on the Daniel Fast, such as brown rice, wild rice, oats, quinoa, and barley. Be sure to check labels for added ingredients. Although bread is made of whole grains, products with yeast are excluded from the Daniel Fast. That means avoiding any type of leavened bread, baked goods, and packaged crackers. Some people choose to eat Triscuits, whole wheat or corn tortillas, or homemade unleavened bread.
Legumes
Legumes can include any type of dried or canned beans like black beans, chickpeas, red beans, kidney beans, or lentils. These are all great sources of fiber and protein. Since you're cutting out all animal products, finding healthy plant-based protein sources is a must!
Seeds & Nuts
Nuts, nut butters (almond, peanut), seeds like sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, and nut milk substitutes are other options on the Daniel Fast. Again, be sure to check labels for added ingredients or sweeteners. Some will choose to avoid milk substitutes (also including oat milk and coconut milk) on the Daniel Fast because they are highly processed.
Seasonings and Oil
What can you use to give your food more flavor? You can use fresh herbs and seasonings on the Daniel Fast along with plant-based oils like avocado or olive oil. You can also use salt and pepper.
What Not to Eat
Although you clearly have lots of options for foods to eat, the following should be excluded: meat, poultry, seafood (fish and shellfish), eggs, dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, sweets, and baked goods.
Your drink options are limited to water and possibly herbal tea (again, this is a grey area for some.)
In addition, you need to avoid forms of sugar. Some ingredients to avoid include brown sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, malt syrup, and added sugars. Most people also choose to avoid all artificial sweeteners.
You can read more about what to eat and find a longer Daniel Fast food list in the post: What to Eat on a Daniel Fast.
Would you like to see a 10 Day Daniel Fast Meal Plan? Click HERE.
Please note: consult a medical professional before making any significant changes to your diet, especially if you have preexisting health conditions or take medication.
Does it Feel Difficult to Fast?
I didn’t practice fasting until I was an adult. Although the Bible has a lot to say about the spiritual discipline of fasting, most of the churches I see might talk about fasting at the beginning of the year or perhaps during Lent. But very few emphasize the benefit of fasting as a regular spiritual practice. We typically talk about fasting in January, then don’t revisit the topic for the remainder of the year!
Fasting is a challenge for me personally. I have no problem with praying and reading my Bible daily, but when it comes to fasting . . . I tend to hesitate.
Fasting is uncomfortable and inconvenient. It forces us to deny our flesh and overcome our cravings and appetites. It’s easy to think of excuses to postpone fasting. But I would encourage you to consider this: fasting is extremely challenging because fasting is extremely powerful.
Remember what Jesus did before He entered ministry? He went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and then was tempted by the devil. But although He was hungry after fasting, He was spiritually strong. After being in the presence of God, and with His firm knowledge of the Word of God, Jesus easily defeated the devil’s temptations. And He had several things to say about fasting in the gospels.
Fasting in the Gospels and New Testament
Matthew 6 carries Jesus’ instructions on “when you give,” “when you pray,” and “when you fast” (not IF but WHEN).
In Matthew 6, Jesus spells out how to fast and to do it in a way that won’t be noticed by men but seen by our Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:16-18)
In three gospel accounts, when Jesus is asked why his disciples don’t fast like John the Baptist’s disciples and the Pharisees, He answers that they don’t need to fast while the bridegroom is with them, “But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.” (Mark 2:20)
In the book of Acts, we see the early church regularly fasting and praying for direction. (Acts 13:2-3, Acts 14:23)
What are the Benefits of Fasting?
Fasting has many benefits for your spirit, soul, and body, and there are incredible testimonies on our blog of answered prayers and breakthroughs after times of fasting. But it’s essential that we realize our primary conviction for fasting isn’t self-centered or giving to get.
Our obedience is an act of worship. When we worship, we make God the most important thing in our lives. We honor Him above all else and acknowledge that He has all the power, provision, and answers we need.
So when we fast, we acknowledge our dependence on a loving God, not ourselves. We are prioritizing a kingdom of eternal glory, not a world of temporary satisfaction. We don’t focus on strengthening our willpower as much as we learn to depend on His power.
2 Corinthians 12:9 reminds us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
For all these reasons, fasting is a powerful discipline for all Christians, and you can start with just a simple step. Fast a meal, or consider starting a Daniel Fast. This blog contains many recipes and tools to help you get started! For instance, you can check out our Daniel Fast meals and recipes page for tons of meal options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Ready to Start a Daniel Fast?
The Daniel Fast is a great way to start practicing the spiritual discipline of fasting. It provides an accessible starting point for those who are just beginning their journey with fasting and offers delicious and nutritious recipes that benefit your body as well! Fasting helps us prioritize God's kingdom over our own desires, strengthens our spirit, and reminds us that His grace is sufficient when we rely on Him instead of ourselves.
If you’re ready to get started, be sure to check out all of the resources available here on the blog - from meal plans to shopping lists - so that you can begin your fast with confidence!
Here are some pages you may be interested in: