Seventh-day Adventists can be considered a large family of Christians worldwide. Virtually every country in the world has an Adventist presence.
For more than 130 years Seventh-day Adventists have adopted the vegetarian lifestyle because they believe that man is a whole, including a spiritual, physical and moral dimension. All that is done in the field of eating and drinking should be honored and glorify God and preserve the health of body, mind, and soul.
Seventh-Day Adventist Food Beliefs:
Among the beliefs of the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as in other Christian denominations, the human body represents a fundamental one and it the place of lodging for the Holy Spirit. The meticulous care of the body, as well as the asceticism and the temperance in the diet, are part of the elementary religious discourse shared and sustained by the parishioners.
Then, the idea of the body as a temple or sacred place has led to the constant search for alternative ways to treat diseases through the ingestion of certain types of food which often results in vegetarianism.
The Adventist is a body that is purified with the intake of foods allowed in the religious diet in addition to certain doctrinal elements. This is an endless process since it is constantly required clean. The construction of the body has a starting point, but not a final point. In other words, the Adventist begins its construction at the moment of conversion and can only be paused with death, while the Adventist belief is sustained by the second coming of Christ, a time when they would be resurrected in flesh and blood.
Seventh-Day Adventist Diet and Lifestyle:
The population that has aroused the greatest interest among researchers is that of the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church, spread throughout the world in 204 countries. Adventists follow, in general, an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet (some pure vegetarian, without eggs or dairy), rich in fruits, whole grains, vegetables; In addition, they practice a healthy lifestyle, free of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and other drugs. For more than a hundred years, Adventists have been practicing this lifestyle with remarkable results.
The effects of their customs are so striking, in terms of better health and greater longevity study, that they have attracted the attention of researchers around the world. The most prestigious scientific journals have published studies on the health of Adventists.
There are more than 150 research studies conducted on this unique population group, composed of people of the most diverse races and cultures. In all of these studies it is found that Adventists enjoy better health than the rest of the population:
- Fewer heart attacks (45% less than the population in general).
- Fewer cases of cancer, both lung (a fact that could be explained by their withdrawal of snuff), as the stomach, or colon (which could be directly related to poor diet or exempt in meat). There are also fewer cases of breast cancer, prostate cancer or other organs that do not have a direct relationship with habits or diet. This shows that the preventive action of a diet and a healthy lifestyle influence the whole of the whole organism, and not only on a specific organ.
Many researchers have asked: What are Adventists based on to adopt these habits of healthy life? What motivation guides you for it?
In the first place, they start from the basis that, as Moses relates in the book of Genesis, God created the vegetarian human being. Cereals and fruits were the first food provided for the human species.
Second, Adventists adhere to that statement of St. Paul in which he says. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, that it is in you, that you have God, and that you are not yours? because you have been bought by price. Therefore, glorify God in your body. ”
Adventists are very clear that good health is not the result of chance, but comes from respect for the natural laws that the Supreme Being has established, and that we know thanks to the study of human anatomy and physiology.
Third, Adventists are people who have hope. This is already a reason for good health. They base their faith on the promise of the advent of “a new heaven and a new earth, where justice dwells”, in which there will be no more suffering or pain, and where human beings and the whole of nature will once again have the splendor and beauty they owned in the beginning.
There are many peoples and social groups that, for different reasons and motivations, have come to the conclusion that plant-based food is the healthiest and most satisfactory for human beings.
It is curious to observe how in the developed countries of the West, where the meat diet is so ingrained, there is more and more interest in vegetable-based food. Habits, health, and science are more and more in agreement.
Let us find out some more interesting things of Seventh-day Adventist Diet which is also called as SDA.
Do Seventh-Day Adventists Drink Coffee?
Seventh-Day Adventists never drink coffee. The reason why coffee is avoided is that of its caffeine content which is considered a drug, therefore its ingestion is not recommended, taking as a biblical basis:
Cor 6:19; “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God and who are not yours?”
Cor 3: 16 and 17; “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God, which is you, is holy.”
For an Adventist, the body is considered a “temple” according to those texts, and as such we must take care of it and just like a temple you do not get anything, the same with the body.
