It is common to hear the word ‘fasting’ from those who are more believers during these dates. The truth is that, in general terms, it is difficult to identify the beginning of this tradition. However, this is a long-standing custom. There is evidence that it was a practice that was carried out in ancient Greece. In South America, meanwhile, some pre-Columbian tribes also deprived themselves of some foods with the aim of offering that sacrifice to the gods.
Nowadays fasting is present in many religions. In Islam, during Ramadan, which lasts between 29 and 30 days, believers avoid drinking and eating during the day. They also abstain from smoking and sexual relations. Once the sun sets, the fast ends. Children, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and some high-performance athletes are exempt from fasting.
For Judaism, which has several religious holidays in which fasting is applied, the most important is the day of forgiveness. During that day, Jews fast for 24 hours. They therefore abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sexual relations. Driving, working or wearing makeup is also prohibited. During that day only emergency services operate, while the most faithful can spend the entire day in the synagogue.
Hinduism and Buddhism also have fasting practices.
And Christianity?
For Christians, fasting has its roots in the Bible. ‘Is not fasting about sharing your bread with the hungry and giving shelter to the homeless poor, clothing the naked and not leaving aside your fellow men? If you proceed in this way, your light will break out like the dawn, and your healing will come instantly’ can be read in Isaiah 58: 7-11. It is also related to the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert, during which he prayed, fasted and was tempted; His spirit would have been strengthened once he had lived this experience; and with the prohibition of Adam and Eve from eating the apple.
But what is the current meaning?
The church has practiced fasting since the 4th century. According to ACI, it is a way to help prayer and purify the body and consists, rather, not in the prohibition of eating, but in limiting dishes to one a day.
Beware of false fasts
The ecclesiastical fast that Catholics observe during Holy Week and which involves abstaining from eating meat, consuming only liquids or eating one meal a day, allowing dairy products, eggs and animal fat products, can be beneficial for the body if it is carried out. appropriately, according to the European Medical Institute of Obesity (IMEO).
Some of the benefits of fasting consist of promoting the process of eliminating toxins and organic purification and helping the lymphatic system, intestine, liver and kidneys to perform their functions better, according to the Institute’s experts (.
However, “fasting in its strict version (based on liquids) or moderate (having only one meal a day, the rest being a liquid diet) cannot be taken lightly and requires certain nutritional knowledge,” explains the dietitian. and nutrition expert Rubén Bravo, spokesperson for the Institute.
Specifically, you must ensure a reasonable minimum caloric intake, which should be between 1,000 and 1,100 kilocalories (Kcal) daily, based on proteins, healthy fats, fructose, vitamins and minerals, avoiding prolonging fasting for more than 48 hours, according to Bravo.
In this sense, fasting “is not recommended for people with weaker health, pregnant, lactating, minors and those over 65 years of age, due to the risk of causing dehydration, metabolic disorders or symptoms of weakness,” he warns.
On the other hand, IMEO specialists observe that in practice there is a type of ‘false fast’ that normally consists of not eating meat throughout the day, but instead eating an abundant amount of other delicacies, such as dishes with cod or chickpea stew, as well as fritters and torrijas (also called torreja or French toast), among other recipes.
“In the context of the gastronomic excesses that traditionally accompany Holy Week, there is a risk of consuming almost double the calories in a single week, which can contribute to a weight gain of between 1 and 2 kilos,” as they explain. .
In this case “the problem is not only the high caloric intake, but also that a large part of this excess of calories ingested comes from sugars, refined flours, butters and alcohol, so the weight that we will have gained will have been in the form of fat practically in its entirety,” argues Bravo.
THE “FALSE” FASTING.
Carmen Escalada, IMEO clinical nutritionist, points out that a ‘false fast’ is more like a ‘gastronomic feast’ than a strict or moderate fast, which could be healthy without influencing the increase in body weight.
This type of practice focuses on very elaborate traditional cuisine recipes, which include first and second courses and dessert, which imply a high caloric intake, although meat “is conspicuous by its absence” in these dishes, according to Escalada.
But “the fact of not introducing meat into our menu does not necessarily mean that we are having a lighter meal; In addition, sometimes fasting is misinterpreted as a way of ‘dieting’ after a few days of gastronomic excesses and celebrations,” according to Escalada.
KEYS TO NOT OVEREating MEALS.
To enjoy gastronomy while maintaining moderation, the Institute’s team of nutritionists recommends…
… Eat five meals a day (Eating more frequently, but in smaller quantities helps us choose better what we eat, as well as avoid falling into binge eating, stomach heaviness and excessive caloric intake).
… Opt for homemade recipes (This way we will know what we are eating and we can also reduce calories, replacing unhealthy foods with better ones in nutritional terms).
…Plan the menus (Knowing in advance what we are going to eat each day helps us calculate the portions and avoid having leftover food. It is also advisable to avoid serving food on very large plates or having after-dinner meals without removing the food).
…Reduce the consumption of alcohol and soft drinks (Each gram of alcohol provides 7 Kcal. The ideal is to reduce its consumption, opting for low-alcohol drinks such as red wine and avoiding ‘digestive drinks’ after a meal. Water is the best option, since soft drinks contain a lot of sugar and additives, as well as gases that make digestion difficult).