Before he achieved enlightenment, the Buddha spent six years as an ascetic and believed that by abandoning the attachments to worldly affairs he could obtain peace. He fasted regularly and was quite literally skin and bones. He discovered, though, that extreme measures such as fasting and living as a recluse did not bring happiness and did not improve the lives of others.
The Buddha taught that eating the right amounts and type of food in a mindful and grateful manner was necessary to satisfy the mind and body. He always advocated a middle way: neither obsessive self-denial nor excessive consumption.
The Zen Buddhist master, Dogen (1200-1253), stressed the importance of mindful eating as a way of demonstrating gratitude for the plants and animals who gave up their existence for us. All Buddhists, regardless of the tradition, understand the middle path to be very beneficial for themselves and all sentient beings.
For a Buddhist, fasting is not required nor given any great spiritual meaning. However, if one wishes to live simply and eat a minimum amount of food in respect for those who have nothing than that is fine. If one becomes attached to certain types of food then they feel unhappy when they can't get it. The middle-path approach is to eat mindfully, take care of your body, and share what you can.
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