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Biblical Daniel Fast Put to the Test

Within a matter of weeks, participants placed on the vegan diet outlined by the prophet Daniel experienced improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin levels, insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein levels, a marker of inflammation within the body.

September 10, 2012 |
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Supplementary Info

Biblical Daniel Fast Put to the Test, 5.0 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

Sources Cited

Trepanowski JF, Bloomer RJ. The impact of religious fasting on human health. Nutr J. 2010 Nov 22;9:57.

Bloomer RJ, Kabir MM, Canale RE, Trepanowski JF, Marshall KE, Farney TM, Hammond KG. Effect of a 21 day Daniel Fast on metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk factors in men and women. Lipids Health Dis. 2010 Sep 3;9:94.

Bloomer RJ, Kabir MM, Trepanowski JF, Canale RE, Farney TM. A 21 day Daniel Fast improves selected biomarkers of antioxidant status and oxidative stress in men and women. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011 Mar 18;8:17.

Acknowledgements

Images thanks to janaka.

Transcript

Evidently not completely satisfied with the scientific rigor of the dietary trial presented in Daniel 1, 8 through 16, researchers in Tennesee published two papers recently detailing a series of parallel experiments on a 21 day all you can eat diet of “devoid of animal products and preservatives, and inclusive of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.” In other words… “food intake in accordance with a stringent vegan diet.”

The purpose of the studies were to determine the effect of a 21 day Daniel Fast on both biomarkers of antioxidant status and oxidative stress, as well as the efficacy of the Daniel fast to improve markers of the lion's den of metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk.

No surprise that a diet composed of whole plant foods improves several risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular disease, as well as an improvement in selected biomarkers of antioxidant status and oxidative stress, including metabolites of nitric oxide, which I talked about before. Participants experienced meaningful improvements, in blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin levels. insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein were all lowered to a clinically meaningful extent.

And this was in a young healthy population—imagine the miracles it could do for people who are really hurting. “this study extends the findings of other plant-based diets by documenting the impact of a strict vegan diet on multiple measures of oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity.”

Of course if, instead of a biblical Danial Fast, they had called it a "strict vegan diet" they would probably not have gotten a compliance rate of 98.7%, especially, in Tennessee.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Kerry Skinner.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

See the "prequel" in Friday's video-of-the-day Tightening the Bible Belt. Can the drop in biomarkers of inflammation actually translate into an improvement in inflammatory disease progression though? See Dietary Treatment of Crohn's Disease and Diet & Rheumatoid Arthritis. The decrease in inflammation is likely a combination of the anti-inflammatory effects of many plant foods (Fighting Inflammation in a Nut Shell) and the pro-inflammatory effects of animal foods (see the 3-video series ending with Dead Meat Bacteria Endotoxemia). The improvement in antioxidant capacity is also not unexpected, given the different Antioxidant Power of Plant Foods Versus Animal Foods.

If all these neat studies intrigue you as much as they do me, make sure to subscribe to my videos (for free) by clicking here.

For more context, check out my associated blog posts:  Stool Size and Breast Cancer Risk and  Biblical Daniel Fast Tested.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

    See the “prequel” in Friday’s video-of-the-day Tightening the Bible Belt. Can the drop in biomarkers of inflammation actually translate into an improvement in inflammatory disease progression though? See Dietary Treatment of Crohn’s Disease and Diet & Rheumatoid Arthritis. The decrease in inflammation is likely a combination of the anti-inflammatory effects of many plant foods (Fighting Inflammation in a Nut Shell) and the pro-inflammatory effects of animal foods (see the 3-video series ending with Dead Meat Bacteria Endotoxemia). The improvement in antioxidant capacity is also not unexpected, given the different Antioxidant Power of Plant Foods Versus Animal Foods.

    If all these neat studies intrigue you as much as they do me, make sure to subscribe to my videos (for free) by clicking here.

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      Isn’t great to know that everytime you say something, even in jest, you will offend someone!?
      Rhetorical Question.
      ;-}

      • Drbill

        That is for sure! ;(

      • Slim_Langer

        I agree, it’s a b*tch when someone else is right … and pride just won’t let you admit it. But if you say prejudicial things, it’s likely that eventually someone’s gonna call you on it. Take care.

  • Elpoo

    Thanks so much for your great presentations at Toronto’s Vegetarian Festival. So interesting and entertaining! 