However, drinking coffee is not absolutely forbidden.
Do 7th Day Adventists Drink Alcohol?
Adventists have maintained, even before being organized as a denomination, that moderate or low alcohol consumption also has negative consequences. Even a single glass of alcoholic beverage a day is harmful, and therefore, it is not acceptable.
We believe that the use of alcoholic beverages is not approved by God. We understand that the intake of this substance is not healthy and not appropriate for people created in the image and likeness of God.
Seventh-Day Adventist says let us not forget that a single glass can make the difference between health and illness, between true joy and foolish amusement, between the clear mind and the lack of spiritual discernment.
“The end of all things is near. So, be sober and watch in prayer” The sobriety that suits us in this final time is total abstinence from any type of alcoholic beverage and all kinds of addictive drugs, such as science, the Spirit of prophecy and the Bible recommend.
Seventh-Day Adventist Fish Diet:
Seventh-Day Adventists strictly follow vegetarianism but they allow members to eat “clean” fish and meat which is based on the Jewish ritual dietary restrictions. That means, for example, they allow their member to eat fish without scales and fins, pork, and shellfish.
Seventh-Day Adventist Diet Restrictions:
There are some foods that Seventh-Day Adventists members do not eat that include certain fish, unclean flesh like that of pig, and other animals that Bible names as unclean. In addition, they do not smoke or drink alcohol.
Do Seventh-Day Adventists Eat Dairy?
Dairy and eggs products are acceptable in the diet followed by Seventh-Day Adventists. Dairy products can be consumed in moderation to keep cholesterol level under control. For those who choose to consume dairy products, they usually prefer low-fat products
Do Seventh-Day Adventists Eat Meat?
As per the Seventh-Day Adventist “Many have done great harm to their body by neglecting the laws of life, and may never recover from the effects of their carelessness but even now you can repent and convert. The man has tried to be wiser than God. He has become a law for himself. God demands that we pay attention to his requirements, so as not to dishonor him further by a behavior that dwarfs the physical, mental and spiritual faculties.”
About meat, their belief is that it is generally underestimated as a food and a meat-based diet is highly harmful. Among the effects of meat, and especially red meat are the following:
Its abundant consumption leads to an excess of proteins that sediment and thicken the capillary vessels, making them less permeable, so that different substances in the blood cannot pass well into the tissues. This leads, for example, to high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.
- Stimulates the thyroid gland, which can cause disorders of the same.
- Accelerates arteriosclerosis.
- It increases too much the red globules.
- It can lead to thrombosis and embolism.
- It leads to the formation of gallstones.
- Prostatic Hypertrophy.
- Uterine fibroids.
- Cancer.
- Others (Allergy, psychic effects, etc.).
Seventh-Day Adventist Longevity Study:
Seventh-Day Adventists have studied better health and greater longevity. They say, the best vitamin supplement that someone could take, you will find it in the vegetables. Rich in vitamins and minerals, they provide fiber to the diet which favors digestion and prevents colon cancer. Some, on the other hand, can even provide us with proteins.
Adventists are a population belonging to the Protestant Christian church, which evangelizes health. Within those people interested in nutrition (and more specifically, in vegetarian food) are widely known because they have been one of the populations that have been studied the most and from which more epidemiological data on a vegetarian diet have been obtained.
Therefore, as you can suppose, most of them are characterized by following a diet mainly vegetarian and those who consume meat do so with a very low frequency.
Following are Seventh-Day Adventist Dietary Guidelines:
- Plant-Based Diet: Seventh-day Adventists repudiate the vast majority of meat consumption. They eat mainly vegetables and fruits, nuts, legumes and whole grains (real), and eat less fish, some dairy products and eggs.
- Neither smoke nor drink: Adventists, as in other religions, are prohibited from alcohol and tobacco. Therefore, its main and almost exclusive source of hydration is water.
- Stable weight: In westernized society it is normal that our weight fluctuates throughout the year, finding peaks of rising, for example, in the holidays. That roller coaster of so many “I’m going to put on a diet” or “I’m going to join the gym” does not happen with Adventists, who maintain a normal and stable weight throughout the year.
