A holistic recipe for fasting

Fasting has become trendy, and can mean a range of different things from not eating or drinking at all for 12-16 hours of the day, to reducing the amount of calories you consume for a few days of the week.

But fasting has always been nature’s way. Animals and plants fast as a way of adapting through changes in season. Bears, bumble bees, bats, squirrels and snakes are among the fauna that take time off from food and activity to enter into a state of deep rest, typically in the cooler autumn and winter months. Perennial plants do the same, suspending their growth and reproductive activities in cold weather and protecting their softer bark by contracting inwards and shedding their leaves.

When nature fasts, it is a holistic process. A reduced input of energy is balanced by a minimal expenditure of energy through sleep and rest. This is contrary to many modern fasting trends which only consider fasting from a nutritional point of view. Extensive fasting such as not eating or reducing calories needs to be matched by a reduced activity level, or we go into a deficit, also known as deprivation. While this deficit has become the formula for weight loss, Ayurveda recognises that this can be a recipe for disease. When the body goes into a state of stress from perceived deprivation, it automatically reduces high energy tasks such as metabolism, reproductive health and muscle mass as a coping mechanism. The mind follows the body, often feeling ungrounded, anxious and overwhelmed.

Fasting should not cause physical and emotional contraction. Instead, it should create room for expansion through internal healing and rejuvenation in the body, and a sense of freedom and space in mind. Fasting can be an opportunity to detoxify the body, reduce inflammation, improve cellular renewal and enjoy deeper rest. It provides an avenue to practice discernment in our relationship with food, which helps us see our true thoughts and emotions.

While fasting is an excellent option for good health and strong digestion, it requires a personalised and holistic approach that considers age, gender, activity level and geographic location. As a start, rather than skipping a meal, consider a lighter and easily digested option to begin a healthy fasting routine.

Below I share my take on a fasting recipe from India. The base ingredient is tapioca, made from the root of the cassava plant which grows in many tropical regions. The root is boiled into a gummy liquid, and then passed through sieves of different sizes to create white pearls. Tapioca is a simple and easily digestible energy source that is gluten and grain free, and supportive of gut micro biome. It can reduce gas, bloating and constipation, and is great for teeth and bone health thanks to iron, potassium and calcium. This recipe includes some supportive spices which clean the gut such as cumin and turmeric, as well as a dose of protein with the crushed peanuts, and fibre, iron and vitamins from the coriander and curry leaves.

A break-fast (serves 1-2)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ghee/ olive oil

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 small green chilly, chopped

• 5-8 curry leaves

• 50g coriander leaves, chopped

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• 250g tapioca pearls (medium)

• 50g crushed peanuts

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 50g grated fresh coconut

• Wide pan or wok

Method

Rinse the tapioca pearls in room temperature water two to three times to remove impurities and excess starch. Then pour the tapioca in a bowl with enough water to cover, and allow it to soak overnight. Drain the excess water before cooking.

Put a pan or wok on a medium-low flame, and add the ghee.

Add cumin, green chilly, coriander and turmeric.

Add the crushed peanut, salt and sugar to the tapioca. Mix well, and then add to the pan.

Add the grated coconut, and continue to mix all the ingredients on a low heat, making sure the tapioca does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

Cover and allow the mixture to cook for 5-10 minutes. The tapioca pearls should soften but still have a crunch. Sprinkle some water if the mixture gets too dry.

Once the mixture has cooled, garnish with some additional coriander leaves.

Enjoy with a side of buttermilk or a tablespoon of pot set yogurt.

Rather than skipping breakfast as part of a fasting regime, try a light and easily digestible breakfast to start your day so your mind and body feel nourished rather than deprived. If you do want to incorporate a fasting routine, make it a holistic experience by reducing other sensory stimulation such as television, social media, heavy exercise, long working hours and socialising. Let fasting be a quiet time for reflection and contemplation, so you can stoke the fire of your digestion and come back feeling strong and replenished, rather than deprived.

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

— Mahatma Gandhi