The Ultimate Orthodox Fasting Protein Tier List

<p>Peanut butter contains protein... but does that make it a protein source?</p><p>In this episode of <em>The Orthodox Health Podcast</em>, Dr. Michael Christian &amp; John build the ultimate Orthodox fasting protein tier list for the Dormition Fast. They rank shellfish, lentils, split peas, lupini beans, bean pasta, pea &amp; rice protein, black beans, chickpeas, nutritional yeast, peanut butter, quinoa, oats, tahini, sourdough, vegan burgers, protein bars, seitan, tofu, tempeh &amp; soy-based imitation meats.</p><p>This is not a ranking of the holiest, cheapest or tastiest fasting foods. The central question is much more practical: does this food merely contain protein, or can it genuinely function as the protein anchor of a fasting meal?</p><p>Along the way, they explain why shrimp &amp; shellfish earn S tier, why lentils remain excellent without quite reaching the top, why peanut butter &amp; quinoa are commonly overrated as protein sources, why a pea &amp; rice protein blend can outperform either protein alone &amp; why highly processed “Pharisee meats” belong near the bottom.</p><p>The episode also moves beyond the rankings to show how to build a realistic, protein-anchored fasting day. They cover breakfast, lunch &amp; dinner ideas for people who use protein powder, prefer whole foods, cannot eat shellfish or struggle with low energy during longer fasts.</p><p>The goal is not macro worship, dietary perfection or turning fasting into a nutrition contest. It is to practice obedience, simplicity &amp; stewardship: choose real foods, plan ahead, identify the protein anchor, then stop obsessing &amp; participate in the fast.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Chapters:</strong></p><p>00:00 Coming Up</p><p>02:20 The Fasting Protein Problem</p><p>04:17 How the Rankings Work</p><p>07:30 Shrimp &amp; Shellfish</p><p>11:31 Lentils</p><p>17:26 Peanut Butter</p><p>23:24 Quinoa</p><p>27:10 Bean Pasta</p><p>31:27 Protein Powders</p><p>35:58 Restoring Your Energy</p><p>36:49 Beans &amp; Supporting Proteins</p><p>40:48 Seeds, Tahini, Oats &amp; Bread</p><p>47:59 Processed Vegan Foods</p><p>52:40 The Final Tier</p><p>53:39 Seitan</p><p>54:29 Tofu, Tempeh &amp; Soy</p><p>58:28 Pharisee Meats</p><p>59:36 Fasting Without Burnout</p><p>1:00:15 Building a Fasting Day</p><p>1:04:30 Whole-Food Alternatives</p><p>1:06:09 The Three-Meal Test</p><p>1:07:09 Asceticism Is Not Neglect</p><p>1:08:06 Stewardship Beyond Nutrition</p><p>1:09:18 The True Purpose of Fasting</p><p>1:10:11 The Key Distinction</p><p><br></p><p>Work with <a href="" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Mike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> ⁠⁠⁠<a href="" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>⁠⁠</p><p>Signed Copies of Orthodoxy &amp; The Medicine of the Future: ⁠<a href="https://www.orthodoxhealth.com/book" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OrthodoxHealth.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Order Orthodoxy &amp; the Medicine of the Future on <a href="https://www.amzn.to/4adGdrv" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Donate to St. John the Theologian <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-st-john-theologian-church" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> with a One-Time or Recurring donation</p><p>Intro &amp; Outro Music: St. John of Chicago Orthodox Church Choir (Arkansas) - Please support their building fund by buying the whole album <a href="https://stjohnorthodoxchurch.bandcamp.com/album/come-ye-faithful-building-fundraiser" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Orthodox Health <a href="https://instagram.com/Orthodox_Health%E2%81