- High consumption of nuts: Adventists consume them daily, in an average of 60 g (2 handfuls).
- Regular physical activity: To water the plants, cut the grass. To go walking or by bike to the different places they have to frequent or to the church. Cooking, kneading, cutting. To take care of their animals and walk/play with them. In short, to stay as long as possible away from the sofa.
And not only have this, the Adventists, as happens in other religious currents dedicated one day a week, exclusively to rest.
As you can see, a lifestyle totally compatible with a healthy and lasting life.
Dietary Guidelines:
The Seventh-day Adventist Church, internationally recognized for the longevity of its members, believes, among other things, that a healthy lifestyle, in addition to providing a better quality of life, creates the conditions for a better development of human potential and is fundamental to facilitate the contact of man with spiritual realities.
Therefore, the recipes and menus that are presented in the official media of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, should also play an educational role, promoting healthy habits that produce a better quality of life and always they must represent the orientations that the Church received through revelation. This initiative is in accordance with the purpose of the Lord Jesus who, when he came to this earth, said: “I came so that all may have life and life in abundance.”
So, all recipes and menus must have three basic requirements:
- Healthy (good quality, good combination, nutritious and good sanitization)
- Tasty (appetizing)
- Attractants (good looks, colorful and presented with creativity).
Following are the orientations:
- Responding to the first item (healthy), it is suggested that vegetarian or lacto-ovo-vegetarian foods be presented, because they are healthier.
- Suggest abundance and variety of fruits, raw salads, and vegetables.
- If using yogurt, use plain yogurt (without preservatives, dyes, or artificial flavor).
- Whenever possible, try replacing the cheeses with tofu. If you use dairy products, present options that contain fresh cheese as they are healthier.
- In the presentations of menus and recipes, always prefer whole and natural products instead of refined and industrialized ones. Present, for example, options such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats, black sugar, and unrefined salt.
- Whenever possible, opt for biological leavers instead of chemicals. Do not use baking soda.
- Prefer natural juices, without chemical additives or preservatives, avoiding juices in powder, reconstituted juices, artificial sodas (liquid or powder) or soft drinks. It can be used, for example, industrialized natural grape juice or other industrialized juice of good quality, without preservatives, dyes and other chemical or natural additives. (It is always good to check the labels).
- Prefer to present raw, cooked, roasted or grilled foods. Avoid suggesting fried foods.
- Suggest only three daily meals, being the last (dinner) light and served as early as possible. Both at breakfast and at dinner, serve fruit in abundance. Follow the old orientation: “Take your breakfast alone, share lunch with your best friend and deliver dinner to your worst enemy.”
- Do not suggest snacks, “coffee-brakes”, or other types of foods between meals.
- Use the minimum amount of fat, even vegetable origin in the preparation of cooked or roasted foods. Do not use, in any way, fat of animal origin. Butter, margarine and hydrogenated vegetable oils should be used sparingly. Prefer simple vegetable oils, such as olive oil, sunflower or corn.
- Try to avoid the abundance of both salt and sugar. Honey can be a healthy option to sweeten. Other options may be brown sugar, fructose, dried fruits (raisins, plums, banana, dates, for example). Prefers the unrefined salt and even then in less quantity possible, without the offered food losing its flavor.
- Always look for food with natural ingredients which are usually obtained from nature and prepared in your own kitchen, without the addition of industrialized chemicals. Processed products usually contain preservatives, dyes, hydrogenated fatty acid and other chemical additives that can be harmful. In the case of using an industrialized product, make sure it is very healthy.
- The chemical additives that intensify the flavor of the food are also removed from the list of ingredients, but they are harmful. They usually contain monosodium glutamate and/or hydrogenated oil, apart from other chemicals unfit for healthy consumption.
- Do not use strong or stimulating and harmful condiments in the recipes, such as pepper, nutmeg, mustard or vinegar of any kind.
The knowledge of these habits that produce longevity and prepare the mind for a more intimate contact with eternal things, does not originate in man but was received by direct revelation from God, being today widely confirmed by science.
