Biblical Daniel Diet To The Test
Evidently not completely satisfied with the scientific rigor of the dietary trial presented in the Biblical book of Daniel 1:8-16, researchers in Tennessee published two papers recently detailing a series of parallel experiments in a 21 day all-you-can-eat diet devoid of any animal products, preservatives, but 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 study was to determine the effect of a 21 day Daniel fast of bio-markers, antioxidant and oxidative stress, as well as the efficacy of the Daniel fast to prove markers of the lion’s den of metabolic cardiovascular disease risk.
No surprise that a diet composed of whole plant foods improves several risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular disease, with improvement in selected bio-markers, antioxidant and oxidative stress including the metabolism of nitric oxide.
Participants experienced meaningful improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin levels and C-reaction protein (a marker for inflammation in the body), 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 calling this a Biblical Daniel fast, they had called it a strict vegan diet, they probably would not have gotten a compliance rate of 98.7%, especially in the state where it was put on trial, Tennessee.
— Michael Greger MD, FACLM, September 10,2019
In a recent study, ten men and women were given a single meal containing eight Brazil nuts and found upon ingesting these nuts, almost immediately, cholesterol levels started to improve. LDL, the so-called bad cholesterol was significantly lowered starting just nine hours after ingestion – and by no insignificant amount – nearly 20 points within a day.
Even drugs don’t work that fast, it takes statins about four days. But that is not even the crazy part!
Researchers measured the levels five days later, then thirty days later. Keeping in mind they were not eating Brazil nuts this whole time, it was found that that single serving a month before was holding the cholesterol levels down.
It was interesting that four nuts seemed to work faster than the eight nuts to lower bad cholesterol, and also to boost good cholesterol.
Now when studies are carried out, when the results are ‘too-good-to-be true’, it is wise to wait to see the results replicated before recommending to patients, particularly when the study is done on only ten people, and especially when the findings are too incredible to be believed!
But when the intervention is cheap, easy, harmless and healthy, eating only four Brazil nuts a month, then the burden of proof is kind of reversed. The reasonable default is to do it until proven otherwise.
In conclusion, a single serving of four nuts is efficient without producing liver or kidney toxicity. This refers to the high selenium content of Brazil nuts - so high that even at four every day might bump up against the entire daily limits for selenium, but not something we have to worry about if we are recommending just four nuts once a month.
— Michael Greger MD, FACLM, August 23,2019
Recipe of the Month
Space Balls
Preparation:
2 c tofu 1-3 T soy sauce
2 c cooked brown rice or millet 1½ t kelp
1 t oregano, thyme, sage ½ c yeast flakes
1 t sweet basil, cornmeal ¼ c chopped parsley
1 t oil
Mix all together except cornmeal.
Form into small balls or flat cakes, roll in cornmeal and bake on an oiled tray for 30 minutes at 180°C.
Serve with your favourite sauce or gravy.
Space balls may also be eaten without baking, they are tasty both ways.