Sarah Mitchell
Monks have a reputation for healthy eating, and their diets are often seen as a way to live healthily for the rest of your life. The monks of Mount Athos, for example, eat a simple diet of mainly vegetables, legumes, wholemeal bread, and fruit, with fish and dairy products also included. Meals are eaten together, with no talking, and one monk reads from the Bible or other theological texts. This devotion to the meal is a key part of the monastic diet, which also includes fasting and moderation. The monks eat two meals a day, with the main meal in the morning, and no meat, wine, oil or fish on certain days. This way of eating is said to have many health benefits, including reducing cholesterol and regulating blood sugar and blood pressure.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Meals per day | Two meals per day during the busy summer months, one meal during winter and Lent. |
| Meal times | The main meal of the day is eaten in the morning, and dinner is served in the afternoon. |
| Food | Monks eat in moderation. Their diet consists mainly of vegetables, legumes, wholemeal wheat bread, and fruit. Meat, dairy, and fish are also consumed, but only on certain days. |
| Rules | Speaking is prohibited during meals. Monks communicate using hand signals and face punishment if they break the rules. |
| Reading | One monk reads from the Bible or other theological texts during meals. |
| Prayer | After eating, monks proceed to the church for a prayer of thanks. |
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What You'll Learn
Eat in silence
Silence is golden, and for monks, it is an integral part of their meals. Eating in silence is a practice that monks follow diligently, and it involves more than just refraining from conversation. Here are some insights into how monks incorporate silence into their dining rituals:
Communal Silence
Monks typically eat together in a communal setting, sitting next to each other at a long table. During these meals, speaking is strictly prohibited. The focus is on the food and the act of nourishment, with no distractions or noise. This practice fosters a sense of unity and helps cultivate a deep devotion to the meal. It also creates an atmosphere of contemplation and introspection, allowing monks to fully appreciate the nourishment they receive.
Hand Signals
Despite the silence, monks have developed their own form of communication during meals. They use hand signals to convey their thoughts and needs without disrupting the peaceful atmosphere. This unique language of gestures ensures that their basic needs are met while maintaining the sacred silence of the dining hall.
Readings and Prayers
While the monks eat in silence, one monk takes on the role of the refectory reader. This monk reads aloud from religious texts, such as the Bible or other theological writings. The reader stands in a designated pulpit, visible to all the monks, and recites passages to accompany the meal. After eating, the monks proceed to the church for a prayer of thanks, continuing the contemplative atmosphere that began during their silent meal.
Timing and Duration
The monastic diet emphasizes simplicity and routine. Meals are typically limited to a maximum duration of 20 minutes, ensuring that monks focus on their nourishment without distraction. Additionally, monks eat their main meal of the day in the morning, referring to it as "lunch," and have a lighter dinner in the afternoon. This aligns with their 'Byzantine time,' which dictates their sleep and wake cycles.
Fasting and Moderation
Monks also practice fasting and moderation in their diet. They eat in moderation every day, allowing their digestive systems to rest. During fasting periods, such as Lent, monks may consume only one evening meal. This discipline of eating in moderation and fasting periodically gives monks greater control over their physical and spiritual well-being.
Adopting the practice of eating in silence, as monks do, can bring a sense of calm and mindfulness to one's dining experience. It encourages a deeper appreciation for food and creates a sacred space for introspection and gratitude.
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Consume seasonal produce
Eating like a Catholic monk involves adhering to a simple and healthy diet, with a focus on seasonal produce and a deep connection to nature's rhythm.
Monks often cultivate their vegetables, herbs, and orchards, working diligently to produce sufficient food for their community. Their diet consists primarily of vegetables, legumes, grains, bread, and seasonal fruits. They supplement their meals with legumes like lentils, beans, and chickpeas, and occasionally enjoy fresh or frozen fish during weekends and holidays. Dairy products are also consumed but only on specific days.
The monks' diet is deeply intertwined with the changing seasons. They plant, nurture, and harvest their crops in harmony with nature, adapting their planting schedules to the rhythms of the church year. This seasonal approach to food not only provides fresher and tastier produce but also reduces their carbon footprint.
The Mount Athos Diet, inspired by the monks of Mount Athos, is a well-known example of monastic eating. It emphasizes moderation, allowing for indulgences on feast days while promoting a healthy digestive system and a sustainable lifestyle.