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=670735069 Tan Truong

       I agree! Dr. Greger makes the presentation so much more lively. Great to have you Doc and thanks for cheerfully posing for photos with us. You’re welcome back to Toronto any time!

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      I love your screen name!  Any reference to a diet high in fiber?
      ;-}

      • Elpoo

        Ha! No, it’s a nickname from when I was a teenager. But going vegan has certainly made me a much…um… happier person.

        • HemoDynamic, M.D.

          So what you are saying is, that you have learned to ‘Go with the flow’!
          ;-}

          • Elpoo

            Fibre is my friend.

  • Slim_Langer

    I’m not from Tennessee and evidently you’re not from Tennessee — but the last cynical swipe strikes me as really petty, and uncalled for. If we’re following a WFPB vegan diet, we’re all human and we’ve all taken some social knocks for it, but it allows us to be on the high road in terms of both moral philosophy/ humane issues AND health science. What call is there for this? It doesn’t help to be negative.  All the best.

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      Point of view is from ones perspective.

      We all have different perspectives and that is what makes the world so fascinating.

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      Personally, I love Dr. Gregers ‘Bible Banging’.  Tenessee is in the bible belt isn’t it? 
      Nothing like a little flaggelation to get the blood flowing.
      ;-}

    • Carolyn

       I do live in TN and am a vegan and know several people who have done the Daniel Fast. It was my first experience with people in TN wanting to know how to cook vegan dishes. (I shared as many recipes as I could think of with them.)

      I am not sure that my friends here in Tennessee would take his comment all that badly. The fact that their devotion to their religion supercedes health concerns is not so different from statements by ethical vegans that becoming vegan for reasons of health isn’t good enough. (There are lots of reasons to be vegan. We should open our tents wide.)

      To the doctor’s question: Many people do this fast as part of a committed religious practice. From what I can tell the norm here is for a church group to do it once a year. At least one person I know became a complete vegan after doing the Daniel Fast and improving his cholesterol and other blood markers. (He had coronary heart disease and diabetes and was therefore motivated.) Others might do the fast longer. Or do it intermittently. I always know that a Daniel Fast is on when my cookbooks are suddenly in demand again.

      I’ve been a veg*n for 37 years and I’ve seen a lot of people move in and out of vegetarianism. From what I can tell, the people who do the best at sticking to it have many reasons to do it (ethical, environmental, compassionate, religious, health, etc.)

      • Slim_Langer

        I like this. Of course I looked up the helpful paper that was cited in this review, and the University researchers themselves have (at least educational) ties to the south and we want to encourage them. If we are vegetarian, then vegan, then low-fat WFPB we are a minority of a minority of a minority, so we should be objective and open and look for friends everywhere. The lesson of Daniel’s experiment was available to critical eyes thousands of years before any modern reseach and it was preserved for a long time — just because of the “bible-thumpers.”

    • Just2eve

      It’s not being negative at all.  He’s being a scienific realist.  You have heard of the “placebo effect”, correct?   It means our emotional expectations and biases make a significant difference on what we experience.  In this case, many ppl are biased against vegan diets, and yet, the reverse is true, many ppl, esp in the “bible belt” are biased in favor of bible ways. 

    • Paddycakes

      OK, Jesus.

  • Thea

    So interesting!  I’m not a big fan of “the bible told me so”, but if helps some people “see the light”, I guess it is a good tool to use.

    What is really helpful about this study, from my perspective, is that it is yet one more rigorous study showing benefits of the whole plants foods-based diet.  Go science!

  • http://www.facebook.com/dreamspheree Eliran Vegh

    I live in Israel and we eat a lot of vegetables in our diet but also eat
    a lot of chicken products not so much beef but mostly chicken eggs and
    diary products. its been a week now and i try eating a whole food (whole
    pasta, red rice, etc) and fruits vegetables and nuts. my BMI is high I
    weight 92kg and my length is 1.80m and in the past 4 mounts i lost 7 kg
    cause i started eating less and running. so my question is for a vegan
    starter like me after running nutritionist say you need to eat proteins in
    the first 15min after you finish running and my question is what to eat
    as a vegan if i want to avoid eggs and meat products? thanks in advance  

    • Drbill

       Dear Eliran Vegh,
      The protein from spinach, broccoli, Kale is plenty-sufficient and of such high quality that it may be the protein-of-choice, If you are brain-washed that you need more quantity protein, (I am not convinced you do), you may add the soy-greenbeans [Edamame]…only an ounce will easily meet your protein requirements. You do not need anything that egg or meat based nutrients provide. This plant based lifestyle really works once we have at least 1-2 years eating solely plant based nutrients.

