The Christmas Fast begins on 15 November. It is a time when we change our eating habits, but also a time when we can pay more attention to the way we think, behave and relate to others.

At După gust we talk a lot about food, ingredients and recipes. But I like to think that a good meal means more than what we have on our plate. The care we cook with matters, and so do the people we share our food with and the habits we build.

To me, the fast feels like a good moment to think about all of this.

The fast of the soul. What do we change within ourselves?

When we talk about fasting, we think almost straight away of the foods we give up. Yet the spiritual side is just as important.

More patience, less judging, forgiveness, generosity and time given to the people we love. Things we talk about often but don't always manage to put into practice.

Fasting is present, in different forms, in many religious traditions. Faith and prayer play a central role in its religious dimension. Moderation and care for others are values we can all understand.

The way we treat people matters just as much as the choices we make at the table.

The food fast. What does science say?

I think it is important to understand what happens to our diet when we give up meat, eggs and dairy for a while. Fasting can encourage us to eat more vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, peas, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Studies on vegetarian and vegan diets have identified a few beneficial effects:

• Heart health. Replacing some saturated fats with unsaturated fats and fibre-rich foods can help lower LDL cholesterol. A 2023 meta-analysis that included 30 clinical trials found an average drop in LDL of about 0.30 mmol/L in participants on vegetarian or vegan diets, compared with omnivorous diets.
• Digestion. The fibre in vegetables, fruit and legumes supports intestinal transit and the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
• Blood sugar control. Fibre-rich foods can slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and help keep blood sugar levels more stable.
• Satiety. Fibre and plant proteins can help us feel full for longer.

The results are encouraging, but there is an important difference: the studies look at plant-based eating patterns, not necessarily at the 40 days of the Christmas Fast. The benefits depend on what we eat and on how we organise our meals.

What do we put on our plate?

I like fasting dishes that are tasty and nourishing and use ingredients we know. Fasole bătută (whipped white bean dip), a lentil stew, peas with vegetables, a hearty soup or roasted vegetables naturally find their place on a seasonal menu.

A product labelled “fasting-friendly” is not automatically healthy. Chips, pretzels and fasting-friendly sweets can turn up on the plate now and then, but they shouldn't be the basis of our diet.

Our body needs protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals every day. Iron, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D and iodine deserve special attention when we cut out foods of animal origin. On a fully plant-based diet, vitamin B12 has to come from fortified foods or supplements.

Children, pregnant or breastfeeding women and people with certain medical conditions have specific nutritional needs. Dietary restrictions have to be adapted to each situation.

Fasting is not a detox cure, nor is it a weight-loss diet. It can, however, be an opportunity to vary our meals and to pay more attention to the quality of our food.

What are we cooking at După gust?

Over the coming weeks I want to bring more fasting dishes into the După gust kitchen, with seasonal ingredients and combinations that give us the nutrients we need.

There will be weekly menus, lunch and dinner ideas, recipes for the Thermomix TM6 and TM7 and versions for classic cooking.

I would also like us to talk about the reasons behind our food choices. What are the benefits of legumes? How do we get enough protein without meat? Which combinations help us put together balanced meals?

We will look for the answers in the recommendations of specialists and in scientific studies, explained so that everyone can understand them.

I don't want to turn fasting into a list of allowed and forbidden foods. What I want is for us to discover together how to cook food that is tasty, varied and balanced.

The Christmas Fast gives us the chance to take more care of ourselves, of the people around us and of what we put on our plate.