Fridays of Lent and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence. The law of abstinence requires a Catholic 14 years of age and above to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent in honor of the Passion of Jesus on Good Friday. Meat is considered to be flesh and organs of mammals and fowl including soups or gravies made from them. Salt and freshwater species of fish, amphibians, reptiles and shellfish are permitted, as are animal-derived products such as gelatin, butter, cheese and eggs, which do not have any meat taste. The law of fasting requires a Catholic from the 18th Birthday to the 59th Birthday to reduce the amount of food eaten from normal. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity. The fast is broken by eating between meals and by drinks which could be considered food (milk shakes, but not milk). Alcoholic beverages do not break the fast; however, they seem contrary to the spirit of doing penance. Parents are to see to it that their minor children are educated and encouraged to perform acts of prayer, penance and personal sacrifices. Those who are excused such as those outside the age limits, those of unsound mind, the sick, the frail, pregnant or nursing women according to need for meat or nourishment, manual laborers according to need, guests at a meal who cannot excuse themselves without giving great offense or causing enmity, are encouraged to perform acts of prayer and do charitable works at an appropriate time during Lent.