      • http://www.facebook.com/dreamspheree Eliran Vegh

         thanks alot

        • Sonjevity1

           In addition to what Drbill recommends, you can eat whatever beans and peas are available in Israel. Potatoes have a bit of protein as well.

  • carmen @Vegan_Nurse

    i am a vegan in tennessee (and a nurse!) ! glad they are trying something different to get my neighbors on the right track!

  • Rathatcher

    As part of Dr. Greger’s Tennessee fan base and daily podcast viewer, I must say he’s probably right about acceptance of the “v” word in these parts, unless that word is Vol. More Daniel Fasts, faith-based health outreach are needed along our widening Bible Belt.  Thanks to University of Memphis and Dr. Greger for spreading the good word in the deep south!

  • happyv

    I am from Texas and a vegan and a church goer and would be pleased and a little amazed to see the folks here giving this a try, church people eat very badly in the health department and need some education as how much this diet can help them with their many health problems.

  • jackson

    Actually, before Daniel’s trial with a vegan diet, God revealed to Adam the original vegan  diet  for mankind- fruits, nuts, grains and seeds.( See 1:29)

    After man’s fall, he was then given permission to also eat the herbs of the field (Gen 3:18)

    It was not until after the flood was man given permission to eat animal flesh, and then only from animals categorized as clean; but never blood.(Gen  9:3-4

    Not to  ever eat blood or animal fat (Lev 3:17).

    • Hannah colorsrfun

      IKR I remember when I first read Genesis 1:26-31, after I had read other scriptures that were related to food, caring for one’s health,
      respecting others food choices and so on…and I realized that God was calling me to take command of my health! A plant-based diet is a perfect diet, and that’s exactly the kind of one that God provided us at the start. One’s health shouldn’t be the center of one’s life, but it should be a part of one’s life. So many people think that a change in lifestyle is like, dangerous or something. But, I think we are each and all called to care for the world, for ourselves, for each other. And in that same passage, God commands us to “have dominion over” or to care for all the creatures of the earth. Eating in a healthy way seems to be part of that. I look forward to the day when there will be no animals being killed unnecessarily; no people dying from various causes; no sin and destruction. Just think, how beautiful the world will be after Jesus returns to clean all the sin out!

  • jackson

    Should read Gen 1:29 for man’s orginal diet.

  • Djalger

    Thank you Dr. Greger for  all of your research. My husband and I are vegans and are enjoying the plant-based foods plus are able to do various exercises at our ages, 78 and 77. Our friends and relatives don’t think they need to change their diets even though we give them these facts. Anyway, we are looking forward to seeing you in San Francisco next month. 

  • Kirbonite

    yeah… Jesus is more important than science here in the south for sure.

  • Bible Reader

    Daniel 10:3 says Daniel routinely ate meat and drank wine when not fasting. You might want to read till the end of the book before using the Bible to defend your claims. It doesn’t.

  • Sharon

    I have done the Daniel fast many times..It is the best I have ever felt in my life..

  • BeeKay

    It’s interesting to check the Biblical account for more dietary detail.

    The Hebrew youths were questioned because it was thought that they would become malnourished if they continued not partaking of the King’s rich, fatty etc table foods. Which seems to indicate that they had been all along eating a plant-based diet. All they had to prove was that continuing to eat their own way would keep them robust and healthy. Which indeed was demonstrated during their test period.

  • Thatmelissachick

    As Christian and a Vegan, I know that I receive disdain from my fellow Christians for my dietary choices. This is without ANY provocation from me, just from their observations of my choices of food at events. These same Christians will go on a Daniel fast and feel pretty righteous about it. Dr Daniel’s little dig at the end may sting, but I am in strong agreement (except for the Tennessee part, I encounter this in my life no matter the state I am in when it comes from my fellow Christians.)

    • Hannah colorsrfun

      don’t let what others say bother you. everyone has a right to their own food choices. the next time your friends make fun at you for abstaining from animal-based products and provoke an argument, abstain from the argument but keep in mind this: Romans 14. =)

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