5 Alternatives To Meat And Milk For Fasting

Christmas fasting has officially begun and many people will limit their diet. Imposing certain restrictions is a useful measure, but sudden and prolonged deprivation of certain products can have a serious effect on the body.

This is true in full force during fasting, because it excludes meat and dairy products , which are a major source of some of the most important nutrients for the body. This is the reason why the risk of deficiency of important nutrients during the post is very serious.

The most serious danger of giving up "good" foods is the potential deficiency of protein, essential fatty acids, vitamin B12 and the trace elements iron and zinc . These are the basic nutrients from which we get the largest amounts from meat, meat and dairy products. To avoid severe deficiency during fasting, the intake of other products containing these substances in high doses should be increased.

Legumes
Key ingredient: protein

The first factor that nutritionists announce when recommending a meatless diet is finding a quality alternative to meat to compensate for the need for protein . Legumes are among the most valuable sources of protein in the group of lean foods. It is advisable to combine different types of them to obtain the optimal set of amino acids.

Green leafy vegetables
Key ingredient: iron

The most complete source of easily digestible iron are meat products such as red meat and especially offal - liver, spleen, mills and others. As an alternative to these foods during fasting, the consumption of plant sources of iron is recommended. Although more difficult for the body to absorb, it can compensate for the temporary lack of iron from animal sources. The most iron-rich plant foods are green leafy vegetables such as spinach, dock, nettle. It is very important to consume these foods together with foods rich in vitamin C, as it facilitates the absorption of plant iron.

Synthetic milks (almond, soy, rice)
Key ingredient: vitamin B12

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find a sown source of sufficient doses of vitamin B12, which is initially contained mainly in animal products - fish, meat, milk, eggs. As a good alternative during fasting, you can rely on B12-enriched substitutes for cow's milk or other artificially fortified with vitamin lean products - cereals, muesli and others.

Pumpkin seeds
Key ingredient: zinc

Pumpkin seeds are among the richest plant sources of the trace element zinc, which is important for cell growth and the immune system. For variety, a lean diet can be supplemented with other rich sources of zinc such as cashews, dark chocolate, spinach.

Nuts and seeds
Key ingredient: omega-3 fatty acids

Unsaturated fatty acids are among the easiest to obtain nutrients in the fasting environment. The good thing is that their richest sources are some plant products, and the rich variety of nuts and seeds can satisfy every taste. However, studies show that walnuts, flaxseed and chia.

Along with a purely spiritual need, fasting is one of the recommended diets with many benefits for detoxifying the body. The main requirement is to successfully compensate for the essential ingredients of animal products. From there, the benefits will be there.