By embracing seasonal produce and a simple, balanced diet, Catholic monks align their eating habits with the natural world and promote good health and longevity.
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Practice fasting
Catholic monks have been practising intermittent fasting for over a millennium. Monks and nuns discipline their bodies through fasting so that their minds can focus on the spiritual realm.
Fasting is a powerful spiritual weapon, and Jesus himself said that some demons "cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting". The Church has taught the need for asceticism in the life of every Christian, which can be defined as self-denial with the ultimate goal of self-control.
If you want to practice fasting like a Catholic monk, it is important to start slowly and gradually. Father Alexander da Costa Fernandes, a Catholic monk at Worth Abbey, West Sussex, advises giving up breakfast or mid-morning snacks first, then moving on to something else once you have mastered that. He also recommends a bread-and-water-only diet and drinking a lot of liquids to create the illusion of a full stomach.
You can also try the Monk Fast, which involves drinking only water and other calorie-free drinks for 36 hours once a week. This causes your body to enter ketosis, a metabolic state where fat is used for energy instead of sugar. However, it is important to note that this type of fasting may cause adverse side effects, such as nausea, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. It is not recommended for those with a history of disordered eating or underlying health conditions.
Finally, you can try fasting one day a week, as this detoxifies the body and helps it readjust. A day of just water or pure fruit or vegetable juice cleanses and renews the system, and after a few weeks, the body adapts and hunger pangs disappear.
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Eat in moderation
Eating in moderation is a key principle of the monastic diet, which is known for being simple, yet abundant and full of flavour. The monks of Mount Athos, for example, eat a variety of foods, but in moderation. This includes vegetables, legumes, wholemeal bread, fish, poultry, dairy, and fruit. Sweets are also consumed, but only on certain days.
The monks' meals are simple and healthy, based on traditional cooking methods. They eat two meals a day, with the main meal being served in the morning, and no snacks in between. This gives their digestive system a rest. The monks also abstain from meat on certain days and observe fasting during Lent and Nativity, eating only one meal in the evening during this period.
The monastic diet is not about deprivation but about balance and moderation. It is a sustainable lifestyle that can be followed for life, promoting physical and spiritual well-being. This way of eating is said to have many health benefits, including regulating blood sugar and blood pressure, protecting against various types of cancer, and promoting longevity.
In addition to the physical benefits, the monks also believe in the spiritual aspect of eating in moderation. Meals are eaten together in silence, with one monk reading from religious texts. This devotion to the meal creates a sense of community and gratitude, fostering a deeper connection to their faith.
By eating in moderation, Catholic monks not only take care of their physical health but also cultivate a sense of discipline, simplicity, and gratitude, aligning their eating habits with their spiritual values.
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Share meals with others
Sharing meals with others is a key aspect of eating like a Catholic monk. Meals are a time for monks to come together and build community. In monasteries, monks share their meals by eating together at long tables, sitting next to each other. Speaking is prohibited during meals, but monks can communicate with hand signals. This practice fosters a sense of unity and helps monks focus on the food they are consuming.
Monks also share the task of reading during meals. In the monks' refectory, one monk would read from a pulpit along the east wall, reciting texts from the Bible or other theological writings. This monk, known as the refectory reader, would be visible to everyone and would receive a blessing from his brothers before beginning his service, to keep him humble. The refectory reader ate separately from the others, only consuming his meal after reading and then doing so in the kitchen with others who had weekly duties elsewhere.
The act of sharing meals and reading together creates a sense of camaraderie and spiritual connection among the monks. It also reinforces the idea of service and simplicity that is central to monastic life. By sharing meals and taking turns reading, monks embody the values of equality and humility, treating each other with respect and valuing the contribution of each individual to the community.
In addition to sharing meals within the monastery, monks also share their food with the outside world. Monasteries have a long history of brewing beer, making wine, and producing other gourmet food items such as cheese and bread. These products are often sold to the public, continuing the tradition of sharing food beyond the monastery walls and into the wider community. This practice allows monks to connect with others through food, fostering a sense of hospitality and generosity.
The practice of sharing meals and reading together has been a cornerstone of monastic life for centuries. It encourages monks to view food as a means of building relationships and expressing love and gratitude. By sharing meals and taking part in a communal reading, monks create a sense of unity and foster a deeper connection to their faith and to each other. This tradition highlights the importance of food as a source of physical and spiritual nourishment in the life of a Catholic monk.
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