Lent is the longest and strictest of the year. Let’s not talk about all the restrictions on spiritual life, let’s talk about nutrition.
Terms of supply in Lent
For the entire duration of Lent, it is forbidden to eat animal protein, namely: meat, chicken, eggs, all dairy products (sour cream, sour milk, butter, cottage cheese, cheese). It is also undesirable to eat fish, but in Annunciation and Palm Sunday this restriction is removed. On Holy Saturday, you can not adhere to dry eating and boil food; vegetable oil is also permitted as an exception.
But the Orthodox religion has foreseen many cases when compliance with such strict rules can adversely affect health, working capacity and allows certain categories of citizens to deviate from compliance with such strict restrictions on food. These include: athletes who need to compete or prepare for competitions, sick people, travelers, children, pregnant and lactating women, people engaged in hard physical labor, prisoners, the military. However, those who do not fast in food must choose another form of fasting for themselves. For example, to give up spectacles, not to watch movies, sports competitions …
Any fast is a time of purification of our body and mind, a time to think about the meaning of our life, a time to unload and lighten our food, so that after fasting we can feel the taste again. Losing weight is a side effect, but not the goal of fasting.
But even those who are allowed not to observe Great Lent can fast on some days, for example, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, refusing at this time from animal products, sweets.
How to replace animal protein
So animal protein cannot be eaten. But you can eat vegetable and fish. But, people would not have to write so many articles and there would not be such a confrontation between vegetarians and meat eaters, if everything were so simple.
All proteins are composed of amino acids, in total there are 20 amino acids in nature, of which only 8 are synthesized in our body. The remaining 12 people must constantly receive food.
So, the main difficulty lies in the fact that plant protein is deficient in amino acid composition compared to animal protein. Lack of knowledge on how to competently consume vegetable protein and at the same time saturate the body with all the necessary spectrum of amino acids can lead to a deficiency of substances in the body and diseases.
The most complete proteins of plant origin are found in:
- yeast;
- nuts;
- soybeans;
- germ of cereals.
Peas, lentils and legumes can only partially replenish the supply of essential amino acids. And with heat treatment, the amount of amino acids is reduced even more.
Protein content in various foods
In the book Nutraceuticals. Nutrition for life, health and longevity “the author Adelia Davis gives a table” The content and cost of protein in various foods (2004, Moscow) “. Below this table is shown in abbreviated form, excluding the cost of products and only plant products and fish are shown.
It should also be noted that in order to replenish the required supply of amino acids, it is necessary to include the above products in the complex in the diet. And the Calorie Counter on our website will help you to correctly calculate the weight of the product and the amount of protein not only in the raw product, but also comprehensively calculate the kBzh of the whole dish in the Recipe Analyzer section.
Sports nutrition stores are helping very well now, which offer plant protein, amino acids, fish oil, a wide range of vitamins, foods and supplements that most athletes consume on a daily basis in their diet. The section Miracle pills: ate and lost weight will help you to decide on the choice of the most suitable supplements.
And at the end of the article, I would like to note that during Lent it is not necessary to limit yourself and change your diet so radically. It is not how you eat that matters; your spirit is important. And all restrictions on the time of fasting are aimed primarily at strengthening the spirit. Therefore, during Lent, you can eat as you want and what you want, but in moderation. It is not for nothing that there is a sin of Gluttony. Strengthen your spirit, fight shortcomings, exercise and then your body will live in harmony with your spirit.
Fortitude to you and an easy Great Lent!